The Connecticut labor news., 1921-02-25
DANBURY LATTER
 IS GIVEN OVATION
 AT SAN FRANCISCO
Take Our Homes But Our Principles Never,' Says Cullen
 Before c. l.. U.


 San Francisco, Feb. 25.-Not for land Central Labor Council received such a reception at the finish of his speech as did Chas. M. Cullen of Dan bury, Conn.,, international officer of the United Hatters of North America.
 After an explanation of the many law suits the Hatters' Union has faced he went into details in regard to the outcome of the famous Danbury Hat ters strike.
 Tn the year 1S9O," he said, the Sher- man Antitrust law was drafted. At that time the unions were informed by every man who fought for or against the bill that this law did not apply to the unions, but to the trusts, such as the Steel Trust, Sugar, Coal and kindred trusts" He said, But later when the Danbury Hatters were sued they learn ed 1t did apply to the unions. The Hatters lost the case and were ordered to pay $3O8,000. This they refused to do.
 But they did, their property, homes and bank accounts were attached" he said, the company made an effort to compromies for $8O,000, but we refused to pay a nickel Shortly after our re- fusal, notices were served to vacate from their homes.
 One old man said he didn't mind the loss of work or the money paid i'll the fines but he did want to die i'll the house he had lived in all his life, and where he had reared his family.'"
 He said, "another old striker said, well, they can take our homes, but our cards or principle never -"
 Brother Cullen continuing, stated hat 111c tl1o n+ac fighting organization in the A. F. of L. The greatest lockout in the history of the L. s. was made against the Hat ters. He said this lockout was not con- fined to any one district, but affected the entire felt hat industry ill the United States.
 He said the boss matters informed his organization i'll 1914 that they were not going to use the label in their hats any more. They were told: All right, we are not going to make any hats any more" Cullen said. and We didn't eith- CT, for nine long months.''
 After nine months the label went back into the hats, that is, a1r except six factories made use of the label, and those six never operated again.
 He requested the Central Labor Coun- Gil delegates to make themselves a com mittee of one and when reporting to their locals to request each member to act in like capacity and visit the re- tail stores and serve notice that only hats with the label ill will be bought in the future.
 In closing he created considerable new enthusiasm among the delegates, brought home to many what the labor movement really means to the working man or woman.
 For an illustration he drew attention to the Cigarmakers' trade. He referred the delegates to the United States Gov ernment labor statistics. When wages were SIP per week 101 children died out of every 1000, at SIS per week 79 and a fraction, and when the salary was in- creased to $24 and more per week only 49 children died out of every 1000. Brother Cullin asked the question, "Isn't it splendid to know you belong to a movement through whose activities you assist in saving the lives of 50 children of every thousand? ,"
 He said he was standing watching the Niagara Falls one day when the great American labor movement was like the falls"
 On each side of the falls were power houses extracting the energies from the powerful falls and distributing same to a large radius surrounding the river for use in the homes, offices and indus trial plants. But ill the center of the falls thousands and thousands of tons of energy was going to waste.
 He said 80 per cent. of the labor movement represented the center of the falls and was likewise going to waste. He pointed out that only 20 per cent. of the movement was funCtioning. He made an earnest appeal for everyone to attend their meetings and support the officers.
 He said the union meeting was more important than the church or fraterna1 meetings, because if the union is neg leCted they would not have the money to keep up their church or pay dues Paying dues into a labor organization, he said, is business proposition, be- cause you always take out more than you put in. About to four to one shot i'll some manner or other.
 He pointed out that the field is very large for labor papers and that the field in some sections is sadly neglected
 He stated "the keDt press cO111d make l