The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 46, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 20, 1912 Page: 1 of 8
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ONE OF THE LARGEST VOTES CAST FOR FEDERATION OFFICERS IN HISTORY—MANY IN RACE
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4
OFFICIAL ORGAN
OKLAHOMA STATE FEDERATION
of LABOR
H
OFFICIAL ORGAN
OKLAHOMA CITY TRADES AND
LABOR COUNCIL
OR UNIT
VOL. 4.
VTTht i***T7aROR~"NIZtD LAB,,* AND I H E FAKMER a' UNION OF OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA CITY^ OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, APRIL 20. 1912.
BIG VOTE FOR
FED. OFFICERS
AUDITORS AND TELLERS CON
CLUDE COUNTING RETURNS
OF riRST ELECTION
►5 © © © © ® © © © © © ® © © © ©
©
HOTEL AND RESTAURANT ©
EMPLOYES ©
State Federation Auditors and Tellers
Ferguson, Bennett and Bayoris have
just concluded counting and tabulating
the vote for officers of the State Fed
eration of Labor in the first 1912 race
A large number of candidates were run
ning for all offices except those of third
and fourth vice-presidents, therefore
there has been no one elected upon this
ballot except for these two offices. John
Kirk, miner, of Coalgate, was elected
as third vice-president over Sam Atkins,
Taliway carman, of Shawnee; and H. F
Erliclb miner, of Hartshorne, will be the
next fourth vice-president, he having
received more votes than liis opponent
L. C. Wjatson, carpenter, of Shawnee.
For president, C. C. Zeigler led the
field for that office with 1,496 votes
His nearest opponent was Sam Boyds
ton, miner, of Wilburton, with 9/0
votes. There were eight candidates for
this office.
For secretary-treasurer, Ollie S. Wil
son of Oklahoma City led bis nine op
ponents, his total vote being 1284. His
nearest competitor was A. W. Bennett
painter, of Chickasha, who received 542
votes. Following is the vote for all
candidates in full:
For President
S. M. Boydston, Miner, Wilburton 970
Mat Brownlie, Miner, Coalgate 463
W. J. Drake, Miner, Dow 185
H. B. Long, Miner, Chant 298
Frank L. Rice, Miner, Henryetta 243
N. T. Tucker, Carpenter, Ada 82
C. R. Wilson, Carpenter, Muskogee 374
C. C. Zeigler, Leather Worker,
Oklahoma City .1496
C. C. Zeigler, leather workers, of Okla-
homa City, will be on the second ballot
with S. M. Boydston, miner, of Wil-
burton, Zeigler receiving 1,496 and
Boydston 970 votes.
For First Vice-President
Dan Brator, Miner, Haileyville... 394
jno. R. Brown, Miner, Lehigh 460
H. H. Chambless, Engineer, Okla-
homa City
J. C. Estes, Miner, Henryetta 362
H. L. Jackson, Miner, Kiowa 113
.Toe Johnson, Miner, Wilburton 434
Simon Phillips, Miner, Coalgate.. 338
Fred F. Price, Miner, Lehigh---—1264
Fred F. Price, miner, of Lehigh, will
be on the second ballot with H. H.
Chambless, engineer, of Oklahoma City,
Price receiving 1,264 and Chambless 634
votes.
For Second Vice-President
Thos. Guest, Miner, Wilburton... 951
A W. Kenyon, Carpenter, Chickasha 324
Pat O'Shea, Miner, Phillips 659
Julius Pieh, Carpenter, Enid 83,
Jno. Stenhouse, Jr., Miner, Henry- ^
it. G. Tuttle, Printer, Tulsa— ----'610
Thos. Guest, miner, of Wilburton,
will be on the second ballot with Julius
Pieh, carpenter, of Enid, Guest receiv-
ing 951 and Pieh 837 votes.
For Third Vice-President
Sam Atkins, Railway Carman,
Shawnee —
John Kirk, Sr., Miner, Coalgate..2197
John Kirk, Sr., miner, of Coalgate,
won over his opponent, Sam Atkins, car-
man, of Shawnee, Kirk receiving 2,191
and Atkins 1,567 votes.
For Fourth Vice-President
II. F. F.rlich, Miner, Hartshorne--1824
L. C. Watson, Carpenter, Shawnee.1682
H. F. Erlich, miner, of Hartshorne,
won over his opponent, L. C. Watson,
carpenter, of Shawnee, Erlich receiving
1 824 and Watson 1682 votes.
For Fifth Vice-President
G. W. Lindsay, Miner, Haileyville.1370
C. Mason, Miner, Henryetta 815
Eugene Ross, Miner, Lehigh "5®
,T. W. Smith, Miner, Coalgate 968
J. W. Woolen, Miner, Hartshorne.- 447
G. W. Lindsay, miner, of Haileyville,
will be on the second ballot with .T. V .
Smith, miner, of Coalgate. Lindsay re
4 eeiving 1,370 and Smith 968 votes.
For Secretary-Treasurer
.Toe Askey, Miner, Adamson. 501
A. W. Bennett, Painter, Chickasha 542
W. K. Benningfield, Carpenter, Ok
mulgee -----
G L Hunter, Carpenter, Okmulge<
B C Marling, Miner. Williams... 283
W T. Maxwell, Carpenter, Shawnee 474
Alex Mount, Miner, Henryetta. - 227
Joe Prevost, Miner. Coalgate. 388
J. S. Waldecker, Miner, phillips-- I-
, Hie 8 Wilson, Printer, Oklahoma
1284
City — " "
(Continued on Page Eight)
Special to The Labor Unit.
Cincinnati, O.—Jere Sullivan,
secretary of the Hotel and Res
taurant Employes and Bartend-
ers League, says the organiza-
tion is prosecuting a vigorous
campaign to increase the mem-
bership to 100,000, the outlook
at the present time appearing
exceedingly promising. Eight
now unions were added in the
month of January, three in the
month of February and seven in
the month of March. Organiza-
tion among the cooks of Chicago
is showing exceptional returns.
The various cooks' associations,
which heretofore have been
purely social and benevolent or-
ganizations, are awakening to
the fact that the interests of
those employed in the same oc-
cupation are identical, and are
now looking toward the inter-
national union for relief.
To Organized Labor and Friends
©©©©©©©©©©©©&©©©©
BOSTON PRINTERS GET RAISE
Special to The Labor Unit.
Boston.—Boston Typographical union
through its executive board, has just
signed an agreement with the publish-
ers running five years, with an arbitra
tion clause and an advance in the wage
scale of two cents an hour. The new
scale goes into effect May 1.
CENTRAL BODY
TAKES ACTION
PASS RESOLUTIONS CONDEMNING
SO-CALLED AKIN BILL FATHER-
ED BY DESIGNING POLITICIANS
109
10S
The Oklahoma City Trades and Labor
Council, at its regular meeting Thurs-
day night, April 11, passed resolutions
condemning the Akin bill, which is
hatched as a conspiracy for the pur
pose of putting out of existence the
school of mines at Wilburton and thir-
teen other institutions of learning in
the state. The resolution in full fol-
lows:
"Whereas, The Akin bill, which aims
at the elimination of fourteen state
schools, has been filed in the office of
the secretary of state, the election to
be called upon same either at the Aug-
ust primaries or the November elec-
tion; and
Whereas, The state institutions al-
ready located which this bill proposes
to do away with are the six agricultural
schools, the two university preparatory
schools, located at Tonkawa and Clare
more, the Alva, Ada, Tahlequah and
Weatherford normals, the girls' college
at Chickasha, and most particularly, the
only school of its kind in the state—the
School of Mines at Wilburton; and
'' Whereas, The Oklahoma City Trades
and Labor Council believes that the leg
islature of this state, in passing laws re
quiring those who hold responsible posi-
tions about the mines, to pass an exam-
ination, and later creating a school of
mines and metallurgy to equip men for
these responsible positions, had only one
aim in view and that was to minimize
the death rate of the workers who toil
in this industry; therefore, be it
'Resolved, That this council, repre
senting organized labor of Oklahoma
City does hereby condemn the so-called
Akin bill, as a hatched conspiracy for
the purpose of putting out of existence
the school of mines and thirteen other
institutions of learning, using as an
argument the lowering of taxes; and be
it further
"Resolved, That it is a well known
fact that thousands of dollars worth of
machinery has already been purchased
for the school of mines and has never
been set up, which with the expenditure
of a few hundred dollars would place
this school in excellent running order,
and thereby be a godsend to the work
ers and a great preventative of such
accidents as the late McCurtain mine
disaster in which seventy-three men
lost their lives; therefore for the rea-
sons above quoted we beg all union
men, and citizens in other walks of life
to work, speak and vote against this
proposed measure, which is being fath-
ered by a few designing politicians."
All of you, 110 doubt, still recollect
that memorable twenty weeks' strike
of last summer of 6,000 ladies' garment
workers of Cleveland, Ohio, against the
Cloak & Suit Manufacturers' Associa-
tion of that city, headed by Morris
Black, manufacturer of the "Wooltex"
brands of cloaks and skirts. This strike
has never been declared off. Most of
the workers have returned to the fac-
tories temporarily, or have gone into
other lines of work. But their bitter
grievances have never been arbitrated
by this powerful manufacturers' "un-
ion," which dictates unjust terms of
work and conditions of labor to six
thousand workers, and maintains a
blacklist to punish members of the un-
ion.
To prevent a recurrence of a strike
in Cleveland, we are urging merchants
in all cities of Ohio and neighboring
states to buy cloaks and suits from firms
which recognize the organization of
their employes and arbitrate with the
union.
We are having great success in enlist-
ing trades unions, women's clubs, suf-
frage societies, and friendly organiza-
tions, etc., to send trade to merchants
who give their orders to firms which ar-
bitrate.
It will help us materially if your or-
ganization will send a committee to
wait upon the merchants of your city
to get their promise to patronize the
firms named on the fair list below and
to get their signatures to the enclosed
petition, which should then be remailed
to us.
Trusting that we may count upon
your prompt co-operation, and thanking
you in advance for any assistance you
may render, we are
Fraternally yours,
JOHN A. DYCHE,
Gen. Secy.-Treas., International
Ladies' Garment Workers, Union.
Some of the "Fair" Manufacturers
or Merchants of Toledo
Alexander Black & Co.
Kohn, Friendlander & Martin.
Of Cincinnati
Bishop, Stern & Stein.
Fabrian Manufacturing Co.
Ladies' Tailoring Company.
Epstein Brothers.
Of New York City
All manufacturers.
Extracts from the Erie Times and the
Ladies' Garment Worker:
Many Assurances
The work of Miss Barnum and Miss
Krial is meeting with much success in
Erie, nearlv every merchant that has
been' seen 'having expressed an entire
willingness to favor such manufactur-
ers of women's clothing as agree to ar-
bitrate disputes and who prove by their
methods to be in favor of giving work-
ing girls a square deal.
Here is a picture of Miss Krial, who
has been one of the chief sufferers of
unfair treatment in Cleveland. She is
virtually on the blacklist because she,
was nne of the leaders in the garment;
workers' demand for a better and fairer;
order of things in that city. Tt makes
one's heart ache and causes the red
blood of manliness to reach a fighting
stage to hear the stories she tells of con-
ditions as they have existed and still
exist in Cleveland among the women
and girl garment workers. The Times
does not believe there is a merchant in
all Erie, not a single one, who would
purchase another garment of any Cleve-,
land firm that treated working girls as
Miss Krial claims they have been, and
are still, treated in some of the shops
of that city. Anyway, no merchant
ought to patronize such manufacturing
institutions.
As the Times understands it, nil Miss
Barnum or Miss Krial aro trying to ac-
complish is the having buyers of all the
stores pledging themselves not to favor
any shop, by purchasing their garinonts,
who refuse to join the arbitration plan
and other features that have a ten-
dency to place working girls in the dif-
ferent shops on an equality in the way
of recompense for service rendered.
No foreman of any shop should be
permitted to hold a club over any girl
and refuse to pay foT- work faithfully
performed or sacrifice her womanhood
in order to secure an advance in wage,
and neither should she have her work
ripped apart and alterations demanded
without pay because of revenge on the
part of an inspector or any one else. A
decent regard for womanhood as well
as of manhood resents such policies,
and merchants everywhere will be more
than willing to do their share toward
securing a much-needed reform in such
matters.
Educational Campaign in the
Middle West
Remember Cleveland! " These words
are inscribed on the records of our in-
ternational and local unions.
Our members will never forget the
heroic struggle waged by the garment
workers of Cleveland for twenty weeks.
Thev will ever remember the brutality
and the persecution meted out to the
strikers by hired guards, the dastardly
acts perpetrated by them, with the con-
nivance of constituted authority, and
helped in their nefarious work by the
police, and, while remembering the
rftr-fgle, they will likewise recall its
causes. They will recollect the bad
conditions of labor, the long hours, and
the benevolent despotism exercised by
the manufacturers. They will never
forget the charitable cloak under which
the manufacturers concealed their ef
forts to presB their labor out of the em-
ployes and to deprive them of their lib-
erty by means of loans and other so-
called favors. But what is destined to
be a permanent witness against the
Cleveland manufacturers is the fact that
they refused the repeated requests of
the workers and their friends for arbi-
tration. It will never fade from our
memories that they met these requests
by th familiar words used by all in
diistrial despots on such occasions:
"There is nothing to arbitrate." Such
employers think themselves the sole nr
biters of the lives and liberties of their
work people, and receive a rude shock
when the employes have the temerity to
ask for arbitration.
Arbitration is stil lour watchword.
The work people of Cleveland have re-
turned to work under a sort of armis-
tice, but tliev will never be satisfied
until their grievances are adjusted by
arbitration and until the principles con-
tained in the New York protocol of
peace are introduced in the ladies' gar-
ment factories of Cleveland.
To attain this end we have been try-
ing to educate public opinion in the
middle western cities. A committee has
since been on the road interviewing
labor, religious, social and other puhlic
bodies and enlisting their sympathies in
favor of arbitration and an understand-
ing with the workers. The cry for ar-
bitration has penetrated far and wide,
until the merchnnts, buyers and sales
men of the cities around took it up.
And now in those cities only such arti-
cles of manufacture meet with the fav-
or of buyers and customers which are
known to have been produced in fac-
tories submitting their differences with
the employes to arbitration.
INAUGURATE MORTUARY
BENEFIT
Special to The Labor Unit.
Indianapolis. — The Interna-
tional Typographical union be
gan on April 1 the payment of
a graduated burial benefit. The
benefits paid are as follows:
For membership of between one
and two years, $75; between two
and three years, $125; between
three and four years, $175; be-
tween four and five years, $275;
continuous membership of five
years or more, $400. The fund
created to sustain this benefit is
supported by a monthly assess-
ment of ono-half of one per cent,
on the total earnings of all
members. The organization also
pays a pension to its incapaci-
tated members over sixty years
of age, and there are now 950
members upon the pension roll,
each receiving $5.00 per week.
Since the inauguration of the
pension system, in August, 1908,
$500,000 has been expended in
this manner.
i .5 © © © © © © © © ©
i © i
BREWERS WIN WEEKS' STRIKE
Special to The Labor Unit.
South Bend, Ind.—The brewers of this
city, after having been on strike for one
week, have won their demands and re
turned to work. The new agreement
calls for an eight-hour day and the
wages have been increased from $2.00
to $5.00 per week.
100 COUPLES AT
PRINTER'S BALL
SECOND SUCCESSFUL EVENT BY
LOCAL TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION
HELD AT EUCLID HALL
The second annual printers' ball, giv-
11 by the Oklahoma City Typographical
union last Monday evening in Euclid
hall proved to be a very successful af-
fair, both socially aud financially. The
attendance was large, over 100 couples
participating in the grand march, which
began promptly at 9 o'clock. The grand
march was led by Commissioner J. T.
Highley and Mrs. II. M. Casler. The
program included 20 dances, and was a
very unique affair, set up in the form of
a newspaper, each dance being given a
name familiar to workers in the com-
posing room of newspapor offices.
The hall was artistically decorated
for the occasion. Punch was served
during the entiro evening.
This was tho second annual ball of the
typographical union and the result was
very satisfactory to the committee hav-
ing tile arrangements in charge. Most
large unions throughout the jurisdiction
of the I. T. U. give these yearly events,
the purpose being to bring the mem-
bers into closer social relations.
MINERS DESIRE
RECOGNITION
DIRECT WORKING AGREEMENT
WILL INSURE SATISFACTION,
SAYS PRESIDENT
STRIKE IN TORONTO
Special to The Labor Unit
Washington. — Officials of the Unit-
ed Mine Workers, representing the an-
thracite miners, met in conference at
Philadelphia with the operators on April
10, for the purpose of again taking up
the agreement which had been submit-
ted by the miners to the anthracite
operators. On March 15 negotiations
were broken off, but by mutual agree-
ment another conference was agreed to,
to take place on April 10. The meeting
in Philadelphia discussed the situation
and ti was finally agreed to appoint
sub committees to take up the demands
of the miners, with power to make rec-
ommendations for adjustment. Sub-
committees were immediately appoint-
ed and after a brief session, adjourned.
President John P. White is reported as
having said: "The anthracite mine
workers desire to be recognized direct.
Thev want no more of the anthracite
strike commission or its award. A di
rect working agreement will insure sat-
isfaction, allay the spirit of unrest, raise
the standard of efficiency and promote
the interests of all those dependent up-
on the anthracite industry." The mine fombmakers in the
workers are hopeful of obtaining a sat | Arlington recently
isfactorv agreement.
Special to The Labor Unit.
Toronto.—The cloak makers former-
ly employed by the T. Eaton company
were locked out some time ago because
they desired a hearing when a new sys-
tem of work was inaugurated. In reply
to their request for a conference and
arbitration the firm locked out over
1,000 cloak makers and garmont work-
ers. A vigorous campaign has been in-
augurated against this firm, which con-
trols wholesale and retail business in-
stitutions throughout the Dominion of
Canada, and the latest reports indicate
that the firm is suffering on account of
the agitation against it. The entire
labor movement of the Dominion is giv-
ing every assistance possible to the
locked out employes and against what
is termed a gignntic commercial organ-
ization.
ORDERS EIGHT HOUR DAY
Special to The Labor Unit.
Portland, Ore.—The state board of
capitol building commissioners has
adopted resolutions ordering that all fu-
ture contracts for public work must
contain a provision that all work be
done on the eight-hour basis. The stand
taken b.v the state board i« "that all
future contracts for public work shall
be let with the distinct understanding
and provision that all work must be
done upon the eight-hour bnsis, with the
further expressed stipulation that the
same regulation shall apply to any and
all sub-contracts in connection there-
with." This decisive action was se-
cured upon the request of the Portland
Central Labor Council,
UNORGANIZED WIN STRIKE
A SPLENDID RECORD
DEEP WELL FOR FEDERAL
BUILDING
Postmaster Eastman and the at
tachcs of all the other federal offices
in Oklahoma City are much elated over
information received Wednesday ask
ing for bids for a deep well for the new
federal building.
Superintendent of Construction Boyd
savs the well is to be cased with a heavy
seven-inch galvanized wroucht iron pipe,
and is to go deep enough to procure an
ample supply of clear water.
VOLUNTARY INCREASES
Special to The Labor t nit
Newark, N. J.—About one hundred
elluloid works in
went on strike
against a reduction in wages and they
have won a brilliant victory and have
returned to work. An organization is
now being perfected which will include
all of the employes in tho works.
Special to The Labor T'nlt.
Washington. The bureau of labor, in
a bulletin just issued, in speaking of STRIKERS CONSIDER THE BABES
conciliation, arbitration and sanitation
DECISION EXPECTED SOON
Washington. — The decision in the
alleged contempt cage of President Gom-
pcrs, Vice-President Mitchell and Sec-
retary Morrison is expected to be hand-
ed down about April 20.
Special to The Labor Unit.
Cumberland, Md—The Consolidated
! foal Company, the largest operator in
this field, has posted notices announc-
j ing a raise of 2V&e per ton for mining
ooal. The news of the raise came as a
I surprise. The rate in the region has (
I been 63c per ton. The Georges' Creek |
i Coal Company has also given a raise of
, 3c a ton, and is now paying 66c. In tho
! Somerset field wages have also been a<l !
I vanned. The Kuhns' United Coal Com J
j panv, with mines at Boswell, .Teronu'
I and Salisbury, have announced a 5c
wage advance to all employes. Thcj
I Meyersdale Coal Company has also
granted increases of approximately Ttyr
per ton.
Special to The Labor Unit.
Chicago.—Babies and ipvalids, whose
lives depend on milk, will not be de-
nied their regular supply by milk wagon
drivers who have gone on strike. An
agreement was reached on this point
by tho ut ion when it was decided to
rail strikes on one dealer at a time in-
stead of all at once. This will afford
an opportunity for the supply of milk
urtailed to the point where
will be entirely cut off.
Wheeling, W. Va.—The painters of
this city are on strike for an advance of
f.'om $3.40 to $4.00 per day.
in the eloak, suit and coat industry in
New York, says that during the year
ending December 11, 1911, the machin-
ery for settling disputes, consisting of
a board of grievances and board of ar-
bitration, has been successful in the set-
tlement of 1,418 grievances, of which
1,283 were brought before it by the un
ions and 135 by the manufacturers. Of
these, 405 were dropped or withdrawn
at an early stage, 411 were conciliated, j to not ! *•
270 were decided in favor of the unions the supply
u"attention-unionists
rr^ei^rd^:^! u - - - r, «. not
without even going before the board of ; represented in the advertising columns
grievances, and onlv five were referred «f Labor Unit you are spending union
"n the board ef arbitration; MS f the earned money m the wrong place. They
grievances were connected with th- arc refusing to patronize vour own
wage scale, 2.19 were caused by the al | paper. You should Jhen refuse to pat-
leged discrimination of distribution of
work, and 216 were complaints of dis-
charge without cause. Only 40 dealt
with hours of labor and overtime.
ronize them, and—TELL THEM SO.
Painters at Alton, HI., obtained in-
crease from $3.SO to $4.00 per day.
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Casler, Howard M. The Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 46, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 20, 1912, newspaper, April 20, 1912; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157095/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.