1914 - Jan 13 Unemployment Mtg.

   “Fiery speeches and scenes of wildest excitement marked a mass meeting of the unemployed held in Association hall yesterday afternoon In many ways the meeting was a remarkable one and unique in the annals of the city, calling attention, as it did, to a condition which few had believed to be so serious.”

Hamilton Spectator. January 13, 1914¹

For many Hamiltonians the first few months of the year were times of unemployment. Outdoor work was less available in the deepest times of winter, while many factories laid many of its workers off.

However, the early weeks of 1914 were a time when the number of unemployed men was exceptionally high.

A mass meeting was called for 3 p.m. on Monday January 13, 1914 to discuss the situation. Long before the stated time to begin the meeting, fully 1,000 jobless men and women jammed their way into Association, to the point that not a vacant seat was left on the floor or in the balcony. Many had to stand throughout the meeting, while others were unable to get into the hall.

Invited to sit on the platform were pastors of a number of Hamilton churches, Allan Studholme, member of the Ontario legislature, Mayor John Allan and City Controller T. S. Morris.

Rev. W.E. Gilroy, of the First Congregational church, was selected as chair of the meeting

Pastor Gilroy declared the meeting open and began by saying :

“The deepest and most crucial problem of today is that of the unemployed, and it appears to me that the only cure is that of prevention. However, we are not here to discuss theories, but to urge upon the city authorities that they do something to relieve the situation.

“I do not know what is possible for the civic authorities to do, but it is my sincere hope that some action will be taken. It is not a problem that affects only the unemployed, but affects us all. I sympathize with the newspapers and the civic authorities in trying to minimize the cry of ‘blue ruin,’ but at the same time there is danger in closing our eyes and refusing to face facts.”¹

“Pathetic Plea From Army of Unemployed : Mass Meeting Asked Council to Take Action : Mayor and Minsters Addressed the Gathering.” 

Hamilton Spectator January 13, 1914.

Reverend Gilroy then introduced Controller Morris, who at that time, was the only member of City Council present. Controller requested that he be permitted to postpone his remarks until some of his council colleagues arrived. Morris was urged to speak anyway, and at that moment, Mayor Allan was spotted standing at the back of the hall.

The mayor was requested to come to the platform and after he was seated, the controller proceeded :

“ ‘Now I am happy,’ Controller Morris said. To prove it, he then read a newspaper clipping which put Mayor Allan in the worst possible light before the meeting. This was a newspaper interview, in which the mayor had criticized Controller Morris for several suggestions the latter had made.

“Controller Morris declared that he thought it was the duty of the city to spread municipal work over the greater part of the year, instead of only a part thereof. ‘I am informed,’ he said ‘that in ordinary course of events, city work will not be started again until about April 1. Now, there is some work which can be done just as well in December as in June.

“ ‘You have heard the mayor’s plan. If you were satisfied with that, I will give way to the mayor.’ (Cries of ‘No! No!) ‘ As I understand it, men, what you want is a chance to work. Now, if I understand the mayor’s remarks, as reported in the newspapers – I don’t want to be unfair – there is no work to do that would not be unprofitable to the city.

“ ‘ In other words, the mayor’s plans would pauperize a great many self-respecting citizens of Hamilton. I am opposed to dolling out charity to self-respecting citizens. I said some weeks ago that I was in favour of going ahead with a great municipal work at once. I refer now to the system of local flood sewers.

“ ‘Controller Cooper, who is a practical man, has said that this work could be done during the winter months. I used all the energy I was possessed of to get that matter before the people without result. Had I done so, there would have been work for all the unemployed. The question is now, how shall we provide work? That is the clear-cut issue, and I have taken the trouble to see the city engineer in regard to just this matter.

“ ‘In the first place, there is Charlton avenue. The other day I drove along there with a city foreman – a practical man – who pointed out to me what a narrow roadway it was and how it could be made better. That work could be done now better than in the summertime. Charlton avenue east is also growing in importance, and is destined to be a feeder to the incline in the east end.

“ ‘Then there is the coal oil inlet that sweet-smelling spot. That can be filled in now better than in the summertime. As to the Beckett drive, I was told that there was no use of the city buying the property because it would always be a park, that having been provided years ago in an agreement.

“ ‘But recently, when an influential deputation of ladies swept down on Mayor Allan and asked him to secure this property, he turned and said, ‘Why, certainly, ladies, I can fix that up for you.’ There was no more surprised man in the city of Hamilton when he said that than myself. At the same time, I was glad to hear him say, and I am delighted that, even at the eleventh hour, he favors the undertaking, and I will do all that I can to co-operate with him.’ ” ¹

On concluding his remarks, Controller took his seat on the platform. Pastor Gilroy, in his role as chairman of the meeting, then made his opinion known regarding the manner in which Controller Morris had addressed the question facing those assembled, particularly the critical comments directed towards the mayor :

“ ‘ I have allowed Controller Morris a good deal of latitude,’ he said, ‘ because he was known to be favorable to the aims of this meeting. It would be rather unfortunate, however, if our meeting developed into an old-fashioned electioneering meeting between Controller Morris and Mayor Allan.’ ”¹

The next speaker was then introduced, Dean Abbott, of Christ’s Church cathedral.

The Anglican minister, who was instrumental in setting up the mass meeting, said that he felt it was his duty to do something to help those suffering because of the unemployment:

“ ‘It is the function of the church to puncture social abscesses,’ he said. “I’m under the impression that I am largely responsible for this meeting, and it seems to me that first of all what the general public to realize that, while optimism is all right in its way, there are at least 2,000 unemployed men in this city.

“ ‘There is a crying need for employment. In my own parish, I have 1,000 families, among whom there are some out of work, and I am literally besieged with applications daily. A great many of these men have refused to take one cent from me, and desire nothing so much as work. In the north end of the city the other day, I found a family, consisting of father, mother and five children living in an atmosphere below freezing point. Four of the poor little kiddies had their feet in the oven to keep warm.

“ ‘It is upon women and children that these things come hardest, and I feel sure that this meeting will accomplish a great deal of good. You may be sure of one thing, men, and that is when the heart of the community is touched, you will find it a very tender-hearted community indeed.

“ ‘ I firmly believe that the time has come in this city for an associated charity. That is to say, where all our churches and citizens shall be able to pool in order that money may reach those who most deserve it. At the present time, there is too much overlapping in this direction.’”¹

Following Dean Abbott’s remarks, the president of the East Hamilton Progressive association stood to introduce a resolution to be presented to Hamilton City Council.

The resolution read as follows :

“That this meeting of the unemployed and of the citizens and ratepayers of Hamilton desire to impress upon the council, the aldermen and the board of control, the imperative need of immediately putting hand such work of public utility as shall relieve the distressing condition now prevailing through lack of employment.”

Samuel Landers, editor of the Labor News, seconded the resolution. After it was passed enthusiastically, Landers suggested that Mayor Allan forward the resolution to City Council at the earliest possible opportunity, a suggestion that the mayor readily agreed to follow.

During the meeting to this point, Mayor Allan had been silent, if noticeably uncomfortable, as various negative comments were made about him.

As the Spectator reporter in attendance noted:

“All during the meeting, the mayor was prayed at and talked at and singled out for attack. Through it all, however, he remained silent until it came his turn to speak, although it was obvious at times that he strongly desired to return answers to some of the statements made.”¹

MLA Allan Studholme in his speech to the meeting warmly praised a recent announcement made the automobile manufacturer, Henry Ford, that he would pay a minimum wage of $5 even to the man who swept the floors of his factory:

“ ‘It is true,’ he said, ‘that it costs just as much to keep a floor-sweeper’s family as it costs to keep a mechanic’s family. When the mayor says he cannot find you work, he doesn’t understand t

hese things at all, and I will tell him so to his face. These men, most of them, were brought here by misrepresentation, and work has to be found for them somehow. It is not as if the mayor had to put his hand down in his own pocket.

“If the city council does not comply with our resolution, we will simply ask them to step down.”¹

Finally, Mayor Allan was called upon to speak:

“ ‘I don’t think any man in the house knows better what your condition is,’ he said, ‘and I didn’t need this resolution to remind me of it. When I first came into the hall today, it was my intention to remain in the back and listen to the remarks of the different speakers. Perhaps I would have appreciated them better from the back of the hall. I have a great deal of patience, but I found it hard not to run up here once or twice while I was standing back there and replying to some of the speeches.

“ ‘I am used to hard knocks, however, and am able to stand them. Now, I do not intend to mislead you, and I will tell you some things you probably will not like. First of all, I cannot say to you that the city of Hamilton will give employment to all, because it can’t do it. On the other hand, if we can find employment for only a few, there is bound to be dissension.

“ ‘Controller Morris has referred to Charlton avenue. Well, a man could work there all day, with a pick, and he would get three shovels full at this time of year. Regarding the coal oil inlet, when we wanted the earth to fill along the base, like this year, we could not get it, and we had to buy slag to dump there. If the city employs a large number of men, it wants to see that the men get the money and that it is not spent for materials..

“ ‘ It is all very well to talk about city work and passing resolutions of sympathy and all that, but I tell you that it is impossible for the city of Hamilton to furnish work for all the unemployed. All these fine speeches and resolutions will not help one bit. We’ve got be practical. We have not been idle, I promise you. The Lord knows we want to relieve the situation. It is no pleasure to stand here and look at this audience, all or nearly all of whom are unemployed.’ ”¹

The mayor’s remarks were not well received generally but the last statement really drove a hostile reaction.

One of the ministers present, Dr. Nelson, suggested that those who were out of employment stand up. Only a half dozen of the nearly 1,000 present remained seated.

In its lead editorial regarding the meeting, the editor of the Hamilton flatly declared that “it is natural that those in need of employment should look to the civic government to provide it. And it should be provided.”²

² “Work – Not Charity” Hamilton Herald. January 13, 1914.

The Herald took particular exception to the mayor’s reluctance to move of some of the public works immediately : “Mayor Allan appears to assume that he has the power and the right to say what shall and what shall not be done in this matter.”²

The Herald suggested that, as Mayor Allan had been a resident of New York City for twenty-five years, perhaps he felt that in Hamilton the same conditions applied as in American cities where the mayor was “a civic ruler, with power of veto over the actions of the municipal council.”²

The Herald concluded its editorial by pointing out that Mayor allan did not have “semi-autocratic” power :

“He is little more than chairman of the council and board of control, and has no right to obstruct the actions, or override the will of his colleagues in the civic government. Whatever measure the city council may see fit to relieve present distress, Mayor Allan must acquiesce in. He may lead : he cannot decide.”²

The mass meeting’s resolution, duly passed, was then, as promised by Mayor Allan, to take presented to the meeting of city council scheduled for later in the day.

(To be continued – when written!)