The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-08
THANKLESS TASK.
Labor Leaders Regard
Rev. Mr.. Whites
Mission as Such.
.FOUNORIES TOSELL.
Proprietors Reported as
Ready to Leave the
Business.

The efforts of Rev. Eliot White to act
as arbitrator in the moulders' strike,
as told exclusively in The Sunday Spy,
were the target for remarks by mould
ers and members of labor organizations
at labor headquarters, yesterday. The
gratitude of the moulders' executive
committee was offset by the belief of
the moulders in general that Rev. Mr.
White could do no good where labor
leaders could not, and that it would
have been far better had he discussed
the conditions from the pulpit. This
Rev Mr. White says is not in accord
ance with his views.
The bench moulders met yesterday
afternoon and tried to decide on the
number of TASKS that should be made
in day. The discussion was solely
on the part of men who are at present
employed in the union foundries. Some
of the men have been doing more
work than others, and in order to regu-
late the amount of work done by
union men, it is intended to decide
upon the number of TASKS to be made
in day The men were unable to
reach any agreement yesterday con-
corning the amount of work necessary
to constitute a days work
Jefferson d. Pierce, president of the
Massachusetts Federation of Labor,
and the occupant of a similar office in
the Central Labor Union, discussed
Rev. Mr.. Whites attempt at arbitra-
ton with Spy man last night He
said;
REV. Mr.. White is entitled to the
gratitude of the moulders for his eff
forts, but he could do nothing with
men whose arguments he could not
answer.
Il read in The Spy that Rev. Mr..
White said that all the foundry own
ers were bitter against the union.
Their alleged objection is a subterfuge
they say they do not believe in unions
What are concerns like Rice, Barton &
Fales, Cromoton & Knowles loom
works, If they are not unions? Rice.
Barton G. Fales form a union of men
banded together for their own inter-
ests, yet they say they are opposed
to unions.
The Moulders union is body of men
who are organized for their own inter.
ests, but the members of capitaIistic
unions do not look with favor upon
attempts of the workingman to take
steps for protection. One of the local
machine shop proprietors has been
clamoring since the beginning Of the
moulders' strike that if settlement
IS not made soon, foreign trade will be
ruined.
There is not a man prominent in af-
fairs of the MOulders' union that does
not want it completely ruined. l hope
it will be lost and never regained. For
eign trade is at the bottom of many
recent strikes. In order to compete
with foreign manufacturers the ma
chine shop owner has got to have his
castings made as cheaply as in the for
eign countries. In order to ship man
ufactures to England or any other for
eign country the American manufac-
turer must have cheap labor or lie can
not carry on foreign trade with profit.
1t is cheap labor that we are lighting
against, and foreign trade makes it
necessary.
Il read in The Spy that Mr. Pero told
Rev. Mr.. White that no union would
run his shop. That is another subter-
fuge on the part of the found>y own
ers. The breach between the moulders
and their employers would be much
wider at the present time if there was
no Moulders union. Unions simplify
matters, and the employer has some
Another matter which Rev. Mr..
White could not discuss accurately was
brought out when one of the foundry
owners told him that the moulders were
getting more pay for less work man
any other members of any other craft.
Other trades unions have forced the
manufacturers into granting eight and
nine hour working days, but the Mould
ers union has made no such attempt
with any success, and moulders in this
city are employed from 10 to u hours
day.
REV. Mr.. White raised a good point
when he referred to the work of Bishop
Potter as an arbitrator. I know of sew
eral instances where Bishop Potter ac-
complished much towards a settlement
of labor difficulties, but it seems singu-
lar that no one under him in the Epis
copal churches of this city dare say a
word from the pulpit, as he has done
many times.
THE fact that Rev. Mr. White, as a
rector of a church in this city, entered
the fight is in itself praiseworthy
act on the part of the religious denom-
nation he represents
There. is no end to the good work
Worcester churches can do in the pres
ent strike A word from the pulpit goes
a long way | have told several minis
tiers that they did not dare to discuss
the question that so affects the work
ingmen of today and they nave admit
ted it. If local ministers would endea-
vor to have a settlement made, the end
will come much sooner and the clergy
men will be doing much towards the
improvement of large number of
men,
President Pierce spoke of the settle
ment of the Marlboro strike by refer
ring to the affair as "a repetition of the
ending of many similar attempts to
secure more wages" Mr.. Pierce said
that the moulders would win because
they were firmly organized and were
striking at the proper time.
THE men can live on green grass
now, and no coal is required for heat
ing purposes, so there are no discourage
ing features to make the task of the
harder was Mr. Pierce's
final statement.
Late last night it was rumOred that
A. B. Davidson had become so dis
gusted with the state of affairs that
he had offered his foundry for sale at
at an astonishingly low figure. It was
also said that Pierce & Arnold contem-
plated enlarging their plant by buying
the Junction foundry. but neither Mr..
nor members of the firm of
Pierce & Arnold would confirm the re-
port.
LIBERAL CHURCHES CONFER.