Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 15, Ed. 1 Saturday, September 26, 1914 Page: 3 of 8
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THE OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
s
Notes From State Federation
The proceedings of the Henryetta
convention and the revised constitu-
tion and by:laws are now in the hands
of the printers and will be ready for
mailing to the delegates and all un-
ions in a very few days.
of all public-spirited men at the head
of Oklahoma's commercial enter-
prises. On the other hand we may
expect to see all the little, narrow-
contracted, slave drivers in open oppo-
sition to the bill.
The real union man and promoter of
the best interests of organization is j
the "booster", the one who Is ever j
ready to boost its business, its ideals j
and its ideas. The man who is a '
good "booster" is likewise a ^ood
builder.
Jas. (Red) Doyle, fifth vice presi- |
dent of the Federation, has forwarded j
1)is resignation of his office to Sec- ;
retary-Treasurer Wilson and the va-
cancy thus created by the resignation
will be filled by the executive board
in accordance with the laws of the
Federation.
The labor booth at the State Fair is
attracting considerable attention. This
booth was made possible by the trades
unions of Oklahoma City and a great
deal of instructive literature regard-
ing the American Federation of Labor
and many of the crafts is being dis-
tributed by members of the Oklahoma
City Garment Workers.
The reports of the officers at the
Henryetta convention show that the
Federation has gained in strength and
finances the past year but there are
still obstacles to be overcome and dif-
ficulties of a formidable nature sur-
mounted if we are to go forward in
the next year as we have in the past
and gain legislation for the workers
in Oklahoma that Is much needed.
Everywhere the work of organization
and affiliation should go forward and
trades councils and local unions as
well as the individual members can
greatly assist in this respect. Elect
local legislative committeemen early
so as to be in a position to assist the
Federation legislative committee
when the legislature convenes. Every
little lift will help. Do your duty.
The seed of anarchy is an imported
article and the importers who en^
couraged unrestricted immigration as
strike breakers are now trying to mix
things by saddling the blame on trade
unionism as the alma mater of an-
archy. This is not true. Skilled labor
will always be its foe and stand for
law and order.
Every union owes it as a duty to af-
filiate with the State Federation and
every member owes it as a duty to de-
mand affiliation for the betterment of
his union. No union has any right to
take everything that has been gained
by affiliation unless it is ready to put
back a part of the money necessary in
helping to gain shorter hours of labor,
increased pay and many opportunities
for education and pleasure, and every
union man should put in a part of his
own energy, a part of his own time
and a part of his means for that
which has been gained.
We hear now the oft-iepeated state-
ment accredited to General Sherman
that "War Is Hell," yet Sherman went
still farther than the statement so uni-
versally used at this time. He said:
"I confess, without shame, that I am
tired and sick of war. Its glory is all
moonshine. Even success the most
brilliant is over dead and mangled
bodies, the anguish and lamentations
of distant families, appealing to me
for missing sons, husbands and fath-
ers. It is only those who have not
heard a shot nor heard the shrieks
and groans of the wounded and lacer-
ated that cry loud for more blood,
more vengeance and more desolation."
How very applicable this statement at
the present time while the countries
of Europe are in the throes of the
most horrible war in history.
The man who kicks for a good pur-
pose and comes forward with a sug-
gested remedy is a welcome character
in the affairs of labor and is not to be
compared with the "knocker' who, in
silent or open pursuit of his question-
able methods, gradually widens the
scope of his criticism and helps only
in wasting energy and in destroying
many defenses of our organization.
Such a man is an arch enemy of or
ganized effort. He should be turned
into a blacksmith and sent forth to
hammer for a living.
It is probably not universally known,
yet true, however, that a carefully
drawn bill, forbidding the privileges
of interstate commerce to manufac-
turing establishments in which chil-
dren under fourteen are employed or
in which children under sixteen are
compelled to work more than eight
hours a day or during the night or to
mines or quarries in which children
under sixteen are employed at any
time, has been introduced in the house
by A. Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania
and in the senate by Robert L. Owen.
else, do more injury than all the
strikebreakers who might be imported
for they create suspicion and animos-
ities, twin evils, which have done more
to weaken the ranks of labor than
anything else."
Oklahoma City Trades Council
The opposition to the Workmen's
Compensation law which will be intro-
duced by the Federation legislative
committee at the next session of the
legislature will not come from the fair-
minded and humane employers of Ok-
lahoma. The compensation law and
the humanity and justice of such a
law will not only be endorsed by labor
and the friends of labor in legislative
halls, but it will receive the approval
Anent an element that will be found
in most every organized city or local-
ity the following from a Federation
exchange is quote apropos:
"Unfortunately, the man who makes
the most noise and devotes much of
bis time in telling others what he
would do if he was an officer of the
union is taken seriously by some of
those who listen to him. T*he fact that
he does little but talk does not seem
to dawn on their minds. It is the
member who does things, who is will-
ing to hold office and give his spare
moments to the union's welfare, the
man who is not afrat-d to serve on
committees, or accept a leading part
in directing affairs, who is more fully
entitled to an attentive audience. But
this type of member is not given to
blatant criticism. He believes that
the average man is honest and gov-
erned by good motives, and his mind
is filled with a desire to build up, and
to do this he knows that he must en-
courage others and give them confi-
dence in their union. He does not
wear a sneer on his face, and does
not carry a hammer with him. As a
rule, if he can't say a good word for
a brother member, he keeps his mouth
shut, unless it becomes necessary to
apply the organization's discipline.
The honest critic, whose only desire
is to build up and strengthen, is one
of the most valuable members, but
this type of man does not indulge in
personal criticisms in the saloon or on
the curbstone. Whatever he has to
say is said in the meeting hall, and
then in such a manner as to unite the
membership rather than divide them.
He respects the rights of others, and
considers it a dishonorable thing to
attack any member or officer unless
they are present to defend themselves
or give their views on the question at
issue. A few sneering, backbiting
members in a union, whose stock in
trade is abuBC of almost every one
Council began business by obligat-
ing and seating the following dele-
gates: Brother C. E. tvaiker of Paint-
ers' and Decorators', Local No. 807;
Brother W. Weinert of Sheet Metal j
Workers', Local No. 124; Brother W.
S. Grennard of Steam Engineers', Lo-
cal No. 393, and Sisters Mrs. Lota Wil-
kinson and Leola Walls of Garment j
Workers', Local No. 83.
Brothers Powell and Welday of the
Resolutions Committee, reported a
resolution on the question of building j
the state capitol, as follows:
WHEREAS, One of the many prin-
ciples of the American Federation o'
Labor, and heartily endorsed by labor
in general and especially by the labor j
unions and central bodies chartered |
by the American Federation of Labor,
is the abolition of the contract sys-
tem on all public work, oither govern-
ment, state, county or municipal; and
WHEREAS, The time has arrived
when the capitol commission must de- i
cide whether they will continue to
build the capitol by day labor or pro-
vide for its construction by the con-1
tract system, and insofar as the Reso-
lutions Committee of the Oklahoma
City Trades and Labor Assembly has
been instructed to investigate how the
cost of excavation work on the capitol
building, which has been performed
by day labor, has progressed, and
whether or not any saving has been
obtained over the contract system, had
the work been done by the lowest bid-
der, as is usual by the contract sys-
tem; and upon such investigation your
committee submits the following
fact3:
First. That the very best estimate
furnished the capitol commission by
competent railroad contractors for the
removal of dirt from the basement,
was for dirt 19c per yard, for gumbo
27c per yard and rock 65c per yard.
Second. We find that the approx-
imate amount of dirt moved to date on
the excavation work is: Dirt 10 per
cent, gumbo 60 per cent and rock 30
per cent.
Third. The total cost of the work
so far executed has been $5,560.00.
Fourth. The same work performed
by contract, for the lowest estimate
furnished, would have cost the state of
Oklahoma $11,400.00, which would
have been $5,840.00 in excess of what
it has cost by performing the work
by day labor.
WHEREAS, We believe the above
figures demonstrate the practicability
and advisability of erecting the entire
capitol by day labor; and therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the Oklahoma
Trades and Labor Council commends
the capitol commissioners on their
good judgment in performing all labor
thus far on the state capitol by day
labor, thereby affecting a saving of
$5,840.00 of the money available; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the con-
tinuance of the employment of day
labor until the capitol is completed,
firmly believing that a more substan-
tial building will be the result of such
a policy, and at the same time at a
less expense than if the work is com-
pleted by the contract system; and
be it also
RESOLVED, That we request all
interested to investigate the state-
ment herein ascribed to that they may
be convinced that for the best Inter-
est of the state of Oklahoma, the
building of the state capitol should be
completed by day labor, thereby sav-
ing the enormous profits that would
naturally revert to the successful con-
tractors through the lowest bid sys-
tem, and we request that the capitol
commission give this matter their
careful consideration before they fin-
ally decide as to which method they
adopt.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted by the Council.
Chairman Stanton reported that the
Union Labor booth at the State Fair
is a success in every particular. The
display of craft banners, charters and
labels is an interesting and striking
one. The ladies of the Garment Work-
ers, who are in charge of the display
report much interest in the exhibit by
the public. The booth distributes a
large amount of organized labor liter-
ature daily.
The committee on organization re-
ported that the steady growth of
unions in the city continues in grat-
ifying fashion. Local organizations
are increasing their membership at
each meeting.
The special committee on promoting
the use of goods bearing the union
laebl, made an extended report recom-
mending a "Label Campaign" to open
officially Oct. 15 and closing January
15, 1915. The report recommended
newspaper and other publicity for the
campaign and outlined a contest fea-
ture which will be given in detail in
The Labor Unit at a later date. The
plans for bringing the union label to
the notice of the public aroused the
enthusiastic support of the Council
and the recommendations were unan-
imously adopted. The plans for this
campaign are quite extensive and will
take considerable time and attention
to carry out.
Copies of The Strike Bulletin, the
official organ of the strikers on the
Illinois Central lines, were distributed
among the delegates and a number of
copies sent to the Council's booth at
the State Fair Grounds.
The large amount of organizing
work to be done in the city demand-
ing the attention of a permanent busi-
ness agent, the Council unanimously
elected President Stanton to that
place. The Building Trades delegates
reported that their local organizations
were prepared to pay the greater part
of the business agent's salary, the re-
mainder to be raised by the Trades
Council and the miscellaneous crafts
outside of the Building Trades. The
election of Presiednt Stanton to this
important office marks the beginning
PHONE WALNUT 900
MARSHALL & HARPER
UNDERTAKERS
PHONE WALNUT 123
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Zeigler, C. C. Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 15, Ed. 1 Saturday, September 26, 1914, newspaper, September 26, 1914; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157219/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.