Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-26
MHY ALI MARY COULDN'T AT. TEND NELLIE BLN's PICNIC


 Dear Social Corner Friends: I was SO disappointed in not being able to go to Nellie Bly's picnic. Something prevented my going last year. and I hnd been looking forward for days with pleasant anticiEat ton to the good time that was Tn store for all Of the Social .Corner's friends who4 could be present at the good, time that Nellie B1y was planning for us.s
 q knew there were ramors of a strike and tieups on the trolley road. but theught' 1t was u3t coming until Thursday Or sconrses 1taproved to be an unplea saHts day. but in the morning It was not so uHpieasant but what many would have gone if the troiieys had been running as usual.
 It has always seemed very strange to me that so many men would join a union and thus make themselves un- able to manage their own affairs. I know It is said that in union there is strength. Thats,is true. and there Is no doubt but that unions might be managed so that they might be a ben : eft to the working class: but when the leaders happen to be men who care for nothing but their own selfish interests they are menace to the good Of the people, both the employ :. CTS and the employed.
 We have heard of several of the trolleymen who said that they had rather get along with the pay they were getting than to join in the strike,
 
 would have to do as the leaders said.
 As long as the Electric Co. said over and over that they e uld not afford to pay the price asked by the men. as they could not make the income pay the extra expense. it seems as if the men ought to have considered both sides of the question. For if the fare was. raised it was going to make it hard for very many. of those who rode on the cars every day to their work and had to make long hours. for in some cases much less than the carmen were getting
 It has seemed to me that the leaders in this strike must feel inatheir hearts like the man I heard of once who had for his daily prayer: "Oh, Lord. bless me and my wife. and our son John and his wife--our four and no more" for they did not seem to think of anyone's interest but their own.
 I do not believe if the men who be- long to these labor unions saved the money they have to pay to those who manage the unions for them. and worked for the best interests of their employers and managed their own af fairs, they would be better, citizens and would not try to dictate to their employers who they might hire.
 It does seem strange that unions are allowed to have so much power that if a man does not want to belong to union. and is good trusty and sllilful man to work for his empioy- CTS interest, the union can prevent his working wherever he wants to work. and for whoever wants to hire him. if there are union men employed there.
 If some of the union worl1men are not skilled worlmen and do not suit the employer. and if he is discharged for ever so good a reason, and a non union man is hired who is much bet ter workman and works for the. in terest of his employer, there is arrow right off. and he is not allowed to work in peace.
 The union tries to rule their em- who belong to the / union And we boast. of this being a free country, :; I do not believe if the women voted there would be any worse conditions than there are now. for women love to have their own way too well to give others the right to say for whom and where they shall do this and that and be obliged to be idle when they want to work, and plenty of work is waiting for them al good wages,
 The nearer each opet lives up to the Golden Rule and seeks the good of others. as well at their own interests, the more happiness and comfort there will be in the world,
 l do not think it shows the right spirit for those who are able to own autos and can go when and where they wish to say they do not care whether the trolleys run or not. We are to try to make life worth living for. the poor as well as the rich. and the trolley cars are the poor peoples blessing g when they are such help to them in getting to and from their work as they have been these few years past.
 Eut it does seem too bad for those who are getting over $25 per week running the cars to say the carfare must be raised much higher even if it has to be paid for by those poor people. many of them young girls who ride on the cars to their daily work.
 I do hope that it may not be many days before we may know that the leaders of the strike have. decided to consider the interests of the people to whom the trolley cars are a great con venience and are willing to- do what is right, they are getting good pay for steady job without lost time for bad weather, as some laborers have to do.
 With good wishes for all of the So- cial Corner friends.
 AUNT MARY. STRIKE DELAYS WILDWOOD