The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-02-20
Statement of Conditions
from Manufacturers.

periences, feel that all honest
workmen, property owners and
merchants should have their atten-
tion called to the bad conditions
prevailing in this town, and what
the result will be, provided they
allow them to continue.
Mr.. Lloyd recently published a
statement showing how the clay
plants were forced to operate for
several years.
The two clay working establish.
ments have spent in cash over 50,
900 to bring men here in an honest
effort to run their plants. For
eigners were brought in because
there are not enough houses to
accommodate good American work
men qualified to do this work. AS
it is, they have been compelled to |
hire many Americans who were |
physically fitted for clerks or other
light work, and pay these men a
full days wages while they could
only do II half days work. They
were forced to hire professional
shirkers and Hoaters, men who
never intend to work more than
two or three days a week, whose
soul object is to put in the time
and draw pay for it, and who, as
a rule, are not in plant more |
than two or three days until they
ask to be given responsible posi-
tions running machinery, which
has been held by steady, faithful
men for years, who thoroughly |
I understand their business. If this
request is not granted, they quit.
Imagine how profitable a factory
can be run, manned with this class
of men, and then have to operate it
with from one-half to three-fourths |
of crew. There is only one sure
| solution to snch a condition. chat !
is failure, The most efficient
crew of workmen for clay plants
is one-half American workmen to
do the skilled work, and one-half |
Foreigners to do the hard laborious
work which most Americans shun,
or refuse to do. The agitators
say the factories would have no
trouble in getting all the men they
wanted if they would pay wages.
This is not true, as they have,
within the last three years, ad-
vanced wages 25%6, and their labor
cost of production is much higher
than their competitors pay, all be-
cause they are compelled to run
short handed with incompetent
help. If they were allowed to run
steady with full crews and com
petent help, they would gladly in
crease the rate per hour.
The manufacturers have made an
honest effort to properly man their
plants, but lot of worthless, lazy
kickers, who apparently have been
the only organized body of men in
town, have driven good workmen
from our community by threats
of personal violence by calling
them vile epithets, and by the use
of dynamite. All this has been
done without single arrest or
public remonstrance. When they
resorted to the use of dynamite,
some of our newspapers called it a
joke, although this joke was the
cause of losing to their subscribers
and advertisers thousands of dol
lars in wages and trade. Mr..
Kerlin asked policeman of our
town what was being done to APP
prehend the dynamiters He was
insulted for asking this question.
The manufacturers appealed to
the City and County authorities,
requesting that they do something
to apprehend these men. AS CON
ditions now are, our manufactur-
ers are absolutely helpless.
The merchants and property
owners seem to think that this is
not their affair and hold aloof,
even though they know it is wrong
they don't like to get mixed up in
it, and, by taking that course,
they encourage and endorse the
actions of this dangerous organi-
cation or element.
There are several hundred stock
holders and bOndholders who own
the manufacturing plants of Lo-
gan, and have invested in them
over one million dollars. They
built the Dlants here i'm Logan ha-