The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-07-15
ANSWERING FRiCk.

the Carnegie Company Denied
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July l2.-The fol-
lowing statement issued by the adyis-
orv committee Of the WorIlineu explains
the position of the men.
Homestead Employees Answer 20 the Carnegie
me differences existing between the Came
gle company and their employees at Homestead
have drawn from "a C. FriCz statement Of
the points So dispute which makes necessary a
reply ia order tAat wrong Impressions OF the
conditions may not be received by the public
1t IS asserted that the employees combined
with others Of their trade forming the ANAL
gamated association, with absolute control over
She Homestead works This charge can only be
supported 20 the satisfaction OF those who deny
the right Of the employees 20 enter objection %
any conditions offered by the employer the
Worzingucn ~ Homestead or any other OF the
hundreds Of mills organized into the Amalga-
mated association have no desire 20 dictate the
wages they shall receive. but they see reason
why they should not exercise the privilege OF
engaging with their employer In the contro-
versy through which the rate Of compensation
for their labor is fixed
The WorlEmeu are now as they always have
been, prepared 20 meet the representative Of
the company and discuss the provisions con
tanned in the seals submitted by them II the
conferences already held have failed TO bring
about a settlement, 10 cannot be said that this
was the fault Of the wurlriugnGu-
The scale under which the men at Homestead
iT1le 80 gT yTaaes was d,ted accordiuz TO me
selling price Of AKA Bessener steel bil!ets, the
wages advancing and declining with the selling
price Of the articles, but it was provided the
/ that no minimum should have been insisted
I upon 1t is the experience OF tho iron ana
steel workers that some prevention is ueccs-
3 saFy 20 protect themselves from being fcdueea
/ to an extremely low rate Of pay by the accent
t uuce By manufacturers Of scales below current
] rites; as the WOrklugu-en DO not sell the prod
. uct, there must be a point where a reduction in
wages By reason Of low guUe scales shall cease.
4 II Is alleged that labor organizations are iuiuri
ious alike 20 the toliers and those by whom they
. are employed in substauriayioE OF which it is
I cited by the hEm That there is no organization
H..H .HH nsm H#r#HH HmH- THHHr HH
steel works; that the men there are satisfied
3 that they get good wages and that no strike
has occurred since the institution Of shat ar
Il may be said that tho satisfaction OF which
7 bdF. Fricz speaks as existing at the above
works is forced rather than voluntary as may
be proved by the many efforts OF tha men in
these mills 70 organize themselves iu Becresy
knowledge of such Intentions coming 10 the
ears OF the company would be and was followed
J by discharge The wages enjoyed by the men
at Braddocz and Duquesue are the direct result
Of the rate OF compcu=a tiou sustained by the
/ organized iron ana steel workers. While they
are not organized Ia these mills the rate Of pay
for The class OF work done by them h2ed 1S
their organized fellow trudcsmeu determines
Z the pay that commands their services
! It IS the custom OF tie employers Of nou-uuiou
men In the iron ana steel trade 10 pay lne rates
. provided bT the Amalgamated scale IA order uC
secure the services Of men Of that trade il is
found however. 10 be invariably the case ma
with these employers while they pay the rates
provided by TIE AmalEamsted association tho
men are required TO accept conditions which
are tautamouut to q reduced 20 te although moi
P appearing on the face. We have reason TO be
nevs that the nou-un.0n plants OF Braddocls anl
Dequesue can 10 proved 20 be no exception tl
this rule. Tho introduction OF machinery tC
which reference is made by the company has dis
placed men that were necessary before the in
PRODUCTION OF such machinery and in this man
nCr repays the cost Of the investment The
output OF O mill is always considered s." Zen ar
ranging scales and II incroase Of output with
ou Z increase Of labor is brought about by iu
provemeut there is every opportunity 0nereC
by the wOFlzmen 20 arrive through conference
. at an equitable rate but when the employer
refuses to engage in discussion with the en-
p,oFc on the matter all hope Of q just settle
An attempt is made to lead the public tnt,
3 the belief that the number of men affected bl
! I the reduction is fow- Here again it become
necessary 10 impress on tho public mlad th
fac. thrre are three distinct p-opos tiuna con
I-iued ia the dispute, namely A re. .u2I-oa %
? tue num- another reduction ia the ural or
4 tionate rate Of pay lthus making a double 90
duc.ion) and that scale terminate DecembC
81 ls81 instead Of juno 80, lsoL
o. must be understood that while all C
, [ whole OF the Homestead WOrlzmeus few O
! ! the $50 employees Of that place eScap
Z without being affected by one or more of ii
10 / provisions w hat does not auect the one, doe
) Z affect the other, and it might be said that ln
. stead OF tho company's proposal altering th
condition OF employ uent OF so the cnange I
general and the whole axe involved 1t :
stated by the company with much force that
is not their desire 20 reduce theiE WorEEnen h'
, low others Tine cost OF production TO tb
Carnegie company at Homestead is decided
D in favor OF the company a compared with mlll
d Of that character II can noE be shown tha
$ they cannot establish complaint in that dire
ti0n.
In arranging scales OF wages 20 govern tro
! and steel workers, there are lnuuIuerdDle thing
. which must receive attention ~ Justice mus
~ prevail The iutricaCies referred TO are sue
, as 10 render liable erroneous views TO be draw
- : by those not familiar with the trade from the
y Z discussion in the public press There can be d
= } Legitimate reason why The Carnegie compau
> { should deny 10 their Homes teld Worlmeu
. conference where the things OF which they cor
! I plain could be analyzed and, IL found uulIs
y made right The men make no further propos
. ton than this for the simple reason that aoI
= / faircr is possible II argument and hone
~ [ colduess of manner as seen in the company
= attitude there con be reason TO expect an eI
e of this state of affairs Does it not seem stran1
~ u that the Carnegie company looks with distru
~ I upon tho organization Of its Homestead eI
~ ployes, while at several OF its large mills thi
= have for several years encouraged the organic
q t.0n OF the men, and at this moment are ttL
~ { along sa satisfactorily tCgetherg
Surely it ill not be charged that the men
r Homestead are less Intelligent or less enuu
s. 10 those rights hiCh are the principles OF G
le ganized labor, aud % hich are iuseparloie fro
'A- their ciriE ushiu- There are none who rcgr
n the lameu table occurrences OF the past 1t
=" days more Than those whom the Carnegie col
o. pany charges with having been 1us trumeutol
- bringing them about We are willing 20 alll
'L the public TO judge after the evidence is al
- whether these charges are true We teel in
lt- / the erroneous statements given out relative
~ our conduct viii be removed by impartial
YES legation in due time. Until then We pref
- 10 forget our recent sad ezperiera2-