The Evening World

EAST-SIDE CLERKS AROUSED.
And the Early-Closing Boom in the Tea and Grocery Trades Waxes Stronger.

"I have been waiting," said Michael J. McGannon, President of the East-Side Tea and Grocery Clerks' Association, to a reporter, "for THE EVENING WORLD to lend a helping hand in our efforts to induce the merchants of the east side to close their stores at 7 o'clock five evenings in the week and at 9 o'clock Saturday evenings.

M. J. McGANNON.

The members of our association have noted the effect of The EVENING WORLD's articles in behalf of the west-side early-closing movement, and we hope for their success."

The East-Side Tea and Grocery Clerk's Association hold their meetings at 115 Eighth street. They have about fifty members enrolled and new members are coming in constantly. The organizing committee will be at headquarters every Sunday afternoon from 2 till 4 o'clock and receive applications for membership. It is desired that all the clerks on the east side have their names placed on the roll.

Many of the merchants are, it is said, favorable to earlier closing, and it is argued that clerks ought not to fear incurring the ill will of their employers by joining the organization. It is only by combining that the clerks can act understandingly. They are an intelligent class, and are not disposed to organize for strikes or to ask anything unreasonable.

The hours which they are required to work are more than the average man can endure for a long period. Their long confinement in the stores, they say, deprives them of needed rest and recreation and their present condition is little better than slavery.

Certainly, liberal-minded merchants ought to join hands with their faithful and hard-working clerks to aid them in shortening their hours of labor.