The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-11-04

lea, with the one exception of the bak-
cry workers. The journeymen brew
ers' organization started out as cheap
dues-paying organizations the local dues
were only 25 cents per month, of which
10 cents went to their national organiza-
ton. The consequences was-no local
treasury, and no more funds in the ma
tional treasury than to pay for the rum
ming expenses of the Office
The brewery proprietors like all other
employers were naturally aware Of the
financial as well as of the numerical
strength of the organization, and decided
to exterminate the organization if pos
sible, which they demonstrated by the
general lockout of 1888.
While the employers failed in the end,
it nevertheless showed that if it would
have been any other industry except the
brewing industry the plan would have
succeeded.
From 1886 until the time when the
local dues were increased and the dues
to the national organization but very
slow progress was made in bettering
wages and reducing hours.
Since 1908 the dues to the information
al union as well as to the local union
have been increased again, so that now
the per capita tax to the international
organization is 33 1-3 cents per mem
Der per month without any other except
a 81 strike benefit to each member. This
gives the organization the militant char
acter and is responsible for our prog
ress in the reduction of hours and the
increase in wages. If you stop to think
that the wages of the brewery workers
25 years ago was between $40 and $50
per month for 12 to IA hours per day,
and that now his wages are from $1s to
$2S per week for an almost universal
eight-hour working day, you will come
to the conclusion that the investment of
these workingmen in the form of dues
brought thousands upon thousands of
per cent of interest to them
If an organization carries benefit sys-
TENS, such as death and sick benefits,
and out-of-work benefits, this should not
detract from the prime object of the la
Dor organization but should be carried
on, on a separate and distinct basis. An
organization with cheap dues system
which pays a death benefit, can not be
of any great help in the economic strug-
gle of the workers of their trade. The
for better conditions depends a great
deal upon the financial ability of the in
ternational organization to support them
in case of an economic struggle. We
see, in many instances, strikes inaugur-
ated with no ability to support them
financially by the international organiza-
ton, and in most instances these strikes
are the ones which result in defeat for
the workers.
| hope to see the time come when
every labor organization in America will
have sufficient reserve fund to sup
port its entire membership at least for
one months struggle. We have found
that good reserve fund is rather pre-
ventive than an inducement for strikes
While many members in the labor or
ganizations look upon the accumulation
of funds by the organization with dis
trust and disfavor, it is the only safe
guard for the stability of the labor
movement | hope to see the day come
when the labor organizations throughout
the country will invest their money in
banks of their own-in cooperative
Labor Banks" where the workers can
borrow in time of peace to develop
homes, pay back in small installments
and are able to get support in time OF
war, instead of having the employers
in control of their funds through ar
rangements with the banks.-Josepf
Proebste, Secretary International I'm
ion of the United Brewery Workmen.