Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-09-28
TRADES COZ \tIL.

Several communications and grist
of bills were considered. the commu-
nications being placed Oh file and the
statements Of account allowed and
ordered paid
The top-liner of the evenings pro-
gram. however. was a symposium on
the Chinese eating house. this Orien-
tai bird becoming altogether too COM
NOM in olympia to allow trades
unionists to rest easy. Every dele
gate had his say on this menace to
working conditions which are recog-
nized by all good citizens as a neces-
ity in a Christian civilization. There
was small comfort for the Chinese in
the opinions expressed, though some
praised the Chnaman for honesty
and his policy of sticking tight to his
brother Chinaman. Others thought
that the Chinese ought to be organ
lied by the trades unionists, and that
the fact that no attempt had been
made to organize them indicated race
discrimination, contrary to the prin-
ciples of the American Federation of
Labor. Fred McCallum, delegate
from the Cooks and Walters, who in
troduced the subject, did not seem
deeply impressed with suggestions of
negligence of unions in not organ
izing the Celestials.
'To me, the suggestion that the
Chinese ought to be organized, sounds
like joke" said Fred. The problem
was a difference of life conditions,
and McCallum could not "savvy" the
kind of reasoning that would demand
Il high wages and good working condi-
lions and then give patronage to Chi
nese establishments, whose practices
are as far removed from union labor
conditions as is possible. The differ
|ence of condition between Chinese
labor and union labor is about like
the difference between the black jack
and the norway pine; the fixing of
these hard conditions upon the Chi
nese was consummated before the
dawn of Christianity, and after 20
centuries it cannot be discovered that
even a dent has been made in the
Chinese character. The Chinese will
exist under conditions so poor and
hours of labor so long that they would
lparalyze a burro. according to Nc
Callum, and it is folly to attempt at
this time to correct those conditions
through trades union organization.
Our efforts should be directed toward
Education of the trades unionist as
well as the general public in regard
to the facts of this problem. The cit
izen-the trades union citizen espe-
cially-who will patronize Chinese
clearinghouse in order to save 10 cents
lon his dinner, rather than go to a
restaurant conducted by white people,
according to conditions recognized by
the United States. certainly is in need
Iof education. McCallum's ideas APP
peared to meet with general approval
and all delegates agreed that they
would present the matter to their
local union and attempt to forward
movement to direct patronage to
the white restaurants.
| The delegates were just Quieting
down when someone exploded a bomb
in the nature of an amendment to the
constitution, as follows.
| Sec. s. Fraternal delegates from
Label Leagues. Oranges, Ministerial
ASSOCIATIONS, Teachers Associations,
or societies the aims of which are
in harmony with the purposes of
Labor Unions, shall be entitled to
seat in this Council, with voice in
its deliberations, but without the
voting power.
The Label League went right into
the air." fguratively speaking, and
hadn't come down when the Council
adjourned. The particular piece of
red flannel in the amendment was
the last clause thereof. The matter
must lay over one week. and as the
meeting this week is social session,
the amendment will go over to Thurs
day, October 4. The Label League
linsinuated that there were some dark
and dismal passages in the trades
union history Of the author of the
be turned upon these passages unless
the aforesaid author decided to be
good dog" Instead of being intimi-
dated by these threats, there appeared
to be a stiffening of the neck, and so
we opine there will be something of
interest to all delegates who attend
the Council meeting which passes
upon the amendment, as the Label
League will have two weeks in which
Ito assemble its evidence.
The business agent made his report.
Before the next appearance of the
Labor Index strong union of Team
Isters and Chauffeurs will have been
chartered in Olympia, the first fruits
of the activities of the business agent.
Four other unions are also in the
embryo stage. In addition to this
work, which stands out as plain and
| convincing evidence of the value of
such an official to the local Labor
Movement, the business agent has
handled small matters without num-
Der for the different local unions. The
mass of little things that will be
Strengthened out for the unions
through work of the business agent,