The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-10
' Fair Enouuh
BY WEsTBROoK prcTs

NEW YORK. Feb. TIT b,s
been truly said that these IL. M
patches sometimes appear to 10.
more fine acts of generous bumaa
ity on the part of unions of ~.
American Federation of Labor ,n, w
tend to emphasize the sordid F..
this I am deeply Sorry 50 ~
days essay will prove that ",
some cases at least, the bows ~ ~
take beautiful care of their own Nv
By way of establishing a con'
trast to heighten thu nobility -,
these deeds let us first considsa
some unhappy cases.
First is the routine, familiar sx
perience of brother X, as he nrs
fers to be nown lest he be canned
out Of the musicians union and
deprived of his joyous FELLOWSHIP
in the brotherhood Of labor with
Jimmy Petrillo, who governs ths
union at combined salaries and
allowances exceeding $6O,OOO >
year.
A Professor >.
Brother x is what you might
call a professor, meaning a mu. m
sician who plays solo in DUMPS
at night, and in or. to obtain
Ijobs he must hire an agent Ii.
censed by the union to prey on
the members. He recently got two
weeks work in a dump in an ad.
joining state at $40 week after
five weeks idleness, and his fl.
nancial score was whitfield down
to SIS week by the following
deductions and expenses:
Ten per cent to the agent, 10
per cent to the local in whose
jurisdiction the job was situated,
10 per cent of the first weeks pay
to that local as dues for one quar-.
ter, 10 per cent to his home local
for a quarters dues, and So a
week for carfare. Total pay, $50;
total dues, commissions and ex.
penses, $50.
There is an unemployment fund
raised by assessment on members
of his home local, but brother x
has been advised that he must be
out of work for five years, con-
tinuously, in order to participate
and, nevertheless, must be mem.
ber in good standing, meaning that
he must have paid his dues stead.
lily, though unemployed all that
time. So the unemployment fund
it not for him, and he is inclined
to take a rather gloomy view Of
unionisn as a personal issue.
! Moreover, further to accentuate
the sordid before we turn on the
sunlight of nobility, the same un-
ion within the past year has re.
Ijected proposals to confer paid-up
life membership on members who
have been in continuous good
standing for rs years or more.
Generous
But now, if you will shield your
eyes from the glare, you will be
shown how generous the musi-
clans union is-not only to Jimmy
Petrillo with his $60,000 a year
plus, and never a strike or layoff,
but to MIR. Joe Weber, the ex-
president, who enjoyed many years
of uninterrupted luxury in that po-
sition until Petrillo pushed him
out in 1910. Mr.. Weber, like broth.
er Bowen, the former president OF
the bricklayers, was made Presl'
dent Emeritus or technical adviser
to the higher state--aen OF his
union, at $4,000 a year for LIE,
In addition to his compensation
and perquisites as vice president
of the American Federation OF La
Dor and member Of its executive
council. President Emeritus Bow
en- gets $4,000 year for lie
from the bricklayers, with no
strikes or layoffs, come rain. snow
or sickness.
And not long ago, wishing to ex'
press further their affection 1or
brother Joe Weber, the ruling
classes of the musicians unloh n
voted to provide him with an auto
mobile for his own use, together
with a salaried chauffeur and all
the cost of maintaining and run
ming the car, and all insurance
and any and all damages and le'
gal services resulting from accl'
dents, plus permission to trade In
such car and get new one wheh'
ever he likes.
Brother x, who plays in dumps
and kicks back so much OF his
pay for the privilege, is paying
brother Weber $50, 900 salary and
the costs of the car md extras
but he seems a surly brute, 50
we will not ask him whether ne
does this willingly. He might make
a scene.
And, furthermore, the press
mems union has voted emeritus
status for life to President George
Berry, the millionaire labor leau'
er and country squire OF Tennes.
see, at $4,000 year plus an ofilcs
and secretary, if and whenever
: yone succeeds in easing nm ou.
of the Job in which he became
an employer himself and mag
nate in the printing and land ouSi
ness.
This was done in the last con-
vention, quietly and unobtruslveM
as befits such deeds - senerosisy
by act Of the politicians IN cur
troll Of the union. And in the + ora
tons on the issue which W e
through as if creased no re1eren.e ;
was made to the unhappy h"ga e.
ton Of 20 years ago in when o.hs .hs
YT G A;e+r;ct court held that Drotn'