Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-03-03
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Is Deep RIDDLE
Men Have Never Been Equal In
Industry---What Is the Solution
of the Problem?

The struggle of workers for their
share of wealth and advantages THAT
! have been made, formed the basis fo1
idiacussion at the regular meeting OF
the Fortnightly Literary club at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs A. Reinking on
Thursday evening.
Mrs S. A. Pelton gave a short history
Of the labor movement. History of
labor is struggle of the masses up
ward and for centuries men have been
seeking a solution of various prob.
Items relating to the toilers. Mrs. Pei
ton gave few interesting dates
! which are here produced:
In 1906 the American Association for
Labor Legislation was founded. This
Ioranization has accomplished much for
the worker in securing laws.
In 1910, a factory act to protect the
worker from machinery and to give
better conditions.
In 1892 a federal statute establish
ing an average day for labor.
In 1648 the American gild was form
ed in Boston, the first organized So
ciety in America.
In 1894, the first American trade
union was formed in Philadelphia.
In 1889, the master cordwainers was
organized in the same city.
In 1903, the shipwrihts linked them
selves together in New York.
In 1906, the carpenters in the same
city did the same thing.
After 1912 the real history of labor
organizations began. The Industrial
Workers Of the World, the radicals,
organized in 1905, and many others
have come into being, before and
since.
Great Advance Made
At the close of the Revolution wages
were low and the prices Of necessities
were high. The home of the workman
was unadorned and uninviting Sand
on the floor did duty as a carpet, there
was no china in his cupboard, there
were no prints on his wall, mo stove,
no coal. He had never seem q match.
Conditions have greatly lchanged,
greatly to the pleasure Of the work
ers.
An UnsoIved Riddle
t'The Unsolved Riddle of Social
Justice, was presented by Superinten-
dent A. c. Kingsford He spoke of
the man who shovelei coal for $500
or $1,000 per day, of the surgeon who
had an income we'll up to 100000 a
year; and of the Astor family which
accumulated millions as the result of
the rise in the value Of property the
irbrease in wealth being due to other
workers building up New York He
said that five per cent Of the people
had ninety-five per cent Of the wealth,
even in the state of Wisconsin.
In the past the hours Of the workers
were too long, conditions were not
ideal, the net result of government was
inj1g5tice, many starved because of
unequal distribution of food.
During the past $50 years new
world has been discovered. Machines
now do the work, in some cases, of
100 men, large wages are often paid,
men live in better conditions, yet some
are still poor They have difficulty in
keeping fhe wolf from the door or
a roof over their heads They do not
live as they should. they see great
wealth, and they wonder.
When a great liner crosses the ocean
there is JOY on the upper deck and
tons in the furnace rooms below. The
speaker said there was no dOubd often
reason for complaint.
Workers are entitled to comfort and
during recent years great advance
has been made, among them being:
Minimum wage.
Minimum hours.
Elimination Of child labor.
Imposing greater taxes on the rich.
Preaching social kindness.
The speaker held that great wealth
was not possible unless a few accun-
u1ated Take a factory. When small
if all the profits were distributed to
the workers the factory could not
grow. If all the profits had been dis
tributed there would be no great rail
road systems. Men accumulate mil
lions and by so doing increase wealth
which could not come about in any
other way Tremendous progress has
resulted in this country, not possible
by any other method.
Impromptu musical numbers were
given by Miss Olga Reinking and Mrs.
G. w. Snyder.