The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1918-10-04
Kansas City Union Men Asked
Raise
Brewers Would Not Listen to
Appeal
Workers Were Forced to a Strike
Protest
THEN GO TO OTHER TASKS
Workers Are in Demand at Good
Wages
THEN GO TO OTHER TASK:
No Effort Is Being Made to In
duce Workers to Remain in
Beer Industry, Which Is Con-
coded by Workers Objection
able and Uncertain

Nothing to it, boys; | vote to make
this strike order permanent" were the
words of big burly man in the labor
temple at Kansas City, Mo-, after he
had tried getting work in legitimate
trade following his abandonment OF
the brewery game when the brewery
workers of Kansas City went on a
strike for higher wages. With the
raising of living costs during the war
years, the Kansas City brewery work
ers came face to face with the prob
lem of other men-they were having
to meet new conditions. But as legit-
mate business and industry were meet
ing the requirements OF the day by
wage raises, it seems that the Kansas
City brewers failed to do so. When
the men asked for more money as a
matter of necessity for feeding and
clothing their families, the brewers
could see nothing of interest or merit
in the demand and failed to do any
thing.
When it became more and more
forcibly impressed upon the amily
men that it was either higher wages or
hungry children, they deciced to make
the brewers understand that the wall
of the brewery kings, many of them
charged with pro-Germanism, that the
traffic would not stand an advance,
meant nothing except evasion and the
attempt of the brewers to pile up as
much money as they could while the
harvest run still lasted. So what at
first was workers protest finally re-
suited in strike order which, be-
coming effective, found that the work
ers had taken step towrad leading
themselves into the light of desirable
and unobjectionable employment.
They are now in position to realize
the argument for legitimate industry
and against brewers and beer making.
This realization also carried with it a
feeling of pride. To be classified within
line of action that does not call
down public condemnation and induce
self-disrespect is highly appreciable.
This becomes manifest in the reports
from various of the former brewery
workers who are now engaged in
other lines of action. 1t develops that
practically every man quitting the
breweries in Kansas City had no oc-
casion to wait for long before getting
to work. They were all needed and
as soon as they could get around to
the places where they were needed, it
was a matter OF simply getting to
work. This is best told in the words
of the brewery wagon driver, reported
in Kansas City Star, 81 didn't even
look at the help wanted column.
went to a wholesale grocery house,
! told them what | had been doing and
what I'd like to do and they asked me
only one question. Wanted to know
If l was married. Say, told the boss
I'd bring the missus and my flock of
eight around and let him look them
ever if he doubted it. Well, I'm going
to work in the morning. pulling the
ribbons over the spankingest team of
six-year old bays that ever looked
through brides. And get this-I have
a helper aud get SIS more than re-
ceivcd for rolling fulls and empties. !"
This is fairly representative incl
dent of the general run of men leav-
ing the brcwerics first in protest and
then in a strike formation. And what
is more, the business agent of the
brewery workers states that they are
not offering any encouragement to get
settlement with the brewers, while
the men are seeking employment
where they will get placed in more
desirable and more lasting enter
prise than beer making.