The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-04-17
Good Sure to Result From
the Industrial Exhibit.
UNIONS in A NEW LIGHT
Both Employers and Workers Learned
Much That Will Doubtless Rebound
to Their Mutual Advantage
A Significant Incident.

The chief topic OF discussion in In
dustrial circles in the last few weeks
has been the effect OF the recent Chi
cago Industrial exhibit, writes Luke
Grant III the Chicago Record Herald. In
all quarters it is admitted that good
will result, and genuine regret was ex-
pressed by employers and workers alike
that the exhibit WIS not kept open for
another week. II was only In the last
two or three days Of the labor show"
that its full intent and purpose were
understood and appreciated.
Some criticism was directed toward
the management Of the affair by en-
ployers who thought too much attention
was paid to showing up the sweatshops
and not enough to protected machinery.
One employer who visited the exhibit
several times said the safety devices
shown are worthy OF the careful con-
sideration OF employers purely from
the standpoint of economy but" he
added, II End 1t hard to interest them
ia 1t because they have got the impress
sion that this Is sweatshop exhibit
run by n few sentimental old maids
who have no practical ideas on BUSH
ness
The labor unions. on the other hand,
especially those whose members suffer
most through sweatshop competition,
such ns the garment workers and the
bakers, believed the exhibit great
success.
They looked en- it as good means Of
advertising their union labels and Of
driving the lesson home by contrasting
the sweatshop with the modern sanl-
tary workshop
But among the visitors who attended
the exhibit were some who caught the
broader idea behind the whole affair
and to whom 1t was revelation. The
employer engaged in manufacture Is
naturally interested in machinery,
/ The union man or woman naturally Is
I interested in union labels and is in
| clined TO think that the whole social
| problem rests on that point.
| Both are apt to overlook the human
I aspect OF modern industrialIsm, and II
1 was this aspect that the exhibit
brought out ia q remarkable degree
Indeed, that was its real purpose,
i while safety devices, union labels and
! other things were shown incidentally
| Perhaps one OF the most interesting
/ and suggestive things which happened
/ during the exhibit Yves the revolt OF O
I family OF sweatshop workers The
strike OF the people posing as "hor
4 rible examples was not without 0
+ touch Of grim humor, and the news
paper men readily recognized in it the
1 possibilities for a good story" But
4 behind it all there was much deeper
4 significance.
/ The workers who revolted did moi
/ do so for the purpose Of furnishing q
good story.
For the first time IN their lives they
saw fellow human beings well dressed
clean and neat. walking around anc
gazing with wonder and pity on the
squalid surroundings Of the sweatshoT
workers. 1t was the contrast that
awakened in them the desire and as
4 piration for moro Of the good things OF
4 life. In their miserable home, which
was even worse than the reproduction
OF 1t in the exhibit. for the reason that
the odor could not be reproduced, they
accepted their conditions with a sort
Of sullen, hopeless despair.
But Immediately that their degrade
ton was thrust home upon them by
way of contrast they felt ashamed Of
their untidy and squalid surrounding:
and began to clean house. It was Z
REPUTATION Of the theory held by many
that such workers have no desire L
better their conditions.
What effect did the strike" have OF
those who witnessed it? Some, per
haps n majority, thought 1t amusing
They looked at IL IN superficial way
But there were some who saw the rea
tragedy behind It. All who visited thu
exhibit were not superficial observers
The incident awakened In many |
deeper sense Of social obligations thar
they had ever experienced before In
significant as that one incident may ap
pear, 1t was worth the whole troubl
and expense Of getting up the exhibit
when viewed in the proper light.
Viewed from my standpoint, the in
dustrial exhibit could hardly fail Il
leave behind lasting impressions whicl
will have wholesome effect on tn
health and morals of the community.
Employers saw labor unions in a ney
light Some Of them perhaps caugh
the spirit which prompts men md VIC
men TO organize in the hope OF better
ing their conditions, and in future the.
will be more inclined to overlook tn
mistakes Of the unions and the abuse
which they sometimes practice IN thei
endeavors to realize their aspirations.
The labor unions. TOO. Will profit b
what they saw and heard. They Wi
be inclined 70 look at the problem in
broader light The union conscienc
needs awakening as we'll rs the cor
science OF the employer and the pull
h lie. md the conferences and discus
sio saatld during the exhibit we're edr
catiGnal fin d hinh degree.