The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-21
BOSSES QUOTE
Bible AGAINST
4O-HOUR WEEK
Painters Insist on Union
Demands
Especial to The paIIy worksrl

FNeHs~A aSooN0 0AC NNOA odLlHltGQ ~
enthusiastically state that they do not
intend to grant the painters an In
crease In wages and the 4o-hour week,
and that they are supported by the
banks, but they are now resortIng to
religious bunk and quote scripture to
support their demands for lowered
condltlons~for the workers.
Quotes Bible Against Strikers.
Thus under the date of January 26,
realtor Of Cleveland sent the fol-
lowing letter to o. P. Hoehringer, sec
rotary Of the Painters District Coun-
ell:
Dear Sir:
"As loyal supporter Of unionism
for many years, l am indeed disap-
pointed in learning that your council
has determined upon such radical
change in working conditions.
Public sentiment is against the
forty-hour working week and the &C
ton is going to prove of vast value
to the open shop proponents.
I'VE meet with many, many people
during the course Of each business
day and we find that public sentiment
is likewise opposed to further in
creases of wages in the building
trades because of the fact that most
of the employees can no longer claim
only seasonal employment.
Personally we cannot understand
why the council would risk the
chances Of another period OF dull
years in which employment might be
scarce, because while the public re-
fuses to buy there is no need Of en-
ployes.
God and the Bosses.
1.-THE open shop division need only
quote what we have heard so many
claim lately that the lord, in creating
the world, determined six days for
labor and the seventh for rest, and
that the forty-hour week would be
made the cause of unrest and dissatis-
faction amongst those other workers
in. industries where better pay and
not less hours is the mooted question
of the day.
"For the sake of unionism let well
enough alone. People are just COM
mencing to look at homecoming with
a degree of confidence and we fear
for the future. Loyalty yours,
Joseph A. Spitzig."
To this wonderful epistle, inter
preting the will of god," the secre-
tary of the Painters District Council
No. 6 Of Cleveland sent proper reply.
After explaining that the painters suf-
fer a higher mortality than all other
trades, and that the Painters Union
takes precautions to protect its MEM
bers from disease, he declares that
despite it all, the painters believe that
they are entitled to a five-day week
in order in the two days to throw
off the effects Of lead poisoning.
Refuse Industrial Suicide.
1--WE who are face to face with this
problem every day in the year do not
believe that it is radical step to
ask the painting public of Cleveland
to allow some of our members to live
a little longer, to be bit more free
from sickness and i'll health. Neither
do we think that the creator, to whom
you refer, could condemn any man or
body Of men for declining to commit
industrial suicide if it were in their
power to prevent it. go.
"You quote, For the sake of union
ism let well enough alone Mr.. Spitzig,
for the sake of unionism we will never
let well enuf alone until the conditions
of our members cannot be improved.
We have had to fight for every con-
cession we have ever gained and If
this matter means a fight we are
ready. The vote of our membership
was twenty to one in favor of our
two major propositions and when our
membership speaks in a voice such as
that, it cannot be denied.
"The right to bargain collectively,
the eight-hour day, the half holiday
Saturday, and a great many other
improved conditions were never given
voluntarily to the worker, and after
their adoption we found that the in
dustry was not wrecked, but in fact
bettered."
Painters Fight For Demands.
The Cleveland painters are not
bothering much about god and the
reports about his opinions in the bible.
They intend to get the forty-hour
week and $3.50 an hour When they
get 1t, the employers will be allowed
to select another chapter of the lords
sayings to soothe their feelings and
their pocketbooks.