New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-07
TAFT AGAINST BOYCQHS
Doesn't Think Labor Disputes
Should Kill Contracts.
ADDRESS TO STEEL MEN
Says Governments Relations
with Plants Should Depend
on Work Done.

vrsshing.or. Ar-tl 6.-Presideut Taft To-
Ca. ;cid delegation OF fifty business men
from Bethlehem and South Bethlehem.
Penn. that he asa rot believe IN boycotts
.nd that he did not believe that disputes
Nlth third parties warranted the abrogation
Of goNernsaent contracts with any company
The delegation. which was headed by H.
:. Meyers. called a. the White House as
Sisiuterestcd persons. the chairman de-
olared. 10 protest against tho reports that
Rad been spread by labor aEitators 10 the
effect that TIE Bethlehem steel Works. be-
cause Of the strike ~ some OF its en-
pioves. was turning out an inferior quality
or work Mr. Meyers said that efforts had
been made to have This government as well
Is foreign customers or the steel concern
boycott The works. The contention being
made that incompetent workmen had been
employed 90 take the strikers places.
AR. Movers declared that this was not
true. that tire men engaged on government
contracts had. many 81 them. been in the
employ % the company for twelve years or
more: thst thev took "a patriotic as wei as
. personal interest in their work for the
s-overumen; and that they had followed
with deepest concern the occurrences Of the
6pauish-Amercan War because they had
turned out many - tho guns and much Of
fhe srmorplate that was called upon to
sland the hr-ut Of the hattie at Santiago.
Copies OF resolutions adopted by orEaniza-
tions of citizens and business men in Beth
lehen and South Bethlehem were left with
The President In his speech to the delega-
tion President Taft said:
7 haven't followed closely what has hap
pened - Bethlehem ~ all. , don't know
IE rr.rr
Ter J cont know what governments con-
fFacts There are that would naturally go
70 Befhlehem. or on which Bethlehem
Wouid have an opportunity TO hid.
! can only say this-that ] am utterly op-
posed TO the principle OF a boycott. Every
ISSUE ought 10 BE- settled on its own mer-
SIS. II the Bethlehem works isn't un TO
contract. then the government ought not TO
GIVE the contracts to II. n it Is. then the
spptracts ought 10 go to "a without regard
20 Controversies that Bethlehem may have
with third persons. whether those third per
sons be customers or employees.
THE controversy between Bethlehem and
SIS employees, IN 80 far as the public is con
cerrled. viii be settled or the merits Of
rhat controversy and the mutual relations.
~ SACK ~ relations. between the Bethlehem
companies and their employees; and there
50 30 relation between the one controversy
srd the other. because saw that with en-
rlasiS-hecause 10 hold otherwise IS 10 IN
frqduce into government methods the Sys-
Tem upon which The boycott Tests-tO wit
that third persons are 10 be involved
Snect 10 which they have no natural rela-
rior
Therefore. without knowing anything
shout ths facts, I say % You that II Beth
lenern does nor do good work il is for the
government TO ind out and 20 act on IL.
and 10 refuse its contracts on that ground,
nd not because IN is concerned in fight
or iu a controversy with SITS employees. In
so far as tho public or the government or
part Of tho public is interested in the
CONTROVERSY between the employees and the
.onpanie~-that is determined on the ner-
ft~ ~ hat controversy and not with Te-
>DeCt 20 lno government business. That is
g he position occupy. ID D. the position my
= DIM Iui~tratiJu. as FAR as I can control j,
VIII OCCUPY.
when the speech o. President Taft was
called 10 the attention OF President Com
rcrs or The American Federation Of Labor
said.
The Presidents utteranCe to the deleea-
3 Iou or business men or Bethlehem who
---crr CCercrd by the Bethlehem Steel Com
tsluN D. huf couffmatoIl, as wei as dis
-unoirf in--di SapDu.n-iog that he would
carry Hi- FORMER attitude toward labor 10
she loLiesI conclusion. regardless q under
I,ug causes. ,oDirmatory OF his utter
aucC- and act iolF- N every material issue ia
u-h--h the reel interests OF labor are IN
Waived