Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-11-05

usual lie talked over the affairs of the
day with his wife. She tried to cheer
him, but 1t was no use. lie went tn
bed early, but he couldn't sleep Hour
after hour lie tossed about thinking
and thinking. 1t was almost daybrc
when at last he sumbcred. At {
O'Clock lie was at the factory, Tho
men came in and went to their ma
chimes, but there was n spirit Of unrest
and suppressed excitement about the
whole establishment. No factory in the
country turned out better work than
the Orcrton plant. He picked his men
with care and never let n tool 20 ont
of his shop unless it was first class. His
men were the most skilful in the trade
and he had paid them above the rcSt,-
lar wage scale on that account but they
never did such poor work as on that
Friday.
When he reached home that night
Mrs. Overton met him with bcaming
face.
John" she said. "I'vc been studying
all day and ! studied all last night for
a way out Of the difficulty. i don't
know II have found it. but sit down
and while you are eating Eli explain
1t to you"
He sank YEARLY into his chair ana
she began He did not think much of
her idea at first. bnt as she talked he
ut Is worth trying" he said ut last,
and then they discussed her plan in
detail.
There was no sign Of depression about
Ovcrton when he went to hi; office on
Saturday morning. He didn't go into
the factory or look at the men at tho
machines. Instead he set the Office
force to working as they hadn't worked
since the visit of the delegation. Tyne
writer's clicked. pens were kept busy,
and before noon n dozen messengers
were sent out with bundles Of letters all
addressed to women. The letters were
directed to the wives. sisters and moth
crS Of the men who worked IN the plant
to whoever of tho women folk were
concerned most directly in the wclfarc
of the mon If man was single and
lived in Il clearinghouse the message
went to his landady If he supported
widowed parent it went to his mother.
Enclosed with each of the missircs was
n silver quarter Each letter request
ed the person receiving IT to come to the
factory at 1 pm. or send some OF the
women folk of tho family. The quar-
ter was for carfarc, for the factory was
quite Il way out of town.
The women began to arrive soon aft
or o'clock. They never had received
such summons before. and they could
not understand what II portendcd. Some
of them brought their children. BY
o. clock the Office was packed. Mrs. over
ton never had seen the women, but her
husband introduced her He knew most
of them From the Office the party ad-
journed to the restaurant. That cstnh-
lishmcnt never had held such gather
ing before Tea had been brewed, ana
there were sandwiches and cakes. For
tho children there was a supply OF
candy. Most OF tho women-therc were
$50 or more prescnt--had to stand while
they slipped their tea, for there We're not
chairs enough TO seat them.
When they all had been served, Mr..
Qvcrton arose.
my friends" he said. II have invlt-
ed you here this afternoon to tell you
some things about this factory, and to
ask YOU to aid me in solving prob
lem that Is OF great Importance to me
and of consdcra bic Importance to you
am going to start at the beginning
ana tell tho whole story so simply. 50
plainly, that there can be no misundcr-
standing.
This factory Is my lifcs work. Your
husbands. sons ana brothers are parts
of the establishment. Some of you
may not know what years of struggle
this plant represents. ! worked FOR
long time at muchinc and Mt forge.
Just rs your men folk do today. ! was
careless happy go-luVhS anu IMPROVE
don't. One day there was II strike In
the shop whore | worked and went
out with the others, was glad OF the
opportunity to do So For n week or
10 ,lnys we had n fine time | enjoyed
every minute Of It, There wasn't much
doubt that the strike would succeed and
VIC had ono or two opportunities to set
tic with tho boss. hut he wouldn't agree
to all our demands. so the strike con-
tihucd,
AS time dragged on the situation
was not so pleasant our money got low
md then the mon who had been drink
ing got ugly and did things that made
tho light one to n nnish. That strike
lasted for months ! probably suffered
less than any one among the strikers.
but / saw some things In that struggle
that | never have forgotten. | saw
women and children hungry / snw
them IN rags. | saw them turned into
the streets homeless when they no
longer could pas the ong-overduo rent,
They arc the ones who bore tho brunt
OF that bitter contest. We who We're
striking always could find companions
ship and solacc IN saloon, but there
was nothing but bitterness and priva-
ton for tho womcn and the children.
"When that strike ended only few
of the scores OF men who went out got
Jobs again. It was way back In rs and