The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-28
VIHEITEV6 66INhVV0H
Industrial Council Answers
"0ther so Per Cent Labor"
Invites UnOrganized Santa Fe
Employees Into Unions.
OFFERS AID FOR 8-HOUR DAY
Asserts Committee Is One From
the Santa Fe Shops.
Organized Labor in Defense of
AdamsOn Law.


Answering the statement of the
committee representing the other 80
per cent of labor" which appeared in
the state Journal last Saturday, the
Topeka Industrial Council today takes
up the defense o. the Adamson law
and asserts. "a close analysis of the
article Cby the committee) reveals only
the fact that jealousy. exists because
the only organized branch # the Santa
Fe service has secured an S-hour
day" The Industrial Councils state
ment contains an unveiled invitation
to the other so per cent of Santa Fe
employees asking them to become af-
filiated with the American Federation
of Labor. The Topeka Council offers
to aid the other so per cent" in OBJ
tanning an S-hour day
The committee of unOrganized labor
making the statement last Saturday
while mostly Santa Fe shopmen, was
not a representative committee of Ia
Dor on the Santa Fe. but was a COM
rnittee at large representing the
so per cent of labor which is I'M
organized in the United States and
against whom, they claim, the Adam
son law discriminates.
The Industrial Councils statement
answers the Santa Fe shops commit
tee" 1t follows:
Councils Statement.
Messrs. John Isaacson, Harry Service,
James Mullen William Zarker,
Frank Sandmey er. Ralph Schaffer,
John Fritze, Dan Lane, Ben Mitchell
santa Fe Shop Committee
We have read with great interest
your discussion of the eiSht-hour law,
as it appears in the columns of the
Topeka State Journal A close anal
ysis Of this article reveals only the
fact that jealousy exists because the
only organized branch of the Santa
Fe service has secured the eight-hour
day of labor. II seems to us that the
Christmas spirit would have been
more in keeping with the times, and
that the fact that one branch of the
service has secured the eight-hour day
should be only an incentive for the
other so per cent" to get into action
and secure like concessions.
Let US state here unequivocally that
the eight-hcur day of labor, regard
less of how il may have been encOm-
passed in one locality or another, or
with one craft or another, is the child
of organized labor, and practically ev-
cry battle along these lines has been
waged from the trenches of organized
labor. The task has not been an easy
one. there has been much suffering
and hardship, but today the victory
is all but won. The United States gov
cr-ment, state governments. county
governments and municipal govern
ments the country over recognize and
adhere strictly to the eight-hour day,
not only in their own service but also
in all branches of public work So far
has the stamp of approval of the
eight-hour day of labor gone. that al
most every workman in the land to-
day considers longer hours as inhu-
man and intolerable, and unnecessary
with the advent of improvements in
machinery, farming, implements, etc.
A Question.
Now. getting right down to brass
lacks, il you really represent the
workmen included in the other so
per cent of Santa Fe employees, al
low us to ask. what steps have YOU
taken to better the condition of this
"other 80 per cent?" Do you expect
20 sit idly by and expect some one to
hand you the eight-hour day on a
silver platter? Or will you, if YOU
have the power to speak for these
employees. use your best efforts toward
uniting them in the eight-hour and
other causes of labor by showing them
the benefits of organization?
Inc eight hour day for the touI
protherhoods was not secu4 ed without
q most desperate struggle Instead Of
knocking the boys Who we're tryina
10 secure the safe and human dav ol
labor, every labor organization in
America stood shoulder to shoulder
with only one unselfish thought The
American Federation of Labor. wiz
whom there is not even affiliation or
tie part of the four brotherhoods, with
Its three million members and nearl,
S4OO,O0O,00O in assets in its allied
crafts. stood as one. The Topeka In.
dustrial Council, as also industrial
councils and labor organizations of al
descriptions in all parts of the coun-
try, kept the wires to Washington no
with their appeals to their representa-.
tives in congress to vote for the eigh
hour law
Call En- Brass Collars"
You speak of this era of prosperity
not being of permanent nature
When, then, will you wait to max,
your fight for the better conditions O
labor? VIII you wait until reaction
takes place. or will lou get it Will,
that S60,000.000 Of profits for tn,
present fiscal year are in sight? Yo.
need have no particular concern owe
President Ripley or the balance o
TO take care of themselves This loyal
" slush is all right fer You workmen
but does not apply to those whose lip!
utter it Mr.. Nudge prea he'd 10y
atty, on your part, but so far as he wa!
Concerned, little better job caused
him to preach that same loyalty to tn,
employees of the Rock Island, and .
little later on to the employees of til,
D. r. G. 1t is the same with thu
balance Of them-they are looking GU
for themselves, but how about Thu
-'other so per cent" of the santa F,
employer Every member of organ
lied labor stands for loy~lty to his EN-
ployer, but not to the extent that h.
is afraid to ask for his rights.
If you care to take the time to in
vestigate matters a little d will con
fer with us. we will show you that no
one Of the thousands of Numbers o