Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-10
Secretary Chew.
VI. 4. CHEw,
GEORGE WISE,
Secretaries


BIS CRITICISM OF THE NASCFACTUaEes.
Secretary N. A. Chew was met last even
ing By REGISTER reporter He was
mildly indignant at the way the o7ertuies
OF the nailsrs mad been met, and was very
emphatic in his comments Re said:
I'VE went down thsrs this time, az on
tho occasion OF the former conference,
With the intention Of ending the disastrous
strike If honorable concessions could do it,
but We were met in g spirit the very re-
verse Of that which animated "a, and
Il think the responsibility for
the continuance Of the lockout
should be clearly understood and placed
why're it belonGs-on the shoulders OF the
mill oEreEl The whole ides OF tas EAn
ufscturers from the outset has been to
thWart any endssvor to settle the trouols by
a compromise, and this is admirably ilLus,
tra;ed oy the course they pursued in the
first months Of the strike. When they ask
ed for conference and We replied thst We
had no committee, they at once issaed
their notice, throwing open their mills to
all conretent vo-kmen by the lib CT the
month, when they knew oEr convention at
which conference committee wa to be
appointed, would not meet until the 18th.
Their idea thus was TO block conference by
comphcatiug the situation, and this course
they have KEEP: up ever since. When the
first conference vas arranged for We went
there prepared to waive everything; the
course ths manufacturers pErsled is too
veil knoEp to be repeated. To-day We
net them in toe same spirit, but oonstru-
ing our disposition TO be fair IS 4 Hgn OF
weakness, they endesvored to pat their
heel upon our necks,
HOY about the feeder pailersf
I'VE we're wiling TO 20 TO Eo!k With
them if O scale had been agreed on, trust.
ing to time 10 make the superiority of our
work apparent The scale We submitted
in the conference was not cur ultimstum,
and we go stated verbally. We submitted
it 81 tie request of hr. Hubbard, who
wanted something to 90 on. As soon az
we spread our proposal before them, they
met US with an ultinstum and cut the
whole thing of.
L, is stated that the priee received bg
the nailers for heating on the Aingo scale
is outrageous Is that tsctT
No, sir. 1t does 70: increase the wages
of the heater over the cid scals. When
We signed the Mipgo scale il was agreed
that the heating section should be given
thirty days trisl. That was done. aud il
was found to be satisfactory By both sides
It Is now being paid at Mingo, ali reports
to the contrary notwithstanding. Under
it the men don't make as much money as
before by fifty cents per day The objec
ton to the heating clause, given out by the
manufacturers, is not the real one. Their
idea is to disrupt our organization By treat
ing with the heaters and rollers separately,
and 90 beat Us IN dets;l We Wi, no moth I,
ing that viii not benefit al concerned !
The claim that the price of heating is roE
Fixed in the various mills is ss fallscious
az the other arguments sdduced
will there be another coniererceY
"Not unless the manufacturers call il |
We ara doae. We would hsve been better
of had conference never bean held, but /
zs we're anxious to do what We could 10 |!
return Wheeling to her old prosperity |
Our scts speak for Us, and We are content
to leave our record in the matter to an in
telligent public opinion"
Is it true that the mill owners coald |
have put their mills in operation some time
ago al less figure than the MiDgo scsleT
No. sir; it is not. The manufacturers
have spread such stories broadcast several
lines, but they are untrue"
=