Denver labor bulletin., 1916-08-26
The MeOptinistic
Philosopher

"OR a sane and safe plan of ar
- ranging for a Labor Day parade
and celebration, the o. P. COM
mends that in vogue for many
years past by the labor organizations OF
Atlanta, Ga. We are reminded of this
by reading last weeks issue of the At
lanta Journal of Labor, that sterling pc
riodical owned and managed by our old
friend and co-laborer, Jerome Jones.
The plan is SO democratic that it leaves
no aftermath of sorrow, and each Labor
Day is anticipated with ever renewed
pleasure. To begin with, the Atlanta
Federation of Trades is sole sponsor for
the celebration, and starts with care
fully selected committee of five. Each
labor organization in the city, including
railroad brotherhoods, is invited to elect
a representative on the general commit
tee, and the chairmen OF the various sub
committees form an executive commit
tee, whose acts must be submitted to
the general body. All meetings of
this committee are open to the pub
lie. The executive committee, by con-
sent of the general committee, then
names fifteen or twenty leading bust
ness and professional men of the city
who are known TO be in sympathy with
the labor movement, as citizen members
of the committee These business men
are all placed on the finance committee.
Early in the proceedings it is deter
mined how much money is needed to
finance the days events, and the finance
committee, composed as it is, largely
of affluent business and professional
men, at once agree to raise the money.
Publishers of all the daily papers also
are made members OF the committee, so
that the publicity end is well taken care
of. This done. the Labor Day commit
tee ceases to worry about finances and
is free to 90 ahead and prepare for the
main events, parade, speaking, games,
amusements, etc. All parade and athlet-
ic contests or other prizes are paid in
cash. There is no solicitation among
the merchants for suspenders, pillow
covers or shirts. Every union musician
in the city is employed and paid a full
days schedule. They are divided up into
many bands a there are divisions in
the parade and later furnish music at
the park in the afternoon. and for the
grand ball in the city Auditorium that
night. All this paid direct by the
general committee out OF funds prompt
ly provided by the finance committee.
The exercises are held in Grant park.
comparable to City park in Denver, and
there is no admission charge. The ball
at night is the money maker and the
big city auditorium is always crowded,
for it is the one big all around social
event if the year This usually nets
the Federation OF Trades from 81 500 to
81 600. for you remember all expenses
are paid from funds collected by the fl
nance committee Of the general Labor
Day committee and there is no begging
element to it. Usually there is a sur
plus of this fund amounting to S400 or
$500 after all expenses are paid, and
this is turned into the Federated Trades
treasury. This year, according to the
Journal of Labor, the cash parade
prizes amount to 800, ranging from s75
to S25 for each subdivision as first, sec
ond and third. In addition, 5000 in cash
prizes will be awarded successful con-
testants in the athletic events. The mu