The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 3, No. 42, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 23, 1912 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
•: • ■ ■
m
VOTING ON FEDERATION OFFICERS REGAN THIS WEEK—THIS ISSUE CONTAINS LIST OF CANDIDATES
OR UNIT
DEVOTED TO TH ^ INTKRKSTS OF ORCAHIZED LA
BOI AND THE FARMERS* UNION O* O CLANOMA
VOL. 4.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1912.
No. 42
OFFICERS NOW
BEING CHOSEN
FIRST ELECTION FOR STATE FED
ERATION BALLOTS IN HANDS
OF AFFILIATED UNIONS
®©©©©®©©©©©®©©©©©
© ©
© I. T. U. NOMINATIONS ©
© ©
©
The first election for the selection of
State Federation officers ia now on,
ballot* having been mailed to all affil-
iated unions by Secretary-Treasurer
"Wilson on March 15th. Following are
the candidates that have been nomin-
ated for the various offices, of which
one is to be selected for each place, ex-
cept auditors and tellers, the law pro-
viding for three:
For President—S. M. Boydston, min-
er, Wilburton; Mat Brownlie, miner,
Coalgate; W. J. Drake, miner, Dow;
H. B. Long, miner, Chant; Frank L.
Bice, miner, Henryetta; N. T. Tucker,
carpenter, Ada; C. B. Wilson, carpenter,
Muskogee; C. C. Zeiglcr, leather worker,
Oklahoma City.
For First Vice-President—Dan Bra-
tor, miner, Haileyville; Jno. B. Brown,
miner, Lehigh; H. H. Chambless, engin-
eer, Oklahoma City; J. C. Estes, miner,
Henryetta; H. L. Jackson, miner, Kio-
wa; Joe Johnson, miner, Wilburton;
Simon Phillips, miner, Coalgate; Fred
F. Price, miner, Lehigh.
For Second Vice-President — Thos.
Guest, miner, Wilburton; A. W. Ken
yon, carpenter, Chickasha; Pat O'Shea
miner, Phillips; Julius Pieh, carpenter,
Enid; Jno. Stenhouse, Jr., miner, Hen-
ryetta; U. G. Tuttle, printer, Tulsa.
For Third Vice-President—Sam At-
kins, railway carman.. Shawnee; John
Kirk, Sr., miner, Coalgate.
For Fourth Vice-President—H. F. Er
lioh, miner, Ha^shorne; L. C. Watson
carpenter, Shawnee.
For Fifth Vice-President — G. W.
Lindsay, miner, Haileyville; C. Mason,
miner, Henryetta; Eugent Boss, miner,
Lehigh; J. W. Smith, miner, Coalgate;
J. W. Woolen, miner, Hartshorne.
For Secretary-Treasurer—Joe Askey,
miner, Adamson; A. W. Bennett, paint-
er, Chickasha; W. K. Benningfield, car-
penter, Okmulgee; G. L. Hunter, car-
penter, Okmulgee; B. C. Marling, min-
er, Williams; W. T. Maxwell, carpen-
ter, Shawnee; Alex Mount, miner, Hen-
ryetta; Joe Prevost, miner, Coalgate;
J. S. Waldecker, miner, Phillips; Ollie
S. Wilson, printer, Oklahoma City.
For Auditor and Teller—M. K. Akin,
carpenter, Shawnee; Alex Bayoris, min-
er, Alderson; D. N. Ferguson, carpen-
ter, Ardmore; Henry Fleck, miner, Coal-
gate; H. C. Jones, miner, Henryetta;
Maney G. Ligon, miner, McAlester; Pete
McMullen, miner, Hartshorne; D. C.
Miller, miner, Coalgate; John T. Pat-
terson, miner, Henryetta; E. W. Powell,
barber, Chickasha; Frank Preddy, min-
er, Henryetta; J. W. Price, miner, Le-
high; Arthur Bichardson, miner, Coal-
gate; P. M. Scheidigger, laborer, Okla
homa City; R. G. Smith, miner, Harts-
horne; Mose Thompson, miner, Henry
etta; H. R. Ware, miner, Adamson.
For Legislative Committee—Jas. G
Davidson, miner, Wilburton; Dave L.
Easterly, carpenter, Tulsa; Jas. Elliott,
miner, Coalgate; II. Eugene Mabrv
miner, Adamson; Geo. McConnell, car
penter, Bartlesville; C. B. Mumaw, car-
penter, McAlester; E. Pritchard, miner,
Coalgate; Clint Tullis, printer, Musko-
gee; Jake Widner, miner, Chant.
© Secretary Treasurer Hays has
© sent out a list of nominees and
© nominators for the various posi-
© tions to bo filled at the next ref-
© erendum election of the Interna-
© tional Typographical union.
© The following contains a list of ©
© the candidates for the principal
© offices and the number of uom- ©
© inations they have received: ©
© For president, James M. Lynch, ©
© 301; Fred Barker, 143. Vice- ©
© president, George A. Tracy, 245, ©
ffl James M. Duncan, 169. Secre- ~
tary-treasurer, J. W. Hays, 331;
Clifford M. Cobb, 92; James B.
Boss, 22. Delegates to the
American Federation of Labor,
Frank Morrison, 371; Max S.
Hayes, 246; T. W. McCullough,
223; Hugh Stevenson, 221;
Charles Ilertenstein, 179; Frank
© J. Bonnington, 90; Daniel Dela-
© hoyde, 81; A. B. Rodriguez, 71;
© Franklin W. Hynes, 20; John H.
5 Ferguson, 13.
g ©
©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©®
CENTRAL TRADES COUNCIL MAKES
THE LABOR UNIT OFFICIAL ORGAN
MUSICIANS TO ERECT TEMPLE
The Missouri trades Unionist, pub-
lished at Joplin, Mo., is authority for
the statement that the musicians' union
of that city has decided to erect a
musicians' temple to cost $25,000.
JOHN MITCHELL
GIVES ANSWER
DEFENDANT IN CONTEMPT CASE
DECLINES THE OFFER OF JUS
"TICE WRIGHT FOR IMMUNITY
PRINTING PRESS ASSISTANTS
Organization Receives Charter and
Elects Its Officers for Ensuing Year
The Oklahoma City Printing Press
Assistants union No. 72, recently organ-
ized, has received a charter, and a corps
of efficient officers were elected for
the ensuing year. This organization is
under the direct jurisdiction of the In
ternational Printing Pressmen and As-
sistants Union of America, and bids
fair to be a very flourishing union.
N. E. Jones is president, and J. B.
Shinn secretary-treasurer of the young
organization. The union will be repre-
sented in the Allied Printing Trades
Council by J. L. Green, Clyde Kelley
and E. M. Haus.
Special to The Labor Unit
Washington.—John Mitchell, in a let
ter to Justice Wright declining to avail
himself of the immunity offer of the
court, provided he would make certain
promises, made it clear that the posi-
tion which he has maintained since the
inception of the contempt proceedings
will be maintained to the end. Mr.
Mitchell's letter follows:
Judge Wright: Sir—At the close
of my cross-examination in the con-
tempt proceedings instituted against
Mr. Gompers, Mr. Morrison and me, the
court stated that I was free at any time
before these proceedings closed to give
expression to the court, either orally
or in written communication, upon the
ubject of the following recommenda-
tions: 'The court strongly recommends
that you consider again the propriety of
acquainting the court before these pro-
ceedings close with your conviction,
whether you ought, and whether you ex
pect, hereafter, to lend adherence to
the decrees of the judicial tribunals
of the land in matters committed by
law to their jurisdiction and power.' I
hsve eiven the court 's recommendation
careful thought and serious considern
tior., as a result of which I desire to
say that I believe a statement by me
that I ' eypect htreafter to lead .\dher
ence to the d^rees of the judicial tri-
bunals of the land' would be subject to
no other interpretation than tbftt I have
heretofore failed or refused to comply
with the lawful decrees of the court,
and that my evidence in this proceeding
was nnf truthful and sincere ami in
keepinu with the facts in the case
am not willing to make any statement
that vould impugn my ow . testimony.
I am not willing by any device or sub-
terfuge to attempt to deceive the court
secure an acquittal by any other
means than those of evidence and the
truthfulness of my testimony. Indeed,
I should feel more contentment if con-
victed, conscious of the rectitude of my
courde and the truthfulness of my evi-
dence, than if acquitted on any other
ground than the facts as they have been
presented to the court and the law as it
has been enunciated by the higher tri
bunal. Yours respectfully, John Mitch
ell."
An interesting meeting of the trades
council was held at the National Unioi:
hall Thursday, March 14, in which much
busines of importance was transacted.
Bv a unanimous vote the hours of
meeting hereafter will be from 8 to 10
o'clock p. m., and no official business
can be transacted after those hours.
A constitution and by-laws commit-
tee was appointed as follows: McGat-
lin of the Typographical, Emery of the
Horseshoers, Ezell of the Teamsters,
Ruthven of the Bookbinders and Alton
of the Stage Employees. This com-
mittee will report at the next meeting
with a complete rearrangement of the
laws of the council, including all amend-
ments that have been made for the past
two years.
Mrs. Erbacher was elected from the
Garment Workers to fill a vacancy on
the board of directors. The present
board is now composed of the following
members: Von Elm of the Leather
Workers, Cobb of the Laundry Work-
ers, Alton of the Stage Employees,
Smith of the Bookbinders and Mrs. Er-
bacher of the Garment Workers. Von
Elm and Cobb are president and secre-
tary-treasurer, respectively, of the coun-
cil.
By a unanimous vote the Oklahoma
Labor Unit was again made the official
paper for the council and the press
committee was instructed to have print-
ed in these columns each week the pro-
ceedings of the council unless by ma-
jority vote some portion of the pro-
ceedings is desired to be of a secret na-
ture. Officers for the State Federation
were also endorsed by resolution, one
dissenting vote being made against the
resolution out of forty delegates pres-
ent.
The resolutions as adopted .were as
follows:
"Whereas. The Oklahoma City Trades
and Labor Council has been misrepre-
sented by the circulation of a resolu-
tion endorsing candidates for State
©©®©©®©©©©©©©©©©©
Federation officers after same had been
reconsidered at a well-attended meet-
ing, said resolution attacking the pres-
ent officers of the Federation, and stat-
ing that they wore responsible for the
recent turmoil in the labor movement
in this city; and
"Whereas, The turmoil that resulted
in an American Federation officer com-
ing to Oklahoma City to settle the dif-
ferences in this body was in no wise
caused by the officers mentioned; and
"Whereas, Inasmuch as other unions
and trades councils are endorsing the
candidates of their choice and noting
their qualifications; therefore be it
"Resolved, That this council, in reg
ular session assembled, this, the 14th
day of March, 1912, does hereby en-
dorse for president C. C. Zeigler, and
for secretary-treasurer Ollie S. Wilson,
and we recommend each of them as be-
ing faithful union men, honest, upright,
intelligent, and continually working
with no other end in view than the up-
lift of the laboring classes of Okla-
homa. "
Following is the resolution endorsing
the Oklahoma Labor Unit, which were
passed without a dissenting vote:
I * Whereas, The Oklahoma City Labor
Unit is the only labor paper published
in the city of Oklahoma City; and
II Whereas, The Oklahoma City Trades
and Labor Council desires and needs
an official paper to make public its de
cisions and findings when it is desired
that same be given to the public; there
fore, be it
"Resolved, That this council does
hereby denote the Labor Unit as the
official paper of this body, and instructs
its press committee to have the proceed
ingB of the council printed in its col
umns each week, unless, by majority
vote, further instructions are given to
said committee withholding some por-
tion of the minutes that are decided to
be of a secret nature."
BRICKLAYERS TO VOTE
ON AFFILIATION
At the last convention of the
bricklayers and masons favor-
able action was again taken to
►5* submit the question of affilia-
te tion with the American Federa-
te tion of Labor to a referendum
vote of the membership. The
© entire western section of the
© country is practically unanimous ©
in favor of affiliation, and is ~
using every influence to secure
favorable action when the vote
is taken. The national officers
of the bricklayers and masons
have for years expressed them-
selves as favorable to affiliation,
© but the membership has thus far ©
TAYLOR SYSTEM
RECEIVES BLOW
COMMITTEE REPORTS AGAINST
UNJUST METHODS OF SHOP
MANAGEMENT
© refused to become a part of the ©
© genera] movement by affiliation. ©
© The prospects at this time are
brighter for favorable action ©
than at any period heretofore. ©
® ©
©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©
LABOR TEMPLE FOR FRESNO, CAL.
Preliminary plans have been perfect-
ed for the erection of a labor temple in
Fresino, Cal. The active spirits are elat-
ed over the unanimity of opinion devel-
oped among the unions for the con-
struction of a home for organized labor
OUSTS HAWKINS
SHIRT COMPANY
JAIL BOAED IN BALTIMOBE, MD,
TAKES ACTION AGAINST
PRISON LABOR
" MADE GOODS
There are a number of trade union-
ists who think themselves loyal sup-
porters of the movement because they
pay their dues regularly, attend their
meetings and would rather go on strike
than work alongside a non-union man;
yet these same men will purchase bread,
shoes, hats, clothing, furniture, tools
and tobacco without giving a thought
to the conditions under which these
articles were made or without realizing
they are helping their avowed ene-
mies, the Manufacturers' Association,
to gain ground.
It was to aid the members of all the
trade unions of the country to distin-
guish between goods made under fair
or unfair conditions that the union
label was first brought into use, and it
is this label that can be made the most
effective weapon against the onslaught
made upon unionism by the foes of
organized labor. Workingmen consti-
tute the larger part of the purchasing
public, inasmuch as their wages are
redistributed almost as soon as they
are received, and 1t is to their fellow
workers in other trades that the mem-
bers of each union must look for sup-
port. It is obvious, for instance, that
the hatter will wear union made hats,
the baker eat union made bread, the
cigarmaker smoke union made cigars,
but it is only when each of these three
extends the principle that prompts him
to aid his own union and to help the
other two that he takes a step toward
progress in true unionism.
The building trades unions do not
suffer from this indifference to quite
the same extent as other organizations,
for the reason that the men who follow
the different branches of construction
work are well organized. Yet, even us
far as these unions are concerned,
greater reciprocity would result in the
strengthening of the cause of organ-
ized labor in general and the growth
and higher efficiency of the respective
organizations in particular. But it is
the weaker unions that have chiefly to
rely upon the support of their brother
workingmen. It stands to reason that
no capitalist will go about making
propaganda for the union label, and it
is the trade unionists who must show
the employers by a constantly express-
ed demand for union made goods that
it will be to their advantage to supply
such demand.
Support of this kind will help these
weaker organizations to gnin
strength, and long hours, child labor,
and unsanitary conditions will become
things of the past.
Thus labor itself can redeem its fel
low workers from the undercurrent of
industrial slovery.—James Maguire, Re-
cording Secretary International Broth-
erhood of Stationery Firemen, in Chi-
cago News.
I
At a meeting of the Baltimore, Md.,
jail board recently, action was taken
ousting the Hawkins Shirt Company,
which now operates a contract for the
labor of the inmates of the city jail. It
is reported that this company is owned
practically by Fred II. Mills, treasurer
of the American Prison Association, di-
rector of the International Prison Con-
gress last year, and chairman of the
committee appointed by the first named
organization, to report on the convict
labor question. lie is now, and has
been since the installation of the "state
use system" in New York, the sales-
agent of the prison department. As
such, he directs what goods are to be
manufactured and how they are to be
disposed of to the different state insti-
tutions and departments. Criticism has
been offered on the "state use system"
that it did pot supply work for all th>
inmates. It is charged that Mills is
responsible for this condition of af
fairs. Under "this system no state de-
partment is allowed to buy any article
in the open market without getting
permission from the prison commission
ers in the form of a certificate, which
certifies that the prison commissioners
of New York delegated their power
sign certificates almost entirely to Mills,
and that he has igned all but a few of
tho releases. Thus the "state use sys-
tem" by thi means has been juggled
to discredit the "state use system" and
provide an argument against it.
Special to The L.abor Unit.
Washington. — Congressman W. B.
Wilson, labor's able champion in the
house of representatives, and chairman
of the house labor committee, has just
presented to the house an unfavorable
report against the Taylor and other
systems of shop management. The re-
port of the committee is unanimous
and will be of inestimable value to the
working people of our country. Under
the guidance of Chairman Wilson a
thorough nnd comprehensive study of
efficiency systems was made. The re-
port handles tho subject in a vigorous
manner, going to the root of the sub-
ject, one portion of which is hereby re-
produced, its philosophy being unassail-
able: "There is a margin between the
work performed by the loafer and the
maximum task for a man, and in that
margin lies a proper day's work. What
constitutes a reasonable day's work
can only be determined by practical ex-
perience and intelligent observation. It
can not be wholly determined by a
stop watch or any other time-measuring
instrument used only for a brief period
of time. By tho stop watch you may
be able to determine the time in which
a piece of work can be done, but you
do not thereby alone determine the
length of time in which it ought to be
done. The time study of the operations
of any machine can be made with a
reasonable degree of accuracy, because
all of tho elements can be taken into
consideration in making the computa-
tion. A machine is an inanimate thing
it hns not life, no brain, no senti-
ment, and no place in the social order.
With a workman it is different. He is
a living, moving, sentient, social being;
he is entitled to all the rights, privi-
leges, opportunities, and respectful con-
sideration given to other men. He
would bo less than a man if he did not
resent tho introduction of any system
which deals with hiin in the same way
as a beast of burden or an inanimate
machine. In making a time study of
the operations of a workman, all of the
elements can not be taken into consid-
eration and consequently tho computa-
tion can not be made with mathematical
accuracy. There is no work that can
be performed or that is performed, that
is not preceded by a mental process on
the'part of the workman. Tho moro
skill needed in the work, the greater
the mental process which precedes the
expression of it. So far as your com-
mittee has been able to learn, there is
no method known to scientific manage-
ment by which a time study can bo
made of the mental process preceding
the physical act. The elements of the
mental process not being susceptible
of determination by a stop-watch time
study, the study of itself must conse-
quently be inaccurate and the workmen
are justified in objecting to such a
time study being used as a basis upon
which to compute their day's work and
compensation when in their judgment
injustice is done them thereby."
TEXTILE STRIKERS WIN
Lawrence Strike Called Off at Three of
the Largest Mills in the District
DARROW TRIAL MAY 14
Clarence Darrow, former chief coun-
sel for the McNamara brothers, will be
tried on May 14 on the charge of hav-
ing bribed jurors in the case referred to.
ELECTRICAL WORKERS' CASE
Special to The Labor Unit.
Washington.—The electrical workers'
controversy involving a secession move-
ment, and which has tied up nearly
$100,000, is now being tried in the
courts of Cleveland. It is expected that
a decision will be had in the case in
the very near future.
Nine weeks after the great textile
strike was declared in Lawrence, Mass.,
the most bitter industrial struggle in
the history of New England, came to
an end there March 14, when 12,000
strikers met in mass meeting on the
Common and indorsed the action of the
strike committee in accepting the wage
advance offered by the American Wool
en Company.
The strikers voted unanimously to re-
turn to work in the American woolen
mills, the Atlantic, and the Kunhardt
mills. These mills are the most impor-
tant involved in the strike.
The settlement of the strike was made
TYPOGRAPHICAL BALL
the occasion of an enthusiastic celebra-
tion. The workers formed a great pro-
cession. marching under the banners of
their various organizations, and parad
ed the principal streets and circled the
factories, while the labor union bands
played national anthems. The "Mar
seilles" was heard in a great volume of
song high above the crashing music and
the cheering. Hundreds of women and
children trooped along behind the
marching strikers and joined the sing-
ing with enthusiasm.
The workers voted to continue the
strike in thq Arlington mill, Pacific, Os-
woco, Duck, and Everett mills.
The vote was taken by acclamation.
Bill posters have advanced wages 50
cents per day at Sa\ annah, Ga., without
strike.
The committee having in charge the
arrangements for the printers' second
annual ball have the tickets distributed
among the members of the various
chapels of the city, and an active ticket
selling campaign is now going on. The
committee and members of the union
are very enthusiastic over the pros-
pects for a most successful ball this
year. The proceeds will go to tho fund
for the care of the sick members in
Oklahoma City, the union having spent
several hundred dollars in this manner
during the past year.
Remember, the date and place of this
ball — Euclid hall, Monday night,
April 15.
NOW IT'S GIRL SCOUTS
Washington.—A movement is on foot
in this city, designed to organize a
troop of girl scouts. As is already
known, there is throughout the country
a large organization of boy scouts. This
latest move appears to be a sort of com-
panion piece.
TYPO IS NO SLUGGER
Chicago Printer Acquitted of Murdei
Charge
Wm. J. Boener, formerly organizer
of Chicago Typographical union, was
declared "not guilty" last week on tho
charge of murdering a non-union print-
er. "Chicago Jack" Daly, a well
known prize fighter, and six others, con-
fessed to assaulting the non-unionist.
Boener was implicated, and the "hold
up" was construed by the state as a
union matter.
The defense showed that the state's
evidence was contributed by men who
were forccd to confess themselves as
professional sluggers. This, together
with Boener's good reputation, resulted
in his acquittal.
An amusing thing happened when the
verdict was announced, and friends of
the accused began cheering. One of the
spectators was arrested on charges of
contempt of court. In answer to ques-
tions by the judge, the accused said his
name was Riley, and that his sister,
Mamie Riley, was engaged to. marry
Boener.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Casler, Howard M. The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 3, No. 42, Ed. 1 Saturday, March 23, 1912, newspaper, March 23, 1912; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc107074/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.