Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-27
NE1pRINGHAus GLAD.
VIII Import Thousands of Cheap Foreign
TiD-Plate Workers to ssTeach."

TiD-Plate Workers to 'Teach."
ST.. LOUIS. July 16.-F. c. Neidring-
haus, of tin-plate fame, was in a much
better humor when called upon yester-
day than he has been since the strike at
at his rolling mill was begun. He read
the report from Washington concerning
the decision Of Commissioner Owens,
under which he can import alien labor,
and expressed surprise at its publica-
ton, evidently thinking the matter a
secret.
'I was very much surprised to see
that article in the newspapers, and do
not know how they could have got it. i"
began Mr.. Niedringhaus. SIT is not
exactly correct, however. In the first
place, 1 did not write Commissioner
Owens letter at all. l telegrapbed
him. Furthermore, / did not ask
whether 1 could import labor; l knew 1
could do that. The law passed in 1885 Is
very plain on that subject, and | knew
under it could import labor. What l
did ask Commissioner Owens in my tel
egram was whether it would be neces-
sary to go through any form in import
ing labor, and il so, what it was. He
telegraphed back that it would not and
that he would write me particulars.
ana now waiting to receive his letter"
''Do you expect to import Welshmen
or Germans to work in your tin-plate
mills?"
Il shall probably engage Welshmen,
Englishmen and Germans. do not
think shall confne myself to any one
particular class of laborers."
chow many men do you expect to
bring over?"
"That cannot tell just yet, but from
what l can learn there will be a few
thousand all told come to this country.
The Tin Plate Manufacturers Associa-
tion in this country has % members,
and have seen 1t stated in newspapers
that thousands of workmen would come
here to work in the various mills to be
operated. All the members of the asso-
citation are not going to make finished
tin plate, some making only the rough
goods"
GLOW many men will you employ at
your mill?"
"Well, il you include the rolling of
the iron from the pig, which is really
part of the industry, We will probably
have 300 or 400 men, and probably as
high as 500. In the iron department,
however, we will not need foreign la
Dor, as American workmen can do that
part Of the job.
sit is only in the tin-plate work prop
er that we need foreigners, as the
workmen of this country do not under
stand that branch of the business, it be-
ing new industry. 1t is necessary for
us to secure skilled labor at the outset,
and we can only do so by importing
workmen. Americans can learn it af-
erward, and we expect to employ Amer
ican-born workmen whenever we can.
We feel it our duty to do so. The for
eigners are needed to instruct our work
men, however, in the business. Nearly
all the mills in Wales are shut down,
and the workmen on the other side will
be glad to come to this country, as they
get nearly 100 per cent. better pay here,
and in some instances even more than
that"
SIN what particular branches of the
tin-plate work are skilled laborers nee
"They are needed in several depart
ments, as the industry is new one in
this country. On that one roller we
now have at the works we employ
ana it is American boys who
make the tin-plate we now turn out"