The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 2, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 3, 1909 Page: 1 of 10
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THE OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE F. E. C U. OF A OF OKLAHOMA
Endorsed by the
OKLAHOMA CITY BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL
Endorsed by the
OKLAHOMA STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR
VOL. 2
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, .11 LY 3. liKM).
Endorsed by the Oklahoma City
CENTRAL TRADES AND LABOR ASSEMBLY
NO. 2
X
1776 ■
THE SPIRIT OF 76
# # ☆ <*• ☆
1909
STILL LIVES IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ORGANIZED LABOR
"LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS"
SUPPORT THE
UNION LABEL
The Bricklayer and Mason tells of
instances in which signs were posted
on buildings being erected by non-
union labor reading. "Keep away from
and out of this building." It is sal,I
that these signs were posted for the
purpose of keeping union men out of
the buildings during construction. We
quote:
"But the sign contains a word of
argument that should apply not only
during the construction of the build-
ing, but for all time to come. Let
union men and their friends take this
sign for what it says and obey it.
Keep out of and away from this
buildi ng now and for all time. When
it i.-j finished and the proprietor who
ha3 built it with cheap labor throws
it open for rent let would be tenants
know that you have been admonished
to 'keep out and away from this
building,' and as others made the ad-
monition apply when the building
was under construction it is up to you
to make it apply - now, and you aro
going to see to it that the injunction
is obeyed.
"Keep away from places of business
|hat are uni.ladr 'to organized labor
everywhere.
"Keep away from the business man
who believe3 that the union man (has
no right to exist.
"Keep away from those who think
that wages would be just as high if
there were no unions.
"Keep away from the employers of
Jap labor; in short, keep away from
your enemies.
"Would you place in the hands of a
man who was enraged at you and
•wanted to destroy you the weapon
with which, he might do so?
"That is what labor does when it
deals with people who are trying to
grind them down to pauperism, and
that is what they are trying to do
when they put up a sign, "Keep out of
and away from this building.' "
There are many profit mongers who
rail at the cause of labor who would
starve to death if the memers of or-
ganized labor and their friends would
Btay away.
If every merchant realized that he
would have no una on trade if he rent-
ed a store in a block constructed by
non-unton labor suohj blocks would
find it hard to get tenants and the
erection of them would not be fash-
ionable because they would not be
profitable. *
Here is an example of the interlock-
ing 'interests of the Various trades
composing the labor movement.
The building trades have no union
label, but can support the union la-
bels of the oigarmakers, hatters, shoe-
makers, etc., by these means adding
to their strength 30 when the building
trades have a controversy the label
trades can give their patronage to
business men who are fair to the
building trades.
Inasmuch as the benefit any mem-
ber of organized labor can derive from
hi3 union depends dn some degree not
j'nly upon the strength of his own
union, but also upon the strength of
the unions In general, therefore it is
to the interest of each member to
stay away from the employer or
merchant who i3 unfair to a fellow
unionist in any trade.
Stay away from the products of
scab labor and from the stores of
those who persist dn handling them.
Stay away from the stores and of-
fices of buildings erected by non-
union labor.
The trade of organized labor and
its friends is large enough if united
to be worth while for enterprising
merchants and professional men to
cater to, and it should stay religiously
away from those who choose to em-
ploy non-unionists.
Let those who deliberately choose
do trade or deal with non-unionists
have the non-union trade and nothing
else.
So shall the unwisdom cf their
choice be proved and so shall the
power of unions be strengthened^
Stay away! Shoe Workers' Jour-
nal.
While organized labor feel3 grateful
for the effort the committee of the
Chamber of Commerce made in at-
tempting to aid the plumbers in secur-
ing a peaceable settlement with the
master plumbers ; still it hurts to
discover that at the same time this
committee was actively engaged in
their work; President Brock of the
Chamber of Commerce was aiding in
the attempt to destroy union labor by
letting all of his work In the improve-
ment at his Main street store to un-
fair labor and contractors.
TRADES UNION
CHARACTERS
Whenever a resolution is Intro-
duced, he is sure to offer an object-
ion. Sometimes he kicks on the
subject matter itself. Then he pro-
tests against the form in which the
resolution has been presented. Fre-
quently he finds fault with a word in
the construction of a sentence, and
often he will offer an amendment
which puts the orginal resolution out
•of business. He is primed for every
parlimentary dispute. He seems to
be familiar with every communicat-
ion that is read at the meeting of the
local. He knows the leaders and
their foibles. He is on the job all
the time, with both feet, both fist.i,
and with a tongue that is sharper
than a two-edged award. He takes
himself seriously Never does he
crack a smile. He has a mission, and
everybody soon comes to know it.
Often have we wished him in Tim-
buctoo, where he could spout to his
heart's content on all the "isms" that
so glibly glide off the end of his
tongue.
But honestly, we'd miss him if he
should go.Miss him not because we
love him. perhaps, but because ho is
one of the necessary factors in our
development. As a matter of fact,
without him, we'd soon drift into a
rut, because most of us are too lazy
to think of an objection, to say noth-
ing of an original proposition. There's
ot least one thing that we must say
to hi3 credit—he always attends the
meetings. 'Furthermore, he mustj
,ipend considerable time in reaving
and in study to know as much as he
does about current events and the
theories which men are discussing.
He actually thinks. He may not al-
ways be right, but he certainly is
iir&ke—and that's another point to
his credit. Also, he keeps the rest
of us awake. And that isn't bad. But
he is more often dight than not. We
object to him because he is like a bee
buzzing about our heads, but even the
bee is a useful creation.
Sometimes it's hard to be patient
with the kicker. But there are others
who are worse than he is—for in-
stance, the fellow who nevershows
up at the meeting and then dooH hi*
kicking outside where it does a
whole lot more harm. He's the chap
that should be jumped on, and not
the man who is sincerely, usually in-
tellegently, though not always wisely,
registering an objection in the open
meeting to proposed actions which
would often spell disaster.
THE PRESS CLUB SHOW
Promises to be the Biggest Hit of
of the Season.
The big Press Club show which
will be given at the Overholser Opera
House on the afternoon and evening
of July 8th promises to be an un-
qualified success. There will be
I eight big acts, four by the best pro-
fessional talent at the Lyric, Maze
and Delmar summer theatres that
week and four by local talent.
Nels Darling will give one of his
inimitable monologues which are said
by those who have seen this artist
to be notnihg less than funny. Rev.
J. H. O. Smith is down f or an ad-
dress and Mayor Scales will tell
what he thinks about the newspaper
boys he has met.
Omer K. Benedict will give an (im-
personation of Battling Nelson as
that worthy appears behind the foot-
lights. "Bat's" work as a monologue
artist is so fierce that is is good and
Mr. Benedict gives a life like imitat-
ion of the peerless battler.
G. A. Reinmiller, Sporting editor
of the Times and Burns Hegler, city
editor, will burlesque the recent
Nelson-Clifford boxting bouf. MJ\
Reinmiller will take the difficult
role of Batteling Nelson while Mr.
Hegler will show how Clifford acted.
Russel Henry Fisher will referee the
contest.
The seat sale indicates that there
will be a heavy patronage at all three
performances and the members of
the club promise that it will be a life-
long regret to any who miss the show.
The local Stonemasons' organiza-
tion have proven to a man that their
heart <ij in the right spbpe by re-
fusing to work no the Oklahoman
building—whiich is declared unfair.
This is appreciated by the other
organizations inasmuch as the Stone-
masons are not locally affiliated with
the Building Trudg) Cornell.
WILL ORGANIZED
LABOR WIN
In the present conflict between the
Building Trades of our city and the
unfair contractors; the question nat-
urally arises, will labor win? Ye3 la-
bor will win. The cause of right and
justice always wins. There has never
been a battle waged between the forc-
es of labor and unfair employers that
has been lost by labor. We must ad-
mit that at times that it has appeared
that our cause had been destroyed, but
that was just at the time when the
6unshine broke through the clouds of
discouragement and labor came forth
victors against the foes that were
determined to destroy us. The gener-
al bubllc is pretty well aware of the
causes leading up to the present .strife
and will not be slow in showing their
disapproval of th~ methods employed
by those who by their stubborness an'*
short-sightedness forced labor to use
the last method to gain their just due*
The "strike".
But there is one feature that the
general public is unaware of in this
trouble. When one thinks that thi3
struggle is only between employer and
employee they are mistaken. It is a
struggle brought about by an unseen
and hidden foe. an enemy more power-
ful than the employer. Down deep in
the heart of one of the strongest or-
ganizations in the state is the deter-
mined intent to destroy the organiza-
tions of labor. Not only in our city
but in the entire state as well and
the reason that we are in bad repute
with the organization spoken of is for
th" fact that organzed labor of Okla-
homa has stood between the common
people and the corporations of whom
this body is a representative, and pre-
vented laws from being placed upon
the statutes of our state that would be
of untold injury to our citizens and
laws that would give to these corpo-
rations an upper hand such ai thc^
hold in the older states. These are the
forces that have combined to en-
courage the employer to refu--> to
recognize labor in our city and now
that the flight is on in earnest, it will
be waged not only against tfioae con-
tractors whom we term ittfAir but a
stronger flght will be ma<J> the
hidden, cowardly element who expect
to rule or ruin.
Yes Organized Labor Will Win.
The state of Oklahoma belongs to
the people in general; it will remain
theirs and to the combned efforts of
organized labor and of all fair minded
citizens of our new state can the final
victory be accredited.
A SPLENDID VICTORY
Three Hundred New Vork Clothing
Factories Sign With Union.
Not for years have the clothing
trades in Greater New York won such
a notable victory a3 that achieved by
th)3 pants workers andj knee pants
workers after a desperate contest of
seven weeks' duration. Never was a;
victory more decisive or complete.
At the commencement of the strike
the pants makers were practically un-
organized, but today 'he 7,000 who
came out to battle for justice are
marching under the union banner.
The results of the strike are: An in-
crease in price3 from 20 to 25 per
cent; that the operators be paid in
cash instead of checks, and the formal
recognition of the union. Three hnu-
dred establishments signed agree-
ments and will hereafter be run as
closed, or union shops. The moral
significance of this splendid triumph
occuring as it did during a severe
business depression, cannot be over-
estimated.
This is the last week of the Folly
Theatre for this season. This popu-
lar play house will reman closed for
eight weeks. During this time the
house will be newly decorated and put
in shape for the coming season. That
the Folly has been a success from its
first opening night last September,
has been due to clean high class pro-
ductions booked by Mr. Tull at pop-
ular prices. Union men of Oklahoma
City havp a warm regard for Mr. Tull
and the "Folly", as it is the only
strictly union theatre in the city and
the patronage has been given to Mr.
Tull in recognition of his friendship
as weli as his splendid productiou3.
The tendency of organized labor is
ward a higher civilization; that of our
our enemies to a degraded citizenship.
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The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 2, No. 2, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 3, 1909, newspaper, July 3, 1909; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc106836/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.