The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-20
SHOP OWNERS HEAR
OVERTURE OF FLYNN
FOR UNION OF MEN
Some Employers Willing EN-
plOyes Should Garry Cards
of Organization.
W Rk GOES AHEAD
Mass Meeting to Show Need
of Action Among
LabOrers.
W ORk GOES AHEAD

Organized labor has reduced the
hours of toll. has increased the wages.
has taken the children from mills,
mines and factories and placed them
in the little red school house. in other
cities. Why can't il be done In Rich
monde"
So reads the call sent out for the
meeting tomorrow evening AT the X
of p. temple, where all wage-earners.
male and female. are invited TO hear
union speakers tell OF the needs of or
EaniZation among workers of this city.
The campaign for the unioniEation
OF Richmond workers is making head
way. Owners and superintendents OF
shops have been approached by Or
Ganizer T. II. Flynn with the state
ment that an attempt would be made
TO unionize shops. and that II is the
desire OF the American Federation OF
Labor TO conduct the work in the
open. with the sanction OF the en-
ployer. IL permission is not extended.
the work will be prosecuted in secret.
Mr.. FLYNN added
Some Employers Willing.
Some factory owners evinced will
ingness 10 let their employees carry
cards. Special organizers OF various
unions will come here TO do the work
The street car men will not be neg
lected, as strong pressure will be ex-
erted to line up those who refused
10 join the union when it was first
broached a few weeks ago James
Thorpe. who engineered the Indianap-
oils street car strike. VIII come here
for a conference with the employees
OF the Richmond city lines.
That the complete unionization OF
the city contemplated by the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, will have a
strong bearing on political conditions
is matter that has aroused the atten-
ton of Richmond politicians While
labor organizations are more inter
ested in securing Legislative rather
than executive and administrative Of
Aces. they will not pass up minor city
offices politicians assert. With a we'll
organized labor vote in Richmond. all
political organizations, il is held by
some, will be compelled to recognize
this vote in framing city ticket
Tiff Admits Possibility.
Edgar lin. Republican city chair
man, said today that strong unions
would throw the balance of power
completely in their hands. and COM
plicate still further local political con-
ditions
Inc union movement IN Richmond
is part OF general movement through
out the state. begun a month ago at
the direction OF Samuel Gomper. pres
ident Of the American Federation.
Organizers are now at work in Fort
Wayne. Terre Haute. Logansport and
Lafayette. Richmond. according to the
leaders Of the national organization, 10
in the worst condition OF any city
in the state from the standpoint sf
union labor.
The wages OF garment workers. in
Richmond Is much lower than IL should
be. according TO Mr.. Flynn. who says
that where this kind of labor fs or
ganiZed IL is no uncommon thing for
a woman to to earn from $40 to $25
a week for an eight hour day.
Depiores Woman Labor.
Far too large a per cent Of women
here enter shops and factories TO as
sist their husbands In supporting their
families, according to Mr. Flynn. who
will base his speech Friday evening
at the K. OF P. temple upon this sub
tect. This condition can be remedied
and should be-" commented Mr..
Flynn. The reformers may howl
against race suicide. but so long as
mothers are compelled to work in
shops and factories. there is little op-
portunity for improvement"
Mr.. Flynn is pleased with the stand
taken by the American Federation OF
Labor yesterday at it's national con-
vention in Seattle. where. py an over
whelming vote, il decided that the
time is not Yet ripe for the organiza-
ton of laboring mans party