Imperial Valley press., 1930-08-30
ORIGIN OF LABOR
DAY OUTLINED TO
LOCAL KIWANIANS

Yesterdays Kiwanis meeting was
presided over by John Dubois, with
r. +. Couch as chairman of the day.
Chairman Couch read a highly cdi-
tving communication relating to
the ideals of Kiwanis.
Rov II. Womack told of the finan-
cial condition existing in this coun-
trv II predict, said the speaker,
that within ~ months the supply
If commodities in these United
states VIII be far short of the de-
mand. \ man with vision should
buy and continue to buy commodi-
ties or stocks, provided his sclec-
tiouS are sound.
"Thcrc is no panic in this coun-
try. We are too large and rich,
continued the speakers, land the
trouble is entirely mental. There Is
no material reduction in assets.
business conditions are in no sense
abnormal or rather they are not sub
have merely not
reached the high peak of last year,
which was in itself abnormal or alb
normally high.
Lieutenant Governor David b.
Roberts gave an address on Labor
Dav. which was we'll received. Tell
ing of the origin Of Labor Day, Ro.
berts said in part: ''The name OF
Labor Day has curious twist in
it. We call it Labor Day, when as
a matter Of fact il is a day Of rest.
Working men all over the country
celebrate labor, its dignity and what
it has accomplished.
America was the first country
in the world to have Labor Day
and to establish it by laws as a
public holiday. America was the
first country to pay tribute and
honor to labor attempting to give to
this great creative force a little OF
the honor to which it is due. In the
all labor was performed
and carried on by system OF
slavery. Later. in what are called
the Middle Ages, labor was modl-
sied form of slavery known as sert-
dom. The serfs were bound to pay
their lords, having certain definite
tights and privileges, but on the
whole they Were bound under a
modified form of slavery, but this
,vstem was not suitable for manu-
'acturing and commercial people and
~ degrees il has given place to
What is now termed free labor or
he hiring of people for fixed wages. |
knights of Labor
'.The Inauguration of Labor Day |
vas brought about directly by the
Knights of Labor, the first OF the
.reat national labor organizations OF
America. The knights of Labor
rev out OF a secret union of gar
rcnt cutters, organized i'll Phlla-
elphia in 1869 under the leadership I
+ Criah s. Stevens. \ ritual some
shat after Masonic traditions was /
.dopted. Secretary was strictly en-
orced 1t spread throughout Penn |
in a short time. 1t espe-
tally appealed to the mine work
rs.
ats growth from 1875 to 1883
vas so extraordinary as to attract !
he attention Of the civilized world. /.
n 1855 its membership was estl- ,
mated at half a million. In the be- !
ginning under the knights of La
,or all workers whether skilled or
Inskilled were amalgamated under
ne great society. 1t strOvc to make
ducators Of the highly skilled for
he benefit of the lower ones, but
his led to disputes and dissention
md in 1887 at Richmond Va, Sam /
lel Gompers and others withdrew /
nd organized the American Fedora
ion Of Labor, which required nearly I
omplete independence of each trade /
,nion. their only tie being member
hip in the mother federation for the !
attainment of certain ends in which !
III were obviously interested. Sep /
ember 9TH, 1882, was the first La
,or Day parade. The first state to
make Labor Day 4 legal holiday was
oregon. on September 2lst, 1887.
colorado, New Jersey, New York
and Massachusetts quickly followed
,uit until finally Congress IN 1891
,ccognized the first Monday in Sep
-cmber as Labor Day throughout the
Mon and which day is one of the
national holi ays recognized
every state as a lega
holiday on which the American peo-
pie pay tribute to the Industrious
ness. accomplishments and loyalty OF
IA. American workman >