The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-17
ERANK HOMES rs GONE.

No more faithful man ever served
q newspaper. He was at the case. or
in his chair before the machine, day
after day. He would not take q vaca-
ton. Those longest with the State Jour-
nal can remember only once that he
laid of for as much as a week at
time. and that was when he took a
seven days rest at the twentieth ami
versary of his labors in this onice.
Only one man now with the state
Journal has been with the paper con-
tinuously longer than was Jones; two
years longer. This man can. In all that
time, remember no unkind word or aca
or difference between Jones and the
Office, save one. Here Is the single In
stance, and that does not count, as the
reader will see:
Many years ago, so long that 1t had
leen forgotten. the memory OF It only
revived by the untimely taking on.
here set forth, there was a strike inn
minent in the State Journal composing
room.
The proprietor thought the contention
of the men, and Of the one woman
compositor, was unjust and unwar-
ranted.
Members of Typographical Union NO.
121, the Topeka charter number. held
a different view and undertook to
maintain and defend it.
1t was a serious situation. The Of
nee was in hard lines; it believed the
men wrong; it saw trouble. financial
and vital. 1t looked as if the paper
might have to suspend temporarily, or
get out nominal issue. with little
news and much grief.
Counting on the loyalty and faithful
ness Of Jones, the proprietor went to
him and said:
Frank, are you going to stay with
me or are you going to walk out with
the Othersc''
We'll" said he. you know there is
no difference between you and me.
Whatever you say is all right with me.
but have my obligations to my or
gauization, just as you have to yours.
and can't break with the union. There
is no serious trouble in your office that
could not be adjusted by you and your
own employees. We could settle the
difficulty readily. think, between Of
flee and the shop, but some outside
meddlers have stirred up this trouble
and they have gone so far with it and
gotten us into it to such an extent
that don't see how we are going 80
get out of it. regre. it as do
But they did get out of it, both sides,
and there was no strike or no walk
out. and the paper got out as usual and
things went on happily afterward.
There never was a strike in the State
Journal composing room. under the
present management and the reason
for it is: Frank Jones. He was a type.
There are many on the State Journal
force like him; and where this type
prevails and influences such as his gov
ern there will be- no strike-for differ
ences are settled by conference. by
conciliation or by arbitration-not by
force or strife. and waste and suffer-
ing, to both parties.
Jones was constantly urged by his as
sociates in the office to stop work and
make a change of employment, but he
stuck to his chair. Day after day his
companions saw him growing weaker
and weaker. He was urged to go to the
Printers Home at Colorado Springs,
ard IL any man ever earned a place
worked. Though living but five blocks
away, he rode on the street car ana
was helped down the steps in front
Of the office.
Finally one day about six weeks ago
two of his fellow workers said to him:
Frank. you must give up your work
and take rest; otherwise. you will die
at the machine. You will prolong your
life by quitting"
said he.
Yes. we have. but only for your own
good.''
On May 2 last he reluctantly took this
advice and left never to return.
He was conscious to the last few
moments; his mind ever on his work
to the end. Almost his last words were,
to his wife:
mamma, the machines seem not to
be running"
While not able tc work for the past
few weeks Frank Jones was on tho
State Journal regular composing
room list till he passed away. He
neither resigned. nor was he relieved
from duty. except temporarily, pend
ing hoped-for recovery.
Il am going to put on a SUBJ"
said he to the foreman. land return
to my machine as soon as 1 am able
to do so, which ope will be before
long"
Meanwhile, he told the sub that
he thought there would be consider
able work for her as 1t seemed adj
visab1e for him to take a vacation
and frequent rests for while. He
was anxious to work on Fridays and