Denver labor bulletin., 1916-08-19

termountaln Typographical conference,
held in Colorado Springs last Sunday.
Pueblo, Colo, Aug. 5, 1915.
To the Officers and Delegates OF the
Fourth Annual Meeting of the Inter
mountain Typographical Conference:
As L start 10 write this report have
in mind that journey to Baltimore to
attend the J. 7. L. convention as a dele
gate from No. l75, and as the result OF
which l hope my absence from this
years meeting OF the conference will be
found excusable by the delegates.
have aspired to become a delegate to
an l. T. L. convention and not only feel
amply gratified but greatly honored in
having been successful in my first at
tempt.
Ny attendance at the great gathering
OF printers in Baltimore should enhance
my future interest for the betterment oil
the conference whether in the capacity
OF an officer OF not. A worthy cause
justifies the attempt to attain such an
honor one that | have endeavored to
merit by loyal interest in my own local
and supplemented by the conference
work / have engaged in for the past
three years as your secretary treasurer.
find the longer l devote time and
study to our district organization, that
there j. considerable work attached to
the many details arising when the work
ing conditions in the jurisdiction are re-
vealed by those proprietors who specify
the conditions of employment when they
call on the secretary for a printer, such
az the different classes of work required
of printer al low wages and long hours.
Conference Making Progress.
The first three years existence OF the
conference found il in a splendid condi-
tion to continue on the road to develop
meut bv securing the affiliation of 10
cal bodies in our jurisdiction. but this,
/ the fourth year. sees it in a flourishins
| condition in every way, showing that
/ We are not at all disinterestei IN our
| work, and. on the contrary, deyoting ut
most efforts 20 make the conference ren.
/ der cooperation TO both ends Of all
! printing establishments.
] The employment bureau OF the con
/ ference this year has been called upon
| for printers that can do different classes
/ OF work usually required in country
| printing offices. and some OF the require
/ ments have been successfully met, while
| in several other instances the unsatis-
/ factory working conditions and scales are
/ such that nothing near like the eff
/ cheney they want could be drawn from,
/ our list OF those enrolled for employ
ment with complete justice to the men
/ and the eight hour work day that we
have endeavored so hard to establish In
every locality
The last call came from a Colorado
town where a combination printer was
wanted at SIS per week OF nine hour,
daily work All other towns evidently
made satisfactory arrangements with
| hi Lts. h. Ia tn "a
much more work at little wages. 1t re-
quires an operator of no mean ability 10
keep No. 5 going under favorable con.
ditions and wages much less at what
should be the irreducable minimum
! wages.
In response to the latter application
for a man, | stated 20 the proprietor In
a cordial tone that we regretted We
could not furnish him a man at such low
wages and long hours. He replied b,
saying he did not see why printers in
his town could not work nine hours the
same as men OF other crafts. Our cor
respondence ceased at that point Later
hope we can take the mater up TO the
end of trying to reduce hours of work
there the same as in localities where
contracts make such regulations.
Three Fundamental Principles.
This one instance SHOWS the need oi
improving conditions in the country
towns, and which can only be brought
about thru some missionary work by the
]. T. U. propaganda or conference move
mcnt.
The three fundamental principles OF
the conference should be: Adequate re.
muncration. proper working conditions
and the eight hour day wherever possible
This will become more in effect as the
conference activity broadens out morc
in that direction. The members or dele
gates of locals should suggest, recon
mend or otherwise favor feasible way
to accomplish this task.
Most Of the time OF the office of sec
rotary. treasurer is taken up by CORE
spondence with the many applicants fol
situations. During the past year man,
letters We're exchanged with men out
side of the three states comprising tbs
jurisdiction. who by reason of wanting
to locate in the great state of Colorado
wanted to know all about condition,
here and the probability of obtaining
even caususl employment.
1t is needless to say that l offereS
little encouragement in the way o
work TO be had for the mere asking al
tho we gladly accepted their applica
tions to become enrolled with the bu
rcau At the present time the burea'
list has twenty seven names of printer
who want situations. The card system
is still in vogue as adopted last yeal
and has proved satisfactory and con
vcniont to proprietors when in need o.
man. The card as sent out from tint
to time serves as q reminder that tbs
conference will do all possible to fur
nish good men il the job favorably ap
OF the card. which in effect are tn,
wages and the eight hour day