Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-01-26
LAST Of
BARRIERS SPEAKS
BEFORE COUNCIL

1t is not very often that the Harbor
is honored by visit from an interna-
tional union representative. but such
was the case the latter part of the
week. Brother Rea Last, organizer for
the Journeymen BARRIERS International
Union of America spent few days
here looking after the interests of
the BARRIERS.
Brother Last has very pleasing
personality and made a host of
friends in the short time spent here.
His visit also has had a fine effect
on the local union of the organization
he represents, instilling greater fra
ternity and a will to do more for
their fellow men.
He addressed the Aberdeen Cen.
trail Labor Council Friday evening.
His address was very interesting and
constructive. leaving a lasting i'm
preston with all who heard him. His
topic was Immigration, Americana
zation and the Union Label" In
speaking of immigration he said:
THE large employers of labor are
trying to break down the bars of the
present immigration act; they are
trying to flood the North American
continent with the uneducated work
er from Southern Europe. The rea-
son is not that there exists short
age of common labor. but by creating
great surplus of labor allows the
employers to dictate hours, wages
and conditions of labor without TAX.
ing the well-being of labor under con-
sideration. And by pitting one ma
tionality against the other a way is
also seen in which to keep labor un-
organized and thereby helpless.
Many large employers are not con-
cerned with the Americanization of
the immigrants. What they are seek
ing is cheap labor, less cost in pro-
duction. During the great war the
country was toured by many urging
the people on to greater patriotism.
Patriotism is the country's greatest
asset but not the kind of patriotism
preached by these travelling apostles
While in the New England states |
was one Of five speakers to address
the garment workers In the textile
industry, and do you know / was the
only one who spoke In the American
language, a great many leaving with
out understanding a single word.
Many Of the garment workers had
been In this country many years, and
were the employers half as interest
ed in Americanization OF the foreign
er as they pretend, the majority OF
the 1900 present would have been
able to understand the American lam
guage and 1t would have been unnec-
sary to address them in their native
tongue. You cannot make an Amer
lean out Of foreigner by force. We
must show him that 1t is to his ad-
vantage to do so. On this very point
is where most mistakes are made in
naturalization work. BY working the
foreigner 10 and 12 hours a day does
not give him much time in which to
educate himself or to study our form
of government. In fact, he gets so
little enjoyment out OF life under
these conditions that he is not inter-
ested and is not favorably inn
pressed"
Brother Last also urged the men,
bers OF organized labor to demand
the union label, and said that at the
Denver convention Of the A. F. OF L.
1t was estimated that only about 35
per cent did 80, and predicted that II
70 per cent would demand the label,
the membership of the federation
would double in less than two years.