LINES-ABOUT LABOR.

Evening Star, Issue 12061, 4 March 1907, Page 3

LINES-ABOUT LABOR.

Tbe Moscow printers havo mad© a demand for a complete dav of rest on Sundays and extra pay for holidays. Regarding this, matter the Moscow correspondent of the St. Petersburg ‘ Zeitung ’ says-. “'Hie greatest indignation prevails among the immense number of newspaper readers on account of tho selfishness of tho printers,’who value their, own convenience more than tho general thirst for knowledge.” British unionism is growing, tho rato of increase in members is slow as compared with Germany. In the latter country unionism is making great strides. The number of unionists in Germany increased from 1.466,625 in December, 1905. to 1.822,345 in December, 1906, an increase of nearly 25 per cent, in tho twelve months. The large majority of tho German unionists are Social Democrats. Austria and Denmark (both of small population) havo larger numbers of unionists than Hungary or Spain, with their largo populations. All are growing, however. Austria doubled its union membersliip in a short period, while Italy and Hungary have built Bp largo organisations within the past five years. Still another invention in type-setting machinery. The “ Rototypc ” has just been patented. Insurance against sickness is compulsory in Austria, Hungary, and Germany for industrial workpeople generally, while in Franco it is compulsory as regards miners, and in Belgium in the case of miners and seamen. Mr K. W. O’Snllivan. M.L.A. for Belmore iN.S.W.), was recently presented with £1,050 to bny a heme. Referring to his career, O’Sullivan said that his ambitions as a comp, were to bo a reporter; as a reporter, to bo editor; as an editor, to be an M-L.A. But his struggle to live as an M.L.A., prior to payment of members. had burdened him with a lot of debt, which he paid off during his five years in tho Cabinet out of his £1.570 a year.: And so, when he was thrown out of office lie had only £3OO to his credit, and as his election for Bclmoro cost him £720, ho was considerably poorer than when first elected to Parliament in 1887. Mr O’Sullivan at one time set type, on the Melbourne ‘ Argus.’ and was for a term president of the Melbourne 'typographical Society. The January issue of the ‘ Railway Review.’ tho official organ of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (Eng.), contains a final draft of the propsals agreed upon as a programme with which to approach the railway companies in connection with what is known as “ the national movement.” The object of the proposals is to obtain certain settled principles of employment, with a view to their recognition throughout all branches of the railway service and on all companies’ lines. The programme, so far as it affects England and Wales, is as follows: Hours. —(a) That eight hours constitute the standard day for all men concerned in the movement of vehicles in traffic; (b) that ten hours be the maximum working day for all other classes of railway men ; (c) that no man be called upon to book on more than once for one day’s work. Rest.—That no man bo called out for duty with less than nine hours’ rest. Overtime.—(a) That each day stand by itself; (b) that a minimum of rate and a-quarter be paid for all time worked over the standard boors. Sunday Duty.—(a) 'That Sunday duty be. regarded as distinct from the ordinary week’s work; (b) that a minimum of rate and a-half be paid for all time worked between twelve midnight Saturday and twelve midnight Sunday ; (c) that Christmas Day and Good Friday be regarded as Sundays. Guaranteed Week. —That, independent of Sunday duty, a week's wages be guaranteed to all men whose conditions of Ecrvice compel them to devote their whole time to the companies. Wages.—(a) That an immediate advance of 2s per week be given to all grades of railway men, except those grades included in the application for an eight-hour day; fb) that ail grades in the London district be paid a minimum of a, per week above the wages paid outside the London district. One Man in Motor Cab. —That the system of working with only one man in motor cabs be abolished. Commenting on the proposals, the ‘ Railway Review’ says; “These, then, are the formulated demands put forward by those who are actually working on the railways of the United Kingdom. They represent the considered judgment of that section which has given time and thought to these matters, and we do not doubt also that there is not a single man employed who would deny their reasonableness and the immense advance which they would make on tho present conditions of employment. We do not think there is a single request which is net being enjoyed by large sections of other industrial workers, and the great growth of and increased pace at which railway work is now carried on makes the acceptance of some such principles inevitable.” The Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress have issued to trade unions and trade councils two circulars dealing with the subject of work and wages under municipal authorities. One urges' all members of trade councils to use their best endeavors to ensure that workers for muni, cipalities shall be paid the current tradeunion rate for the district. The other draws attention to the following resolution passed at the Liverpool Congress:—“ That any method of organisation which seeks to divide workmen employed by public authorities or private employers from their fellows in the same occupations employed by private firms is detrimental to the best interests of trade unionism, and recommend that, the Parliamentary Committee use their best endeavors to prevent the spread of such methods of organisation.” The circular then proceeds: ’’ As the years j«ss, municipal employment will develop more and more, and it is of vital importance that the.mechanic or other worker in the employment of the municipality mould join the trade union, if there is one in existence, established for his special industry. A Society of Municipal Workers, having for its purpose tho inclusion of all classes and grades of work, must have a weakening and disintegrating effect upon the forces of organised labor, and will set up an antagonism that must eventually havo tho worst possible results for the working classes, and tend to destroy the beneficent efforts of a united trad© unionism. Already in some indnstrics there is more than one union for a similar class of labor. Our dutv is to direct all our energies towards centralisation, and avoid, where possible, any sectionalism. The Parliamentary Comiiittee therefore make an earnest appeal to every trade unionist to assist in carrying out the resolution referred to, both in the letter and spirit.” The Duchess of Westminster recently reopened the Duke of Westminster’s Labor Relief Depot in Artillery row. London. The depot is one of the Duke’s three relief depots for giving work to respectable married c-en with wives and children, and Io.SOO days’ work were given to the men of these three centres last winter. As an instance of the readiness to work on the part .of the unemployed, Prebendary Garble stated that on Cnristmas Evo over 1,400 men were on the streets of London without beds to go to. Two days after the fall of mow, however, there were only 400, the men being engaged in snow-clearing. Last winter the Church Army gave 12a,000 days’ work to 26,000 married men, and over £17,000 was paid in wages and bonuses to wives and children. Three thousand men. women, and children were sent to Canada during the emigration season of 1906. ' It was thought that the Artillery row depot could bo dispensed with in the 1906-07 winter, but the many calls have made its reopening imperative. A donation of £5,000 was given towards the cost of working this and other depots by the Duke of Westminster. —Advance in Wages in America.— • These who declared twenty years ago that- American wages had readied their maximum, and that perforce there would be a levelling down to the standards of the remainder of the world, have been proved wrong. . The voluntary wave-increase policy, started by the Pennsylvania, has become wholesomely epidemic among the railways of the country. Railway entnktyees

outside the large-salaried .class will.receive approximately 10 per cent, more money next year than this. The total number of railway employees is 1,300,000, and such an increase implies that more than 80,000,000d0l will bo added td the contents of the welcome pay envelopes. From all parts of the country comes information that labor is this year to get the biggest Christmas present that it lias ever known. According to the computation of the bureau of labor, based on investigation of 349 occupations and 4,121 establishments, wages in 1905 averaged 16.7 per cent, higher than in 1894. On this great gain a new gain is to bo based, and it is eecmuigly to be made impossible for anyone plausibly to claim that prices have swelled faster than wages. Perhaps never before in out history, never in tho history of the world, has there been an upward movement of equal force. The practically universal wage raise, accompanied by a universality of employment without precedent, should have large business and political effects. With money distributed among the people in ever-swelling volume business can go forward with the assurance of * profitable customers. There is no sign of let-up or slow-up in our wonderful material prosperity.—Chicago ‘ Tribune.’ From the reports of tho Relief Department of the Salvation Army, 1 .ondou. a first-hand knowledge is obtained of the conditions that exist among large, sections of the population. ‘‘Want of work, or out of work,” or “no work” is written across them all. Here are a low out of veiy manv; I saw Mr A. on calling hero a second time. The room occujncd by husband, wife, and a boy of five (attending echoed) presented a picture of dire want. No furniture, no tire, only two litters of rags on the floor for sleeping on. The husband is a ” docker,” and was away looking for work : tho wife says he gets oply two or throe days a month. I visited this home. I find C. is a dock laborer aged forty-two. But he only gets two days’ work per week. He has a wife and tlirce children, one lying dead in the house and two others lying at deaths door, suffering from bronchitis, etc. They are in a desperate state of povert}', have parted with everything possible; and cannot even get sufficient milk. etc., for the sick children. Rent . 4s 6d per week; in arrears four weeks. The family (parents and seven children) occupy half a six-roomed house at 6s weekly. The eldest girl, aged fifteen, earns 4s'6d a week, and tho mother gets one day’s work at 2s. This is tfioir sol© income, as B. has no work. All children attend school except the oldest and youngest. There was no food in the place except a very small piece of bread. Tho home was very clean. B. was a glass-worker until his eyesight failed. Lately he has had some mouths as a night watchman, and hopes to get on again with the same employer after Christmas, if they can struggle on so long. Poor-relief is refused them unless they go into the workhouse. Mrs Z. had just returned from the City, where sho had gone to answer an advertisement for a waitress in a restaurant, and found the plate filled. There are two children—a baby and a growing boy. The latter, a fine, clean lad of twelve, came in from school while 1 was there, and the mother, 1 noticed, had not, a piece of bread for him. The husband stays away all day looking for work, and does not= like coming home without any. Mrs Z. is a good woman, religions, with not 100 much to say for herself. They are keenly anxious for a new start by emigration, and are making every effort for a chance. Mr Z. in a general laborer, and has had no luck since he letumed from a year’s army service in South Africa. His wife think, a good deal of him. Mr G. called here to ask help for redemption from pawn of his wife’s skirt. I called and found Mrs G.—a very lady-

like young., woman —in her petticoats and an old cotton blouse. She had not been out for more than a month, and had re-, centlv left Bartholomew’s Hospital after an operation for appendicitis. They., allowed me recent testimonials, which gave both a high character. They have evidently had a hard tune, but have liow immediate promise of better things. Airs G. -was going to-morrow morning for a place as cook, but had no-, thing to wear. The blouse which sho wore with the skirt was also in pledge. Being absolutely, essential for Mrs G. to wear in going out ,to her employers, I got it out also, as I felt sure this would be approved. They were both very grateful to the S.A. for the timely help, j Visited and found these people m much j the same state as on my last visit on j November 23. Being pressed .on account of the rent (the occupier of the house is only a | jr working man with a family), and' finding seven weeks in arrear, I paid the landlady two weeks’ rent (Ss),#vnich quit© satisfied her. This anxiety is therefore over. Their home being very destitute, I gave them help to the extent below, but told them there were no optsido funds to enable the S.A, to resume regular relief this winter, and that, owing to the strain on its own resources from the destitution appealing from all sides, it would be impossible for them to expect further relief. They were very grateful for all that had been done for them.