Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-12


said. little ones toiling early and late.
going TO the mines almost at daybreak.
and 50 small that their dinner pals drag
ged on the ground as they walked"
He brought laugh and loud applause
when he spoke of Mr.. Charles Baer
gentleman with whom | had some slight
controversy.
Represents 100000 Women.
Mrs. Sarah Plat Decker. president of
the Federation of Women's Clubs. repre-
senting SN,Gn women. all of whom are
doing what they can in welfare work and
especially toward the amelioration of
child labor conditions, was not seated on
the platform. but Mr.. Gompers asked her
to come forward and speak. She told the
meeting that she was not a public speak
err. but Just a plain mother, and then
proceeded to make a speech that was de-
clared TO be gem. She dWelt especially
on the child labor question and begged the
women present TO realize that the word
mother covered the widest ground: that
no mother can realize the conditions in
mills and shops and mines without want
ing to do everyt hing in her power TO pro-
tect the children from unfairness. She
said
The United States. ! am told by an
accurate authority. has not spent 81 for
publishing anything in reference to child
labor. Uncle Sam has spent thousands
books on the subject of feeding rice to
pigs: on diseases of quail: on the amount
or herring caught; on tomatoes: on mo-
lasses AS food for cows. but not one dol
lar on the question of most vital i'm
portance to The future of the nation
Commissioner Mcfarland told the meet
ing that the proposed women's depart
ment is representative of all that is best.
While he was speaking Andrew Carnegie.
who had been dining with .Amba sSador
walking up the side aisle took an incon-
SpicuouS place on the platform Mr.. Mac
farand's speech was drowned in cheers
and handclapping. and he said: That is
just the place for the applause. When the
greatest of us ScOtchmen appears give
him all the welcome YOU can.
Mr.. Macfa rland's speech was short. but
he spoke of conditions in municipal and
government buildings that he would like
to see changed and commended the par
ticular instances to the welfare workers.
Address by Mr.. Carnegie.
Mr.. Carnegie was the next speaker. and
while he touched upon almost everything
except welfare work and the civic fed.
Grafton he was eagerly listened to and
interrupted by frequent handclappings
and laughter. His first sentence was.
Nothing is complete without women"
and it would seem that many a pair of
long white kid gloves would he irretriev-
ably damaged so franticaliy did the Wom-
en- applaud Mr. Carnegie told many an
ecdotes taken from his long experience
with men of the mills when he was an
active manager of labor. When he looked
at the audience sitting in the front seats
and said he did not believe there were
many present who knew what actual
labor was there arose d slight murmur of
dissent from the labor union people, but
Mr.. Gompers smilingly explained to Mr..
Carnegie that the prosperous looking folks
We're '.organiZed union laborerS and their
wives" and from that Mr.. Carnegie took
his cue and talked right to the labOring
man. He spoke of having given bonuses
to his men and considering each one of
them a partner in the business. He said
ne was not entirely in favor of asking A
workman to invest his money in the stock
of the company, as the workman might
have his mind more on the stock eX-
change than on his work. Then in deli
cate fashion he approached the subject of
capital. remarking that capital is neceS-
sary to the world. The magic of prop
erty is at the root of civilizatiOn.' he
smilingly declared. He reminded the Dor
unions that nothing can be done without
capital
braries except To use the Congressional
library as an object lesson to illustrate
the common ownership of public property.
He paid several fine compliments to the
laDOrinE men Oh the country, SdNlUS lliS
experience taught him that they are a
splendid body. You can do anything
with labor. but you must treat them like
men" Then he went back to the days
when he was called the little boss" and
told several stories of his administration
and his dealings with the men. He said:
IF | were to go back into business now
| could produce the most perfect combina-
ton of labor and capital that the world
has ever seen He closed his speech by
reminding labor that it must reverence the
law saying that nothing but the law
stands between the people and anarchy.
Women Workers.
Eva Mcdonald Nalesh spoke on the
subject of the woman worker and was
disposed TO argue with some of Mr.. Car
neges remarks, but She spoke very brief
ly and sat down next to Mr.. Carnegie and
was very soon deep in discussion with
him on a question of political economy.
The last speaker was Oscar l.. Straus.
Secretary of the Department of Commerce
and Labor He remarked that he was in
favor of an eight-hour law. as 1t would
enable people to get home in time TO visit
one of Mr.. Carnegie's libraries He asked
the ladies to do what they could of well
fare work in his depart ment. and urged
that they their influence to get him a
new building.