The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-05-08
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
The Carpenters strike.

Feeling that the public is being
mIsinformed In many respects as to
the little unpleasantness that now
exists between the carpenters and
contractors Of the city, if you will
permit me I Will tell your readers
the true situations:
In tho outset will say that the
cost OF living. as all well know, has
increased at least rs per cent. In
the past IL or Is months. The rea-
son the carpenters want more pay
is to meet this increase in the cost Of
feeding their families. No one should
object to this. Is it possible for the
contractors to grant this IL cents
per hour increase (only 20 cents per
day, or s1.20 per week.? Lumber
has increased, the contractors pay the
increase; hardware of every descrip-
ton has increased. they pay this.
How? BY bidding a little higher on a
contract Why should they balk on
the men behind the guns, when their
wives and little children are depend
ent entirely upon the product of their
toll for their livelihood.
The following brief paragraphs
may enlighten some one who would
like to know the true situation:
L. In order that a man may be-
come union carpenter he must have
served at least three years at his
trade. and be recommended by con-
tractor as competent and able to
earn the scale which said contractor
has previously signed.
2. The carpenters union does not
now. nor never did, and never will,
ask any contractor to employ man
who is not able to earn the money
paid him; neither do they object to
the contractor discharglng an incom-
petent workman.
3. The contractors nave entire
charge of apprentices and are at lib
erty to pay them what they desire.
4. The contractors want the car
penters graded" as to their skill as
a mechanic, but do not ask any as
sistance in the grading" The grad
ing" must be done by them as to skill
and also as to wages paid. Commenc-
ing at SO per day, the minimum
scale. asked for, they desire to grade
downward, and be given the privi-
lege OF working the cheap men on
the higher class of work when they
desire. This once agreed. to and the
workman would then be at the mer-
cy Of his employer; would he not?
5. 1t is frequently heard that there
are too many saw and Ratchet men
that are being carried by the union.
that can't earn the scale" Whose
fault is this, If 1t be true? A man
can't get into the union without the
consent and endorsement Of his I'M
ion contractor at the time Of his APP
plication, and more than once in-l
competent men recommended by un-
ion contractors have been turned
down by the union. when they were
known to be incompetent.
Now. Mr.. Editor, in all fairness, RI
ask the public to get at the truths
connected with what promises to be
one of the longest drawn out battles
between contending parties that Pa
ducah has ever had. Do not listen to
idle talk but II there be a question
that Is not thoroughly understood.
any citizen will be welcomed into the
hall and given the truth
on any phase of the situation.
What the carpenters are asking forl
Is indeed very reasonable, and does
not compare at all with the increased
cost of meat and bread. When the
carpenter goes to his groceryman the
prices his goods; when
he goes to the dry goods store he
meets the same song; the doctor
tells him his bill. and the druggist
also remembers him Just little, and
at last when he winds up at the un-
iertaker's place of business ne prices
his box to him; then he Is placed In
the ground that is also priced to him.
Is II asking too much of the right