The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-16
National c;
BY CHAUNCEY S. s. MILLER.

National Cash Register comp
BY CHAUNCEY S. S. MILLER.
Dayton. o., June H.-Labor sulks ana
capital il sullen in this far-famed Buckeye
Altruria.
The model factory of the world" as the
National Cash Register Companys plant
has become known, is closed The Patter-
son brothers. who run this incomparabie
institution. have taken as their slogan TWO
words: 1T pays"
Now they are wondering IL 1T pays AFTER
all to mix philanthropy and business.
True. the Pattersons have denominateo
their theory as purely a business PROPOSE
ton" but the world at large. the students OF
sociology. the doctrina!res and all the other
spectators have insisted that the heart. as
well as the brain. dictated the principles
underlying II.
For several years II has seemed as II the
Pattersonian idea was the true solution OF
the ideal relationship between labor ana
CAPITAL. Forty thousand visitors a year Is
the record of this show place OF industry.
Organization after organization has inspect
ed this plant. and all the adjuncts suppllea
gratuitously to the employees From VIII
Ham Mckinley TO Joseph Jefferson. from
the Reverend Doctor Josiah Strong to the
Duke Of Manchester. epcomiums nave c, ne
attesting the beauties Of the Dayton ely
stun. -,
Now manufacturers all over the United
States are cycling the present controversy
between employer and employe at the Ma
tional Cash Register works.
since NAV 3 the factory has been closed.
and the 2.a0 men and 80, women Iormer,y
at work there nave lost wages amounting
to 500 a day
MANY AND DIVERSE
QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
Meanwhile the questions at issue are
many and diverse. The thousands OF PEG
ple all over the world who have heard or
the IN. C.. r.. Co" as it is called colloquiai-
ly. have asked why the model factory" OF
all places. should become involved IN iaoor
troubles. The men were known as the best
paid workers in the land Inc Factory
buildings are wonderfully light. airy and up
TO date hygienicaily;, The social: rei,sious
admirable. The hours of work were shorter
than elsewhere. What more could be de-
sired?
cccdling. More freedom
True. they were not coerced into utiliz-
fig the free baths. the free library, the Tree
lunches for foremen and heads of DEPART
ments. the mother guilds and children.s
k~lrdergarters. But there was an indefinable
feeling of restraint. a sense of being Sunday
fchoo!ed. a realization that they were being
displayed on lecturers lantern screens ana
broadway shop windows as object lessons
IN department and all that.
a p~hlegnstical foreman. a Scot. stern and
intensely religious. an imp,acable foe or
union labor. perhaps is at the bottom of the
irritation the men felt. Whenever a man
had to be dropped 1t seemed to them as "
a Union man was the mark chosen. TIT
Pa;tersons deny this. and say that this
foreman. Meta ggart. was absolutely I'M
partial. discharging union and nonunion
iner alternately in dull times.
Then the men declare that they caught
spies in the factory, that two men CON
fessed' to their share in a system of espi-
onage. And these model workmen Of the
model factory of the world say such a con-
dffsan 10 hfn IN fraa AraFfn
PRESIDENT PATTERSON DENIES
OPPOSITION TO UNIONS.
To my question as to whether this charge
vas true. the paid attorney of the COM
l,any, anticipating the answer of the pres
dent, replied:
well. what of it? The men belonged to
a secret oath-bound union: suppose we did
receive reports? l am not saying We did,
nlni you We made no use of any such in
formation"
The men have been a bit disconnected by
the news that the Pattersons had Joined
the Metal Trades Association, which. they
claim. il ~avowedly anti-union. If the Pat
tersons Joined this. they argue. surely the
deunionized Asked If he mad joined this
national organization of manufacturers,
ar John H., Patterson; president of the
Then the natural inference to be drawn
Is that you are going to override trades
trions yourselfT" he was asked.
Even his worst enemies declare that John
Patterson is frank and candid always.
Qnick as 2 flash he retorted:
trions. and / am not"
Hold on. hold on" interjected Attorney
and Counselor Judge Thomas again ere
member you have been pledged by the Board
publication"
Then. turning to the interrogation. the le-
gal adviser OF the model factory of the
world said. with a snap of his teeth:
PM that's NOT saving MO u-,n.. L.. -
posed TO EN-"
THREATS OF STARVATION
DO NOT THE MEN.
Dayton has suffered severely from labor
clashes. and to-day il seems to be distinctly
One large manufacturer told
me he had expected to have to shut down
this summer. and he would have done SO
indefinitely If the question of a union or a
free shop had been presented to him. He
added that there was a tacit understanding
among the manufacturers that the question
of trade-union interference or domination
in metal machinery manufacturing estab-
lisnments was about TO be thrashed out and
that the cash-register struggle was the
fiict.
The men realize this fully.
THIS manufacturer. Mr.. J.. ]. Roberts OF
Dayton. also said 1t was commonly under
stood that the wholesalers had Informed tho
retail dealers in foodstuffs and household
articles that no credit would be extended to
retailers who gave credit to men out OF
work in Dayton. like the N. c. r. employees.
The men appreciate the force Of this, too.
but they are showing no signs Of surrender
because OF starvation premonitions.
The men have practically abandoned any
expectations OF having the, four men REIN
whose discharge led to the rupture. |
but they are seeking in their daily confer.
ences with their late employers to forestall
any retaliation when the other 2,296 men re-
turn to work. Notwithstanding the bitter
Ness Of the disagreement and the realization
that whatever the outcome great store will
be set by It over the world among the em-
pioyers and employees. to the credit of the
the slightest suggestion Of violence. No