The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-17
FOOD WORKERS
MUST UNITE TO
SMASH The BOSS
Company Union Works
for Hotel OwnerS
By PAsouALE RUSSO.

! papers concerning the parparlc conul-
tons existing in the steel mills. They
are stories such as will bring tears to
the eyes of the reader. From them
we learn that thousands Of men toll
in the midst of a suffocating heat
from morn to night, day after day,
! week after week.
To workers such as these we should
extend the hand of comradeship, and
support them in the struggle against
the steel magnates. This we should
do, but the men in the steel industry
are not the only workers suffering
from the diabolic system Of capital
ism. Other workers suffer atrocious
torments, toiling in real bells. Chief
among these are to be included those
working in hotel and restaurant kit
chens. In Chicago, for instance, they
work from morning to night in what
we many call mines. They are so
dark or far below the street that sun
shine never enters them.
Most of the kitchens are in base
ments; the smell is terrible; the air
foul; the heat unbearable. In these
unsanitary and noisome places thou
sands of workers are employed. They
are overworked in order that millions
of dollars may be produced to satisfy
the food barons of Chicago. Nor are
these conditions new or recent, in
Chicago they have been in existence
for years.
The Struggles.
During past years many battles
have been fought by the hotel en-
ployes to better their conditions, but
in very nearly every instance the
masters have succeeded in crushing
all their valiant efforts. A decade
ago the union of hotel employees was
very strong and formidable. The
hotel proprietors regarding the union
as a menace, solicited the cooperation
Of the chefs and organized the Pro-
gressive Culinary Association for the
purpose Of thwarting the employees in
their efforts to better their conditions.
From the very beginning the Off
Gals Of the Progressive Culinary AS
sociation have ranged themselves on
the side Of the hotel owners. Among
the numerous officers, past and pres
ent Of this association we find the
following names Charles F. Lem
hardt, president, P. G. A.; A. c. Negri,
manager Parkway and Webster
Hotels; Theo. Rooms, chef Blackstone
Hotel; Louis Domergue, chef, Edge
water Beach Hotel; A. Stale, super
intendent stewart, Hotel Sherman;
Ferdinand Karcher, chef, Hotel La
Sale; H. Mauer, employment man
ager, Progressive Culinary Associa-
ton; Rob. Muller, former chef, North
American Restaurant.
Must Gust Bosses Laekeys.
Officials such as the above have en-
deavored in every way possible to
keep the workers in subsection. Now
it seems that their efforts have been
in vain. Just now there is a wide
spread agitation going on among the
membership. They are insisting on
better working conditions and general
clean up. The members of the Pro-
gressive Culinary Association should
take advantage of this opportunity for
some decisive action against their
masters. They should also demand a
clean up. In the past, Mr.. Maurer, the
employment manager has insisted on
Waking up and going to work." and
now an opportunity presents itself
where Mr.. Maurer can be told to
"Wakes up and go to work with the
rest of the officials"
However, there should be no build
ing of castles in the air. 1t must be
remembered that it is useless to Gust
one set of officials and then permit an
other group Of agents of the Hotel
Keepers Association to dominate the
organization. If thoro cleaning is
to be had the present constitution,
written by the hotel owners, should
be torn up and thrown in the waste
basket. Also, affiliation must be
sought with other unions in the food
industry. II is the bosses advantage
to have several unions. II all the
little factions are organized into one
industrial union Of food workers you
Will then be dangerous and the hotel
owners will begin to make conces.
sions.
Must soIidify Ranks.
In the past you have quarreled
among yourselves about your work or
differences in the color OF skin, or
owing to the fact that you were born
in various countries; in short you
have been divided and owing to this
stupidity have fought one another in
place Of the enemy. The time has
now come when all this should be
laid aside and unite into one organ.
ization. When you go to work tomor.
row, join hands one with another, col.
ored and white employees, Italian and
Greek, French and.PDlish, and present
a united front to the food barons.
Stand ghOutdar IN o1s.,,,i,n. o,a 4, n.