The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-02
REGISTRATION
OF WORKERS
TO Be MADE
AT MEETING
Plan Organization of Every
Trade in Richmond to Set
tie Labor Difficulties Exist
ing Here.


Registration Of Richmond work
ers Will take place at the meeting to
to be held Friday evening in Vaughn
hall. Ten men will assign workers to
groups which will take care of their
particular craft.
Unions Of the various crafts will be
organized, or, II already partly organ
lied, the union will be perfected.
Women are asked to come, as there
will be a special department for them.
Two more railroad organizations will
be started at this meeting.
Registering will begin at 6 o'clock
and general discussion will take
place afterward.
viii Compare Wages.
There will be no definite speaker
but the leaders will give impromptu
speeches. c.. l.. Summerson has COM
piled a list Of wages Of surrounding
towns, which he will bring before the
meeting and discuss in a general way
the situation in Richmond.
Summerson said: The situation in
Richmond is very serious. II we can
not head off open rebellion by or
ganization with the assistance of the
government, it is impossible to tell
to- what lengths the situation may
60"
Three men have taken a partial
census Of vacant houses. apartments.
and store rooms in Richmond, and it
is shown that $4,000 is lost each
month by the owners on account OF
low wages.
Smith VIII Help.
Paul J. Smith who is in Richmond
for few days to help organization
work said the situation here regard
ing labor will not become serious un-
less the employers interfere with the
organization and that day is passing.
Mr.. Smith further said that the policy
Of the government is to let both the
employe and the employer organize;
that the man who is afraid of organi-
cation Is the man who is getting some
thing which does not belong to him
and II there Is strike in Richmond,
II will be because of lockouts or dis
charge on account Of unions.
Mr.. Smith said he had found the Ia
boring class in Richmond just as reas-
enable as any place in which he had
been. The people here seem to be
willing to pursue any course to bring
about the desired result. He said that
II they are not able to take care of
the situation by means OF organiza-
ton they cannot clear it up. Sunday
afternoon an organization of railway
freight handlers will be effected un-
der Smith.
Gate Workers Organized.
At the meeting Of the Sheet Metal
Workers held Thursday night the en-
ployes OF the Richmond Safety Gate
company were organized into the shop
workers branch Of the sheet metal
workers. In addition to the wages re-
Ceived by the employees of the Gate
company, bonus was received: this,
however, is forfeited if man is late
or away from work for short time.
This system was unfair. the men said.
They went back to work but Will per
feet their organization and present
the matter to the company In bus
iness-like way. The company Will
then deal not with the individual but
with the union.
In speaking of the bonus system
Smith said it is an insult to the in
telligence of the American laborer to
offer bonus, as it is regarded only
as blood money.
After about so men had gathered
for the workmen's meeting at the court
house Thursday evening they were dis
missed by Albert Ford, temporary
chairman. 1t was stated that the la
Dor meeting Wednesday had thorough
" covered the ground and had he
known of the meeting the night before
he would have called off the Thursday
meeting.
The men who were there We're urg-
ed to attend the meeting Friday night.