1903-08 August Electrical Worker.pdf - International Brotherhood of ...

22 THE BLECTRICAL WORKER
we have members working for W. L.
Browne.
Line work is not very plenty here. The
telephone is the only one that have many
linemen, and none of them are members.
I think that with a good man here for a
week,he could form a linemen's local, but we
c4n not get them into this one. Of course,
w~ can not ask too much of the Executive
Board; an officer can not spend all his time
in one place, G. T. Sheehan called on us
one night last fall, when we tried to have an
open meeting, but all we had were members,
and only a few of them.
I notice that Uncle Charles, of No. 48, is
kicking a little about not having any member
of the Executive Board in the Southeast.
Well, I snppose he has reasons for it,
or he thtnks he has, when he sees in the
June Worker that the Executive Board
member of New England general expenses
were $800 he must think that New England
is getting more than her share, but we don't
think so. New England is quite a big
country. Connecticut alone is large enough
to keep one man· busy, but yet we don't
want to be hoggish, and if the Executive
Board. sees fit to send a member to the
Southeast for a few weeks we will abide by
it. So, brothers from the Southeast,.make
your kick.
This local cannot stand the expense of
sending a delegate to Salt Lake, but I think
we could help two other small locals in New
England to send one.
There is no doubt but that New England
ought to send as many delegates as possible.
We should have a meeting of the New
England States District Council before the
convp.ntion and.try and get the Connecticut
·locals back into the council again. I believe
Connecticut locals were not represented at
the last meeting, in Springfield, Mass., and
that is just over the line. I wonder why?
Car fare must be very high in Connecticut.
We are having good attendance and getting
into fighting form, and those that do
not attend meetings will hear something
drop pretty soon.
I hope room will be found for this long
lett~r.
I promise not to do it again.
Yours fraternally,
S. A. STRAUB,
Press Secretary.
Local Union No. 99.
PROVIDENCE, R. 1. July 25, 1903.
Editor Electrical Worker:
Having been elected press· secretary, and
knowing what has befallen brothers who
have held this position before me, I enter
upon my task with fear and trembling. I
find myself in a very delicate position.
What with my inability to fill the position
creditably, and the surety of a merciless·
knocking if I don't, I feel as if the electric
chair would be more comfortable than
one in the hall the evening the Worker
reaches us, for me.
Nevertheless, I will say our local is in a
fairly healthy condition at present, adding
an occasional new light. Financially, we
have made quite a gain during the past year.
Numerically we have lost a number by card,
but more by lack of interest or absence.
Many of the boys do not attend the meet- .
ings as they sbould. These warm nights, I
suppose, the numerous pleasure resorts have
a great attraction, but do they expect a few
to do all the thinking and work, and do it
as they want it done? Is there no way to
make our meeting interesting enough to
draw back manyof these backsliders? Each
night the question is asked: "Has anyone
anything to offer for the good of the union ?"
and silence prevails. Now, I often hear
questions asked (privately) by brothers on
matters that pertain to our every day work,
and I have thought why could not these
questions be answereq at the meetings, and
thereby create an interest that would benefit
all. A box for questions, I believe, would
furnish food for thought, an opportunity for
some of our more fortunate and experienced
brothers to enlighten some of the rest of us,
and do something for the good of the union
as well. We have members who are eloquent
and capable of both interestiug and ins'tructing
others. Let your light shine, brothers.
Do not hide it under a bushel.
A fe w weeks ago we had in our hall a stereoptican
lecture on electricity, by Professor
Scott, of Kingston College. There should
have been double the number in attendance,
but what were there were enough interested
to bring them to the next one, I
am very sure. Now we are not all of us far
enough advanced to be able to understand
such a lecture thoroughly. We want more