davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
BILL IS INTRODUCED
BY SENATOR JONES
Provides for Commission Modelled After Federal In
Vestigating Body-W0uld Have Broad
Powers and Report to Governor.

ST. PAUL. MIMI. 1sThere may yet be real investga-
ton into industrial conditions in Minnesota.
The lumber companies their to the Capitol
this week plead with the legislature for committee to nves
gate awessness the north woods They wanted speedy nves
gation by committee appointed by the governor because they
said, the situation demands Immediate relief
The resolution calling for the Investigation introduced by
Senator Westake organized labor author
Of the proposed State Constabuary law.
Senator Wesak appeared before the committee general leg
aon support of his resolution but admitted when
tond that he did know whether the resolution adopted would
afford relief Not single senator who spoke its
favor would admit that the resolution would give relief
Wants Both Sides.
Senator Jones Of Duluth organizer for the American Fedora
ton of Labor proposed amendment the resolution requiring
investigation into the question Of and working conditions
We legsate ntelgent said Senator Jones' unt
get information from both sides.
Suh investigation will take time but will be worth while.
The lumber seek place all the blame the Industrial
Workers of the World While sympathy
employed by that organization feel that low wages
conditions have something do with the in the northern
part of the state.
II have had experience organization work Northern
Minnesota If the employers that the state would
the principle Of collective bargaining deal with their
ploys collectively instead of fighting legitimate labor organizations
they have done in the their troubles would be
But these employers refuse deal with the American
ers Of the World.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

CONGRESS PASSES.
EDUCATIONAL BILL
Provide for Federal Appropria-
tions for Vocational Trade
Training.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s.-Last
week the house passed the Hughes
industrial education and vocational
trade training bill. A similar bill
was passed by the senate July 81 last.
This legislation is of far-reaching
Importance. It provides for federal
appropriations to pay for the salaries
of agricultural, trade, vocational and
home economics teachers. The gov
ernment will appropriate $1,7O0,0O0
the first year and in nine years this
appropriation will equal $7,20O,OOO
annually. States desiring a portion
of this appropriation must contribute
a sum equal to the same amount by
the government.
AS passed by the senate the board
that will administer this act would
consist Of various members of the
presidents cabinet. The American
Federation of Labor objected to this
system on the ground that. the taint
OF partisanship should not be possible
in a movement that means so much
to our national life. IF we permit
politicians to direct it's energies." said
the A. F. of L. executive council.
there is danger that it may become
mere political adjunct of the party
in power"
The house accepted this theory and
has made provision that the law shall
be administered, as the unionists
urged, without being over-weighted
by any special trade, commercial or
vocational interest.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
SEMI-SINCLE TAX BILLS
WILL BE INTRODUCED
Fathered By Senators Jones Of Duluth and Camp
bell of MinneapOlis-Bill Presented Authorizing
Municipal Coal Docks in Cities of First Class.

OF all the important legislation to be presented at the
Of the legislature that affecting the taxation
probably the farreachng in its effects will apply
virtually every resident of the state t
Three bills constituting what termed semisngle
fhered by Senator Richard Jones of Duluth and
by Senator W. A. Campbell Minneapolis will be introduced
senate and the house by Representatives Nolan ndreus
the future There widespread sentiment throughout the var
sections of the these there splendid
possibility of them being enacted law locals among
the labor Duluth have already ndorsed bs
many trade unions in the Twin Cities
Reduces Personal Assessment
One BILL which affects the most people, perhaps provides for
the reduction Of the from
full value Of the following goods Household goods furniture
Guiding clocks musical Instruments sewing machines wearing
parel and all personal property actually by
domestic and personal for furnishing and quppng
the residence. :.:-". -
Another bill of the basis Of
So 3 cent and throws class assessed at the
centage all unpated real but
33 % cent all buildings structures and improvements formerly
in the class assessed 40 cent In other Words
improvement reduced which theory the single
taxer, although not pushed to the limit in this BILL
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
COMPULS|0N WAVE
HITS MINNESOTA
State Federation Of Labor Pre-:
pairing to Oppose Compul-
sorry Arbitration.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. fs.-The
compulsory arbitration wave has
struck this state and the executive
committee Of the state federation of
labor warns trade unionists to pre-
pare to contest this scheme. Legis-
lation that would establish a state
constabulary is another menace to
the workers.
Ihe executive committee will urge
the limitation of injunction writs in
tlmes OF strike and the passage of a
Dill providing for a system of state
insurance in connection with the
compensation law.
These four subjects will be given
especial attention by the state fed
Grafton of labor at this session of
the state legislature.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

his jitney bus during Moneys recent
attempt to organize the car men en-
ployed by the street railway corpora
ton. This endeavor by Mooney had
the sanction of the International off,
GERS of the Amalgamated Association
OF Street Railway Employees, and al
though unsuccessful, it had caused
the United Railroads considerable an
noyance.
Not only has District Attorney
Fickert always been notoriously in
political partisanship with the corpo-
rations which had long been deter
mined to 'get'' Mooney and the 9TH
ers, but the detective in charge Of
working up the cases against the four
union men was actually taken out of
the employ. of the same interests in
order to gather testimony which
should send them to the gallows
Within a week preceding the bomb
outrage, Martin Swanson had ap-
preached Weinberg and Billings, ac-
cording to their testimony. and Of
fered them jobs and money IL they
could aid in convicting Mooney CT
having taken part in a previous al
legged dynamite outrage. This same
Swanson, then in the employ of the
Pacific Gas & Electric company, and
formerly Pinkerton, became an en-
ploye of the district attorneys office
on the night of the bomb outrage and
took charge Of gathering evidence.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
DAY
IS PROPOSED IN
BILL BEFORE HOUSE
offered by Strand Of Two zHar=
bors and Devoid of Minneap-
olis-Both Socialists.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 1S.-A bill
proposing an amendment to the state
constitution providing for an eight
hour work day for all persons except
those employed on farms, was intro
duced in the house this week by Rep
resentatives Strand Of Two Harbors,
and Devoid of Minneapolis, both So
cialists.
The bill proposes to amend the
constitution and specifies the eight
hour day for persons employed in
mechanical, mining, mercantile, tele-
phone or telegraph establishm ents,
industrial establishments, laundries,
banks, hotels and restaurants. It
even includes actors. Exemption is
made in favor of domestic servants
and employees on farms.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
~ e. 10y
REPORT UNTRUE,

In regard to n report printed
by g local morning paper about
az alleged attack ON 4 member of
the district court bench, by SEN;
atOr Richard Jones, James A.
Stuart, correspondent Of The
Herald at the legislature, makes
the following statement.
at has been learned. here that a
story has been printed in Duluth
but not In The Herald-that In
the senate committee meeting to
consider the I. w. w. conditions,
SenatOr Jones was accused of at
taclSing the district court, or,
rather, member of the district
court bench. This is absolutely
untrue. from personal knowledge.
Senator Jones did attack the ac-
tfOn OF "a judge of the munici-
pal court Of Duluth In sentence
Ing member of the I. w. w. to
thirty days I'm the county jail
without option of fine for spit
ting ON the sidewalk, as a ssam-
pic of the justice dealt OUT"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

pudiate and condemn, they we're men
whose devotion to the union cause
could not be questioned: Nor, the
writer is convinced after several per-
sonal interviews, are they of the type
of fanatics who would have entered
into conspiracy to commit crime
not only abhorrent to any humane
man, but one that would obviously
strike deadly blow at the cause to
which they were devoted.
Today the rank and nle of orsan-
lied labor in San Francisco refuses
to believe that the men in Jail are
guilty, and responsible union officials
are more prepared than formerly to-
go to their defense and insist at least
that they receive a fair trial. Tho
California State Federation of. Labor
has issued an appeal for funds for
their defense, and the Machinists' lo-
cal union of San Francisco has con-
tributed $1,000 toward Nolan's de-
fense. T..
Robert Minors bulletins and Cir:
cular letters Debating the scant and
f1imsy evidence on which Billings was
convicted and the suspicious circum-.
RAOSSSNSAS44@
have succeeded in arousing the In
terest Of many persons throughout
the country. Frank p. Walsh, chair
man OF the committee on Industrial
relations, has declared hts belief that
the men are being held on Insufficient
evidence and has contributed to the:
defense fund. Mrs. ]. Sargent Cram
and others in New York have taken
an active interest in the cases. And
w. Bourke, Cochran brilliant orator
and lawyer of New York city. haS
agreed to defend Mooney, Nolan.
Weinberg and Mrs. Mooney free of
cost to the defense.
The trial Of Mooney began Jan. 81
Although Cochran will not accept
fee. large sums are needed for his
expenses and to employ assistants ana
Investigators. The lives Of three men
and woman may depend on the
raising Of an adequate fund witk
which every phase Of the case may
be investigated. A new trial, has beeIs
asked for Billings, and the outcouaQ
6f his case. too, depends on The gen-f
erosity with which funds are givsn
for the defense.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

openly advocated seEding union men
to the hospital as a means of lreak-
ing the union, and this at the very
meeting at which the Flaw and order
committee was organized. Captain
Dollars utterance to this effect was
admitted to the writer by Frederick
]. Roster, president Of the Chamber
of Commerce and Chairman. of tie
law and order committee.
Following the arrest of Mooney
and his wife, Billings, Nolan and
Weinberg, District Attorney Fickert
gave to the press L. series Of inter-
views asserting that he had evidence
to hand all five Of the defendants and
that there was not the slightest doubt
of their guilt. These extravsgant
statements. d:sproved already in the
case of Billings by the extremely ten
uous and circumstantial efforts to OBJ
tain confessions, were designed to
throw leaders into a panic and dis
courage their coming to: the support
Of the accused unionists, lest develop.
ments should prove the men, guilty
and thereby seemingly confirm and
immeasurably strengthen the claims
of the law and order committee and
render comparatively easy its cam
paign to destroy effective union or
ganization in San Francisco.
Added to the force of this peculiar
situation, anothe. set of circum-
stances operated to prevent trade
union leaders from coming to the
support of the accused men with the
usual alacrity and enthusiasm. Moo
ney, Billings and Nolan had been
leaders in the radical minority wing
of the, San Francisco labor movement,
and had taken part in the persistent
wrangles and disputes over methods
and policy that; are part of, the pro-
ceedings Of every healthy labor move
ment In the world, They had openly
and bitterly attacked some Of the
most prominent union leaders in San
Francisco always within the organ
tzatfon and at union meetings, and
had incurred the personal animosity
Of some of labor's strongest men. But
while they had undoubtedly been 4ex-
treme and perhaps unfair during
some Of these controversies, and had
advocated and .practeed methods
which more experience6 unionists re-
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

ne could prove have been In such
glowing contrast with his perform
ance that a large part of the general
public has lost confidence in the pros
ecution. Fickert's state of mind was
shown when he told the writer that
Robert Minor, newspaper cartoon
list and war correspondent employed
by the Scripps interests, was equally
guilty with the men in Jail. Yet Mi
nor had never been in San Francisco
until he went there after the explo.
sion and arrests from the Mexican
border, where he was gathering ma
terial for sketches and articles for
the Newspaper Enterprise associa-
ton.
Billings conviction, which surprised
all San Francisco as we'll as the news
paper men and others who attended
the trial, was based on identifications
made almost entirely by witnesses
who freely contradicted each other,
and who have proved to be charac-
ters from the lowest stratum of the
underworld
AS for Mooney, photographs OBJ
tanned by the prosecution and now in
possession of the defense, show that
he was on the roo: Of the building in
which his wife's Photographic studio
was situated, nearly a mile from the
scene Of the explosion, at the time
the bomb went off. The front of the
building had been completely hidden.
behind a huge American flag, and
Mooney and his wife had gone to the
roof with other occupants of the
building to view the parade.
Edward Nolan had returned from
the national convention of the Inter-
national Association. of Machinists at
Baltimore just four days before the
explosion. Mooney kept his bicycle
In the cellar of Nolan's house., and
this circumstance led to his arrest.
Nolan has the reputation of being a
particularly intelligent and active
trade unfonist, and had been a leader
IN important strikes against anti
union employers in the metal trades
OF Los Angeles and San Francisco.
AS for Weinberg, his chief offense.
aside from being an officer in the
union Of those jitney bus drivers who
nave SO materially cut down the rev.
fenues Of the United Railroads. was
that he had permitted Mooney to use
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

public service corporations OF San
Francisco, and more especially the
Pacific Gas & Electric company of
the United Railroads. Thomas
Mooney, Warren K. Billings, Edward
Nolan and Israel Weinberg have been
a thorn in the side of these anti-union
corporations for years. They had
been active during strikes, and had
recently attempted to organize the
car service employees of the United
Railroads. This is the corporation
which employed Abe Ruef in the
bribery of city officials, and it's off,
GERS were the chief defendants during
the famous graft prosecution.
The district attorney Of San Fran
cisco, Charles M. F'ickert, was put in
office by the United Railroads. He
has the hearty endorsement and full
confidence of the law and order COM
mittee. This was expressed to me
verbally by Hugh Webster, the COM
mittee's executive secretary.
Should Mooney, Nolan, Weinberg
and Mrs. Mooney be sent to the GAL
lows for murder, there is not the
slightest question that their convic-
ton will be heralded throughout the
United States as additional proof that
organized labor or the union shop
cannot be tolerated in a law-abiding
community.
My investigation leaves not the
slightest doubt that Mooney, Mrs.
Mooney, Nolan, Billings. and Vein
berg are being prosecuted primarily
because of their activity in conduct
ing strikes and attempting to organ
ize the unorganized. Further, it has
established the. fact that they are be-
ing held and prosecuted on the scant-
lest of evidence; that the district at.
torney today is desperate in his en-
deavor to build up a case: and that
there is grave danger Of an appalling
miscarriage of justice unless labor
comes to the aid of the defendants
with adequate funds for their de-
Tense.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
UNCLE SAM PAYS
MEN LOW WAGES
(By Call News Service,>

BUFFALO, N. Y, Jan. iS.-1t's
great to work for our free and glori-
Gus government, indeed. Take. the
railway mail service. Apparently our
Washington representatives, who
voted. to expend $780,
100000 under the military budget,
forgot all about that branch of the
service, for all it can afford to pay is
$2.42 day.
Recently, a number Of men were
needed, and those on the civil service
list were written to by F. L. Stickney,
chief clerk here, asking if they would
accept temporary jobs, lasting per-
haps half a month, at the regular
munifcent compensation Of $2.42 a
day.
1t is required of each of these en-
ployes to take out a $1,000 bond, the
premium on which is so cents, and to
pay the transportation to and from
the place to which. he may be as
signed.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
Helped Capitalists.

The bomb outrage of Preparedness
day played directly into the hands of
the organized interests then already
launched on a campaign to discredit,
weaken and destroy effective labor
organization. Petty acts of violence
in connection with strike of long.
shoremen had been seized upon by
the recently organized law and order
committee of the G. amber of Com
merce as material for an indictment
against the lawlessness Of labor. and
this in spite Of the fact that the only
murder occurring during the strike
was committed by a negro strike
breaker and tha: Captain Robert
Dollar. millionaire ship owner and
leading spirit in the. organization ,ot
the law and order committee, had
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
SOCIALIST MAYOR OPENS
FIGHT ON VICE RESORTS

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, JAM. 1s.---
Thomas Van Lear, new Socialist
mayor, has started vice cleanup
campaign.
A semi-civilian purity squad" has
been organized to check up on pa
trolman as we'll as alleged resorts
Orders have been issued to patrolmen
that they will be held responsible
for places within their jurisdiction.
The underworld has started a gen.
eral exodus. Resorts that had not
been "discovered" by the police de-
partment for many years were To-
Gated within ~ hours after Van Lear
started his anti-vice fight.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

NEW YORK, Jan. Unsupported
by the greatest financial interests in
America, a powerful group Of capital
lists and employers in San Francisco
has undertaken a campaign to crush
trade unionism in the Pacific coast
metropolis.
Within a few weeks there will be
issued by the law and order commit
tee of the San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce an elaborately-bound and
Illustrated book graphically setting
forth the sins of organized labor and
inferentially charging trades union
ism with responsibility for the most
terrible explosion Of July %, last,
when ten men and women were killed
and fifty injured in the streets of San
Francisco.
Copies of this book containing
gruesome photographs of the bombs
victims and listing the outrage among
the crimes of unionism, will be dis
tributed broadcast throughout the
United States as part of great
nationwide campaign.
The object of the campaign is not
only to "break" the unions in San
Francisco and to attract non-union
and .anti-union capitalists and en-
ployers to the city, but, on the part of
some of the larger interests involved,
to strike blow at the entire organ
lied labor movement of America by
discrediting and defeating the unions
In the one city where they have been
supposedly strongest.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

This is~a picture fsSeuatur~-, o. H.
Griggs rginia,--chalrnan~ Of the
senate committee onzpublic domain,
and one of the most active of the
younger members of-the- legislature.
Senator Griggs was co-author with
Senator Jones Of Duluth Of the state
insurance bill introduced IN the SEN
ate two years ago,z44and is working
with the latter for. the bill to give
cities Of the first class the power to
operate coal yards and.docks.
His record in the past stamps him
as a consistent friend Of labor legis-
latiOn = .Is5fES
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
PROCTOR AND TWO HARBORS.

PROCTOR AND TWO HARBORS.
"Take the cities of Proctor and
Two Harbors. They are well organ
lied. Responsible labor unions are
there. Yet heIndustriaI. WorkArss
Of the World have not attempted to.
organize In these cities because they;
knew they couldn't make any head
way. The employers are themselves
partly to blame
Senator Jones has introduced a bill
in the upper house providing for q
commission modelled after the fed
eral commission on industrial rela-
tions, this commission to make a
sweeping investigation into indus
trial conditions in Minnesota, include
ing agriculture, numbering, and MIN
ing. There is considerable sentiment
among the house and senate mem.
bers for such a commission. -.
TO HAVE WIDE POWERS.
The commission shall have the
power ito inquire into the general
condition of labor in the principal
industries of the state of Minnesota,
including agriculture, mining, and
CONTINUED on page ~
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
Five Thrown Into Jail.

-Four active trade unionists and the
"l1e of one of the four have been ar
rested and thrown into Jail charged
with the Preparedness day bomb out
rage, and the Chamber of Commerce
~ doing its utmost to convince the
CITY, the state and the nation that the
bomb horror was "the logical, natural
and spontaneous outcome" Of trade
union activities. =. ;.
Ine accused men were. the partic-
ular target of The snmity of the great
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
HUGE EARNINGS IN STEEL

NEW YORK, Jan. 1S.-Last year
the stock Of the Midvale Steel and
Ordnance company netted 80 per
cent after the huge sum of $3,525,579
was set aside for depreciation.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
LEE M. HART Is DEAD.

PEORIA, ILL.,, Jan. 1s.-Lee M.
Hart, former secretary of the Inter-
national Alliance Of Theatrical Stage
Employees. died in: a hospital in this
city and his remains were inferred
at Chicago. T. wife and.two brothers
survive him.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20

among the coal consumers who have
to submit to the high-handed and un-
reasonable demands of the coal COM
panies.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
Bitter In Denunciati0n.

From the day Of their arrest, Dis.
trict Attorney Fickert has been bit-
ter and intemperate in denouncing
the accused unionists in published
statements and in private CONVERSE
+ tion: His extravagant claims Of what
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-20
Watched By Detectives.

At the very time of the bomb ex-
plosion, Billings and Nolan were &C.
tive in the conduct of a strike against
non-union machine shops where au-
tomobiles were repaired, and all five
OF the Observation-Disclosures perfectly we'll
that private detectives were watching
them in connection with these strike
activities. Not shred Of evidence
was produced at the Billings trial. or
is claimed by the prosecution. show
Ing how and where the plot was
Matched. or of the details leading up
to the explosion: Nor is it possible
to believe that men Of the intelligence
OF those defendants would have at
tempted such q crime while under
close surveillance by:detectives in the
employ Q. powerful and hostile cor.
.porations. ::s*5
Nor did the prosecution attempt to