The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921, 1920-01-31
STAMFORD C.L. u.
BUSY BOOSTING
LABOR MOVEMENT
Holds Rousing Open Meeting at
Which Forceful Speakers
Arouse Enthusiasm.
LABOR MUST HUSTLE
Able Speaker Points Out Neces.
sity of Being Strenuously
on the Job.

Stamford, Jan. 30.-The Central La
Dor Union held a big meeting in the
Alhambra Theater on Sunday Music
was furnished by the Stamford Musical
Union. Secretary Ira M Ornburn OF
the Connecticut Federation of Labor
was to have been one of the speakers
but was unable to make train connec-
tons.
In introducing the speaker of the aft
ernoon, James Kelly, Edward A. Collins
secretary of the union, said that organ
lied labor stands back of the movement
to close Stamford stores at E p. m. Mr.
Collins also pledged the aid of the Cen
trail Union in cooperating with the
Manufacturers Association, "for," said
he, the Central Labor Union is not in
favor of strikes. 1t never calls strike
if there is any other way of securing re-
suits. 1t dep1ores strike in every
way"
James E. Kelly of Yonkers, business
agent of the Meat Cutters and Butchers
Union of Westchester county, said "It
is not SO long ago when men all over
the land were poking fun at an organ
ization which has its headquarters in the
state of Ohio. 1t went ahead and at
tended to its job. 1t was very much on
its job. There were many who did not
know how efficient it is. You and l
know that there is prohibition amend
ment. 1t did not happen just by chance.
You all know the name of the organiza-
ton that did things. You know whether
that same organization is on the job
now. You know whether it is doing
things now. You have read about what
it is trying to do all over the world.
You may or may not agree with me
when | say that it was high time for
many laboring men to think of some
thing other than to take drink, and
then another drink, and then another
drink. Labor is under an obligation to
try to be intelligent, and how is labor
to be intelligent if some are to think
of drink first? There had to be a halt
young men by 1ow-down dives. Who
are to blame for the prohibition amend
ment The liquor forces, who did not
clean up the dives. That Ohio organ
ization had to fight political machines,
and did it. You all know whether it
has met with success.
Here is a lesson for labor. Labor
should be on its job, and not in some
other place. We need reasonable hours.
We need to study. This means that we
need clear heads. How is one to read
if he is in saloons all his leisure time?
Take my own union, the butchers. We
have grown from $500 two years ago
to over 100000 now, and just by being
on the job with clear brains. Now, turn
to that other organization that you and
I Knocked. l mean the Salvation Army.
We considered them takers. We know
what they did in the war. Now we are
doing Justice to that Army which we
Knocked. We can learn great lesson
from the Salvation Army.
Some of you say that there are
bad men in the labor movement. There
pick out any church, and you can tell
the takers who are there. In some fine
families there are bad ones, too. Would
you condemn the family and the church
No. You look at the general results.
Il am glad that stores in Stamford
are beginning to close at o'clock
Splendid; but why did not the stores
begin years ago? There was no union
of clerks. See what the union can do
by standardizing wages and hours of
labor. The union and the store-owners
must come together. That is what labor
and capital can do and must do. Why
did not the Stamford clerks get vaca-
ton years ago? No union.
I'm the butcher trade, they said that
a butcher shop must be open on Sum
day. How many butcher shops are open
on Sundays now? Not one, and the
union did it. We need short hours, all
of us. Another thing; we need shower
baths in the home. That is not unfair
on the part of labor. Look at the
price of pig iron and the price of steel.
Labor may have its faults, but look at
AT l. - IL
must go up, and he put up the price.
See how he gets away with the game.
The steel workers have no union condi-
tions. Turn again to the butcher busi-
ness. In my town Of Yonkers, there is
not butcher shop in the city open on
Sunday. And wages? Forty dollars a
week for many. Thirty-eight for all as
a minimum. [ found that, when labor
and capital really get together, there is
not much trouble. Now turn to the beef
trust. 1t has put up the price of lamb
within few days, in a cruel manner.
1t has added the sum of five dollars a
sheep. Is that square? The beef men
do not wish labor and capital to get to-
gether.
Eve need common sense and justice
in our work. I am ashamed of some of
the labor leaders. | am ashamed of the
profteers, too. Some of the rich think
of just grabbing more"
Mr.. Kelly closed with a plea for a
better conscience, more unselhshness,
more clear thinking, and desire for
justice to all. He argued that the true
union is doing Just these things, and
pleaded with all workers to be identi
fled with union.