Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-02
LABOR SECRETARY A POET

tuition, the toll hardened 1t. The work F.,
began to be easier for him. He found
be had a certain minimum Of leisure.
Then he made a wonderful discovery.
The discovery was of a shoemaker in
Arnot named kerwin. Kerwin was a
great reader. He had social and po-
litical theories, took the newspapers
and even subscribed for the Congress
sional Record. Kerwin's shoemaking
shop was a favorite place for the min
ers to gather of evenings. Many were
the arguments over national and world
affairs. The conditions in the labor
world also took a prominent place in
the discussions. The meetings were
held in the back room of Kerwins
shop. And there Kerwin had his H.
brary, the only one worthy of the name
in the poor mining village.
One night young Wilson crept into
the meeting and listened to the anna
teur debaters. He was entranced. II
was his first glimpse Of world out
side the deadly routine of working and
sleeping. From that moment he lived
his days that he might be present at
the shoe shop evenings. To this day
the smell of new leather is linked in
his memory with his emancipation as
a toiler below ground The old shoe
maker noticed the shy, listening boy
and lent him books. Wilson devoured
them. He carried the treasured vol
umes into the mine with him and read
WILSON A TWO
them during moments OF leisure by
the light on his cap. The shoemaker
questioned him afterwards and found
that the boy not only read, but remem-
bered and thought His thirsty brain
absorbed facts and catalogued them
naturally.
Presently he had read all the books
in the library. Other mine boys had
become interested. More books were
needed. So, under the direction Of
herwin, a library society was formed,
dues were collected and nev books
purchased. Wilson was made Ibrari-
an and purchasing agent. And for
years the shoemaker's shop was the
center Of learning in Arnot, and in the
cases Of most of the mine boys their
only source of education.
That was the start of Wilson's edu-
cation. In his early manhood he be-
came active in the affairs of the Mine
! Workers union, and il was possible
for him 70 rise. In 1900 he was elect
ed international secretary-treasurer of
! the union, and was reelected seven
/ times. His record in his Office during
| the great anthracite strike of 1902
/ brought him prominently before the la
/ Dor world.
Although he IS now 81 years old,
Wilson has never forgotten nor ceased
/ to be grateful TO his first and only
, teacher, the shoemaker. Kerwin has
been dead for some years; but Will
sons first official act after being
sworn as secretary of labor was 10
appoint as his private secretary Hugh
L. Kerwin, a son Of the shoemaker.
/ Once while active during a strike as
local union officer. Wilson was evict-
ed from his house which was owned by
the mining company. That taught
him that to be independent of other
men he must own his own place He
has Scotch thrift and began TO save
his money Eventually he bought a
farm near Blossburg, Pa. Since then
he has become a successful farmer
The miners Of his district sent him tc
the state legislature for two terms
and six years ago TO congress where
he stayed until elevated to the cabi
net In congress he became chairman
Of the committee on labor
Wilson has the solemn realization Of
the responsibility upon him Of making
the new department of labor a real
force in the lettering Of industrial
conditions.
81 call this the department Of hu
man relations" he said, and its &C
tivities will probably be pretty nearly
as wide as this title would indicate
Almost every problem of life in Amer
lea will become the concern Of one OF
more branches OF this department
Our purpose is to work for indust-ia
peace with honor 10 all concerned
The department will probably not fig
ure in the spectacular work Of settling
strikes. Our work will be remedial
II is our hope 10 improve condition.
so that strikes will not occur"