THE STATUE ON THE SQUARE!

   MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7th, 2020

   THE STATUE ON THE SQUARE!

      It's Labor Day! Under normal

circumstances thousands of people would

be crowded onto Courthouse Square in

Scranton to celebrate the annual Italian

Festival. This year, however, the square is

quiet as the pandemic forced the cancellation

of the event. But there's still something

interesting to see there. It's a statue to famed

Labor leader John Mitchell. And this might be

an appropriate day to check it out. Mitchell

was President of the United Mine Workers

in the early 1900's when miners were striking

for higher wages and better working conditions/

    The strike virtually shut down the country's

economy prompting President Teddy Roosevelt

to come to Scranton where he joined Mitchell

and coal company executives in negotiations

to end the strike. Eventually they were successful.

   It was labor that forced the 5 day, 40 hour work

week, overtime pay, holidays and vacations.

   Today we salute the average working man

and woman who labor to provide for their

families everyday.

      Hope you can all enjoy a day off and

that all your NEWS is good!