Evening journal., 1919-09-02


------=-- -----------------------=-=
Of living lie said that eve all vii
have TO learn 70 he less extrayagant
whether we labor with our hands or
our hands and brains. Including the so
termed capitalists. I don't blame any
workingmal for wanting an auiomo.
blle,' said the Senator, provided he
can pay for it and keep 70 going. but
do blame the man who has three OF
four automobiles who can pay fOl
them, and yet who Is extravagant be-
cause he does not need all OF them"
History OF Labor Day.
Labor Day Became an Official holiday
In is9i, when the various interstate
unions Of workingmen succeeded I'm In.
ducing legislatures 10 create the new
holiday. 10 be always the first MOnda,
I'm September, and tho specific purpose
OF which was 10 show "the power
dignity and worth Of organized labor
The new holiday was for some time
the butt Of wits Eugene Debs, who
engineered the famous Pullman strike
which came near causing a clash be-
tween The Federal authorities and the
State Of Illinois, professed his lnabil-
ily 10 see the advantages that could
possibly accrue 90 worklngmen from
the creation Of the new holiday.
Labor Days counterpart Is the cere-
braled Mai Tag May Day IN Germany,
which is now permanent festival.
It's svowed purpose Is primarily 90
achieve the universal acceptance and
recognition Of the oight-h0ur working
day. The idea was inspired by Karl
Marx. the father OF modern socialism.
and In order 10 popularize %, 70 was de-
cided 10 have the celebration take place
on May 1. which already I'm medieval
times had been a sort OF holiday for
the common people 10 give thanks for
the coming Of summer
An important part OF Labor Day Is
the parade Of worklngmen. The first
great Labor Day parade In this country
was on July 4. i1SS. The war for in
dependence had been over for five
years, but no general government had
been established. The Constitutional
convention had been controlled by the
influences that had been opposed 20 the
war with England. and now proposed
10 reap the fruits Of its victorious close
The acceptance OF the constitution by
the various states was slow and re-
luctant. The men vino had made the
Revolution did not like the COnstltu-
ti0n. Samuel Adams. who was in the
Revolutionary War until actual lighting
made thousands rally 10 his cry. was
Vehemently opposed 10 the COnstltu-
iion. Meantime England was flooding
the country with manufactured pro-
ducts Of an kinds Every industry was
paralyzed. The manufacturers had,
however. succeeded in convincing the
wOrkingmen in the industrial ceniers
that it would be better 10 accept any
thing until the government could be
organized. and then. when once on their
feet, the people could change what they
did not like in the organic law. The
Industrial classes Of f7SS were thor
ouhgly imbued with this idea
The first labor union in the United
States, OF which there is any historical
record. was that OF the shipwrighis,
who formed a society in New York in
1903. The tailOrs and carpenters or
ganized in 1906. In the next four or
five decades organizations were esiab-
lished in most Of The great industries.
some OF which lasted only a few years
Many Of these gradually became ma
iional. The printers were the first
craft Of any consequence 20 extend
their organizations all over the country.
They established the National Typo
graphical Union in 1852 SO as 10 take
In Canada. they established the Inter
national Typographical Union in 1862.
being the leader also in this broader
field.
The formation Of great corporations
and the immense expansion In industry
which began soon after the Civil War
melted larger labor combinations than
had existed prior 10 that time. some
OF these formed the National Labor
Union. established at a convention in
Baltimore in 1866 which entered poll
ties in 1872 by nominating the Labor
Reform ticket, putting Charles O'Con-
nor mp for President. It's votes were
few, and it attracted no general atten-
ti0n in the campaign. That broke up
the combination, and labor societies. as
societies, kept ont Of politics for the
next few years. As societies their most
extensive participation In politics was
in the congressional campaign Of 1906.