The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-08
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. Director,
Washington, d. Q.
UNIONIZING THE PUBLIC.

England. Its purpose is to promote
the interests of the working man as
the chamber of commerce promotes
those of business.
In England it is and it does. When
the British citizen feels that he is be-
ing imposed upon he does not remain
passive and silent. He sets forth to
meeting of the Middle Glasses union,
where he discusses the matter with
great dignity and then writes to his
NJ. P.
"Sir," he reminds that gentleman,
Il voted for you at the last election
and helped to give you your seat in
parliament. 1t is now time that you
were showing your appreciation. We
who put you where wou are expect you
to stand up on the floor of the house
like a man and prove that your corr
stituents are unable to pay increased
income taxes, tram rates, telephone
rates, telegraph rates, postal rates,
education rate, etc. Such increases we
consider to be intolerable. Will you
kindly give the matter your immediate
attention? Signed-So-and-So, Mem
bero fthe Middle Glasses Union.)"
Parliament Takes Notice.
The NJ. P.'s eye is caught and held
by that signature. He is well ac-
quainted with the Middle Glasses
union. He remembers that out of
three hundred candidates put UP by
1
almost a hundred won out. In view
/ of the unions extreme youth lit is
only a little over two years Odd that
is a record sufficient to make any NJ.
p. miEd his P's and Q's.
The great strength of the union is
its nonpolitical character. It refuses
to affiliate itself with and political
party, but throws its votes to indi-
viduals who have pledged to it their
support. At one time it hurls its
whole force against organized labor,
and the next time it is equally fero-
| cious toward organized capital. In de-
scribing the activities of the union,
Lord Askwith, it's president, says:
THE union of the Middle Glasses
takes no sides in any industrial quar-
! any conclusion they choose, but the
organization as a body is interested in
the welfare of the community as a
whole. By welfare we mean proper
distribution of food, heat, light and
clothing. When these things are
| threatened, then the members act as
| one to safeguard themselves"
As an illustration of how it works,
the president relates how at Sheffield
the workers in the power house which
supplied the city with light threatened
to strike in sympathy with the miners.
| News of the proposed walkout was
| brought to the Sheffield branch of the
| Middle Glasses union few hours be-
| fore it was scheduled to occur. The
| secretary of the union Immediately
| hurried forth and canvassed the town
for volunteers who would take the
| places of the strikers. He succeeded
| in securing 200 recruits, including
clerks, shopkeepers. professional men
and workers of all kinds, and finally
large contingent from the Sheffield
golf links.
With this long list of volunteers in
the power house and soothed its irate
manager.
Call in four foreman" he said,
land let me show him this"
The foreman came and saw and vas
conquered. After a short caucus with
the rest of his workmen, he announced
that there would be no strike.
This was not an expression of an
tagonism against the miners or the
men in the power works" declares the
unions president. st was merely an
expression of self-preservation on tie
| part of the community.
1.-The supply of food, milk, and coal
was threatened when the miners strike
broke out. 1t seemed as tho the people
would have to starve for want of men
to run the trains and ship the food
stuffs. We recruited hundreds of men
| to assist the government to provide
coal and food to the cities and outly
I
to guard the railway stations: we sup
piled workers to run the milk trains
The transportation tangle lasted longer
| than we anticipated. To relieve those
who had gone on duty imme diately
| the strike was called, a summons was
sent out for an additional force. BY
| the end of the day 1000 men had
answered it. Again 1 say it sounds
like strike-breaking, but it isn't
Those men were interested in their
own families, their own homes. All
of them were engaged in their indi-
vidual labors when the call went out
/ They left these to insure the welfare
of the community, the middle classes,
| the consumers, call it anything you will
When the regular transportation
workers came back to their jobs, these
men returned to theirs"
Not Anti-Labor.
Such calls to duty are rare, how
| ever, because the middle classes are
not vitality affected by the majority
| of strikes and can afford to ignore
| them. Most of their energy is ex-
pended in agitation for lower prices,
lower rates lower taxes. The union
claims much credit for having brought
about recent reduction in the cost
/ of living in England, and in checking
| lavish expenditures on the part of the
government. One thing which 1t has
particularly fought is the wel1-estab-
]
, free railroad passes to members of
parliament.
! "a program of economy with fair
dealing for those who make up the
/ backbone of the nation, that is what
| the Middle Glasses Union stands for"
/ according to its chief executive. sour
membership is still comparatively
smalI-we only have 100000 men and
women enrolled in some 900 branches
| in England and Scotland-but this
membership is growing all the time
! I'll venture TO say that no trade union
| can show a record of similar strength
| in so short period of organization
! The only organization in this coun-
( try which corresponds in any way
| with the British Middle Glasses Union
| is the League of Women voters. 1t
is using practically the same tactics
| to enforce legislation favorable to
! women Last yea, the American
middle classes gave evidence of their