Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-12-16
PRINTERS UNION
NOT IN SYMPATHY
WITH FAKE SCHOOL

In the current issue Of the Limo
type Bulletin" a publication distrib-
uted by the Mergenthaler Linotype
company, is a two-page article that
was written by a man who doesn't
know what he was talking about.
Ii is about a trade school that
guarantees to make a linotype oper-
ator out of a ''cornfield canary" In
the brief period of three months.
Printers unions have long been beset
by the bosses for the product of that
sort of schools. The output is ineffl-
cient, have no knowledge of the in
dustry, and are a source OF general
nuisance in a printing office. 1t Is
preposterous TO suppose that a per
son with only three months expert
ence on a machine with thousands OF
parts and costing from $1,000 TO
$4,000 would be a great investment
for a boss that knew what he was
about. In our opinion these schools
tend TO break down the efficiency OF
standard composing rooms, thing
that the Typographical Union has
been earnestly endeavoring to lessen.
The Mergenthaler Linotype company
would do we'll to take care of the eff
ficieney of their own machine and TO
further deveolp it for that purpose
for which it is intended-to produce
type to be printed from. A lot OF
ham operators will do them no good,
except to create demand for repairs,
and will do irreparable injury to the
printers organization in producing in
ferior workmen. Let Merganthaler
produce the machines-the printers
will produce the men to operate and
care for them properly.
Furthermore, these dub operators
are created for the purpose of strike
breaking, and are given employment
for that reason. Then, upon settle
ment of a strike, they are forced by
the bosses into the union with the re-
suit that many inefficient workmen
become members of the organization.
When they move on to another city,
secure a job, and the fired for ineffi-
cheney, the boss bowls his head off
because $50 many union men are i'll
competent" The Mergenthaler Limo
type company has its hands full hold
ing up its end, with the keen competi-
ton of the makers of "the better ma
chine" the Intertype Corporation.
Incidentally, let us say, The Reviews
machine is an Intertype, and we were
influenced in buying it partly because
it is better machine than the Limo
type, and partly because it is the pro-
duct of union mechanics.
Secretary Treasurer Hayes of the
International Typographical Union
recently filed a report that the aver
age age of printers who died last
year was 53.17 years. The American
Experience Table of Mortality cover
ing all American citizens and their
Expectancy" after Il years of age,
fixes their average length of life at
slightly over 62 years.
SO the printers under the eight
hour system are losing about nine
years of life. According to some old
records printers in 1850 worked IL
hours a day and died at an average
of 20 years. When the New York
Typographical Union No. 6 was form
ed in 1850, with Horace Greeley as its
president, it forced the working hours
down to IL day. By 1868 printers
were dying at the age of 80. By
1898 working hours had been reduced
to 10, and printers were living to an
average of 1877 years. In 1906, at
ter six years of the nine hour day, the
average at death had extended to
46.4S years. The eight-hour day be-
came effective in 1906 after bitter
battle wit the employers lasting two
years and costing the international
union over $4,000,000.
rhnc thA ormani1o1 lnhar viz
have meant life-nothing less than
life itself--to the printers. The EN-
ployers who opposed the shorter day
were fighting for the right to kill
men off youngl Every labor union in
its fight for shorter hours is fighting
! for life for the workers. Every EN-
ployers' association is fighting foi
death for the workers. If the bulk OF
the workers could but grasp this in
all its significance every town would
be 100 per cent organized.
Still there are printers who do not
see the advantages of joining the
union, but who willingly fight those
who are securing conditions that
mean more life and happiness for non
union as well as union printers.
Receipts of the International Typo
graphical union for the month OF
September 20 to October 20 totalled
81, 047, 526.61. OF this vast amount
$8S3,057.47 was for the 44-hour week
assessment, $50, 345.S0 for the NOR.
tuary fund and $50,71S.42 for the ole
age assessment. With more than Q
million a month pouring into the
treasury of the union employers be,
lieve they can "get away" with theii
contract breaking policy. Two years
ago these employers agreed with the
union to install the 44-hour week or
May 1, 1921. They have violated this
agreement and their action is approx.
ed by every anti-unionist in the coun-
try, who lectures on the sacredness OF
contracts.
Notes of the Printers.
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