Denver labor bulletin., 1918-02-02
From the Lowell (Mass.) Courier
Citizen, Issue of Wednesday,
January %

-o.t
Mrs. May Peake of Denver, Colo,
who is in Lowell to organize the
women employees of the Cartridge
Company and other munition making
plants of the city, received a royal
welcome from an audience of about
1000 women members of Local No.
Odd Fellows building, last evening. It
was one of the finest gatherings ever
held there and all, from the officers
of the other machinists unions of the
city, who were present as invited
guests, to the individual members of
the local, enjoyed the fun. Several
speakers were heard and an excellent
program was carried out.
Tho the lodge is yet in its infancy,
there is membership of over 1000,
about $500 to be exact, and it boasts
of being the first women's union of
machinists ever organized in this coun-
try. There is enthusiasm enough, too.
/ if the proceedings last evening may be
taken as criterion. Almost every
member was in attendance, besides
several prospective ones.
Compliments Mrs Peake.
The meeting opened at 7:15 o'clock
and short order of routine matters
was transacted before the reception
was opened. The president, Miss
Alice Shea, introduced the officers of
Local No. 745 and Local No. 13s of
the international Association of Ma
chinists as guests of the evening. as
well as Mr.. and Mrs. Peake. after
which the musical program was car
ried out and refreshments were served.
Mrs. Peake, who enjoys a charming
personality and has a way of doing
yn-ha- Eha &c s--a--1.r
dent of the Ladies' Auxiliary, |. A. of
NJ, and has travelled several states
in the work of organization. She has
come direct to Lowell from Colorado
and found no trouble in transporta-
ton. Out there, she said. there was
no trouble with the coal question and
that it was only a matter of time
when things would be adjusted in the
east. The sugar problem has been
Just as acute as it has been in Lowell.
tho households are allowed on an aver
age, about three pounds a week She
arrived in this city Monday afternoon
and intends to remain here until the
work of organization is complete and
until the Lowell women munition en-
ployes are 100 per cent strong in
union.
Given Splendid Ovation
She received a splendid ovation from
the happy audience when she rose to
address them and it was some min
utes before she was able to speak In
talking of her work, she said there
were unlimited opportunities in and
around Lowell at the present time and
that working conditions here were bet
ter than in most states of the union
Il have come to help YOU" she said,
land my interests are with YOU. You
are pretty well off here now, but you
need organization to keep up to your
/ high standard" She laid considera-
BILE stress on the equalization of men
and women, and in talking on it said
that the usual war conditions called
women into the work formerly done
by men and there was no reason why
they should not get the same treat
ment and the same wage scale She
congratulated the lodge on its fine
spirit of good fellowship with the en-
/ ployers and it was her utmost wish
that the same conditions might pre-
vail all the time. Following her talk.
the union was addressed by President
Shea, whose popularity with the union
was shown in the applause given her
at the close. Likewise all Of the other
officers were cheered.
Union Presents War Tableau.
For entertainment the lodge has
unlimited supplies and sample of it
was enjoyed immensely. The feature
was war tableau, entitled Some
where in France" given by the girls
of the South Lowell plant. under the
direction of Miss Minnie Salter The
scene was a battlefield with the Stars
and Stripes at the front, supplanted
by three soldiers, one of whom was
being taken care of by a Red Cross
nurse and one sailor. A Red Cross
station stood near, with an appeal to
join Immediately. The characters
were: Red Cross nurse" Miss Helen
Gendreau; wounded soldier" Miss
Clara Lacombe: sailor boy" Miss
Shirley Breen, and soldiers at atten-
tion," Miss Mae Walsh and Miss Marie
Kenney. Miss Salter sat at the Red
Cross booth. Other contributions to
the program were: Piano solo, Miss
Grace Smith; song, Edward Shaugh-
messy, assisted by the quartet of
Lodge No. 745; dance. Muriel Rodger.
and songs, Miss Theresa McCarron,
Miss Boland and Miss Margaret Box.
During intermission, refreshments