United labor bulletin., 1913-06-14
ITEMS OF INTEREST
IN LABOR WORLD
Scale in Sheet and Tin Mills Will
Remain Unchanged During
Coming Year.
TO ORGANIZE NEW DISTRICT
Needs Of Pacific Coast States Recos-
nlzed and Necessary Legislation
VIII Be Made-Constitution-
aIity of Law Up to the
Federal Courts.


Fort Wayne, Ind-Minimum and
maximum weights governing sheet
and tin mills will remain unchanged
during the coming year as the result
of action by the annual convention of
the Amalgamated Association of Iron,
Tin and Steel Workers, in session
here. The delegates also voted to al
low the sheet mill classifications to
remain as they are at present. Act
ing on applications from organiza-
tions along the Pacific coast, the con-
vention appointed special commit
tee to investigate the question of
forming a special district for the five
amalgamated unions in Pacific coast
states. The application set forth
that the organizations were too far
away to send delegates and that never
since the organization ten years ago
has national officer visited them.
The matter will be finally disposed of
at once.
Washington.-The constitutionality
ot the federal hours of service law for
railway telegraph operators was at
tackled in a petition filed in the Su-
preme court by the St. Louis South
western Railway company of Texas
for a review of it's convictions for vio-
lating the law. The railway had its
day operators work from Z a. m. to
noon and, after an hours rest, from l
p. m. until p. m, with like hours for
night operators. 1t contended the
law merely forbids continuous" serv-
ice of more than nine hours.
Washington.-A German firm that
manufactures optical goods on a large
scale has established for its employees
volkshaus, or peoples house, which
contains a well-equipped library, read
ing rooms, literary museum, mu-
scum, a museum of physics, a school
or arts and crafts, an assembly hall
capable of seating 1900 people,
smaller hall for lectures, an art col
lection, music room, etc.
Cardiff, Wales.-The strike of the
Welsh coal miners in protest against
the open-shop policy of the mine own
ers is spreading to serious extent.
Leaders of the miners union expect a
speedy victory, because many of the
mine owners already have promised
to hire no more nonunion men. This
is compelling nonunionists to join the
organization.
San Francisco.-Walter Macarthur,
editor of the Coast Seamen's Journal,
San Francisco, has been appointed as
United States shipping commissioner
at San Francisco at $4,000 per annum.
The appointment is effective on June
1. 1913.
St. Paul.-Believing the union mem
bers should be consistent in all re-
spects. the st. Paul Union Label
league has gone on record to the eff
feet that union musicians playing at
union functions shall have union-made
instruments.
London-The recently founded ship
officers union of Great Britain is pro-
crossing. The members demand bet
ter payment and accommodations,
payment for overtime and the intro
duction of three watches at sea, etc.
Kingston, Canada.-A branch of
journeymen Stone Cutters of North
America was organized in 1900. and
since that time the wage scale has
been advanced from So per day of
ten hours to S4 per day of eight hours.
Galesburg. Ill.-The street railway is
now a thoroughly union one, every
Guiding powerhouse employees. track
men, teamsters and linemen, being a
member of division No. 515..
Berne.-tIn Switzerland the commits
sion on the new factory laws holds.
in spite of the demands of the federal
parliament and the workers, that en-
ployers may impose fines on their en-
ployes.
Seattle, Wash.-Prominent union
officials favor holding an immigra-
tion congress in this city just prior
to the American Federation of Labor
convention in November.
Indianapolis.-Und the direction
of the executive council of the Inter
national Typographical union, his
tory af that organization is being COM
piled.
Kansas City, Mo.-To enforce the
early closing law, Journeymen Bar
bers' International union is prepared
to spend $4,000
Washington.-An average of nearly
two persons a day are killed by boil
er explosions In the United States
every year.
Washington. = The seamen's bill
abolishing involuntary servitude and
setting a standard of efficiency for
crews of American ships may be en-
acted into law at the present session
Of congress.
New York.-Eighty per cent of the
girls of New York. It is said. are
never allowed to keep any of the
money they earn except for car fare.
Berlin.-Underwear and blouse ma
kers in Berlin. Germany, are paid
711s cents for one dozen blouses.
IL, IL l..