Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-01-21
AMALGAMATION
SEEMS CERTAIN

m an audience, that crowded the
Court theatre last Sunday afternoon
Samuel Gompers, president OF tie
American Federation of Labor, spoke
for an hour and a half in defense OF
Trades Unionism in words that were
;og cal and manner that was most I'M
pressiye.
fIore than a thousand people heard
hin, denounce the inspiration of courts
and the greed of profit and declare
tcr the rights of man.
He was preceded by Thomas F.
Tracy, secretary of the UAion Label
Trades Department, whose address
was a splendid, convincing argument
IN favor of solidarity and the union
label.
The Meeting.
The meeting was opened by Leo J.
naFlam, chairman of the arrange
ments committee, who outlined its OBJ
jects and gave resume of the nego-
tiations between the Cigar Makers and
stogie Makers extending over yeAls
which mad finally ledsnp 70 ansgsee'
ment Of anlalgamassoh between me
representatives of both organizations
which was now to be settled by re-
ferendum vote of the membership. He
explained that it was the hope that the
favorable impression of the agreemelt
would be furthered by the meeting be
ing held~that day.
Charles Higgins.
Charles Higgins, president OF the
Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assem-
bly,, was introduced as the permanent
chairman, and made the briefest talk
of all, although a neat one. He said
"T thank you on behalf of the Ohio
Valley Trades and Labor Assembly fol-
coming here today, and l hope and
trust that you will spend an enjoyable
afternoon and that you will all learn
something to your benefit.
Thomas F. Tracy.
AS the first speaker, he. introduced
Mr. Tracy. His long experience in the
trade union movement, having bee1
a member of the International Cigar
Makers Union for SO years, was shown
to have been put by him to good ad
vantage by the, knowledge he showed
of the movement, his analysis of IT.
shortcomings and his conception OF It's
possibilities of greatest strength.
He gave in detail the beneficial fea
lures of the Cigar Makers Union, re
viewing its struggles necessitiatins
changes in. its form and laws as in
dustry changed with the passing years
and gave his reasons for believing tina
the amalgamation with the StOgit
Makers would bring about benefits fol
both organizations and their members
The Union Label as a potent forct
for good was dwelt on. He cited in
stances of the unfair competition witt
free labor of contract prison manufac
ture, giving the names of the manufac
turers, the kind and quantity of th'
goods produced. 1t was the women tt
whom he particularly appealed to aiI
IN suppressing the sale of convict
made goods and increasing the sale o
Nnion labeled products. AFTER tn
rent Is paid" he said, (which, is one
fifth to one-fourth Of the workers In
come, the women of the family spen,
80 per cent of the income" It wa
therefore to the women he appealed
and to the men to educate their wive
and mothers to the importance of VI
lon labeled goods.
Fred w. Sonderman.
e Following the address of the Ciga
Makers Official, Chairman Higgins Ii
troduced Fred w. Sonderman, seer.
tary-treasurer Of the National Stogi
Makers League. 1t was spectaci
most impressing. and quite gratifyin
to believers in eventual solidarity {
the working class. to see the Cigs
Makers and the Stogie Makers official
talking from the same platform o
the same occasion; both pleading Il
the merging of their organization
Mr.. sonderman's address was lille
With eoucpate iaeta. he pasticplazi