The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-30
ANNUAL OUTING
 OF THE OPERATORS
 IS GREAT SUCCESS
tcoNrINUED FROM PAGE 51


 volume of business and it seems to me that he should have groueh under tiiese conditions. The company store WHICH, cannot meet the prices of the regular 1 grocer, needs a neew commissariate
 The commssary can and in most ln- l stances does perform very uselul func- ] tion but ii has no reason for existence N hen it cannot do as well or better for i the emploNe than the regular grocery store.
 The miner has grouch when he is un- able to receive courteous exclamation ro earding misunderstood pay rol deduc- 1 tons. he has a greater grouch when hr makes a complaint regarding his loom or l working conditions and finds that tn ? superintendent or foreman eithef ignores the matter or tells him to go elsewhere II he does not like his conditions At this oint I desire to direct your attention ~ the relationship as fancied In the mind of the employer as existing bel~een the foreman or superintendent and ihe con- iany. Either of these officers represent the company, the employe m many in stances does not look beyond these men. what they do or what they say Is inter Teted as representing the company at titude or policy, although il may be dia- Iletriealy opposite. As a result of this tEe company is placed in a false position and ultimately must suffer the penalty, not for any injustice it has committed, other than the basic error of permitting itself to be represented, or rather misrep resented by the men who come in tfe most intimate contact with the employees, the foreman and superintendent. Perhaps there is not one foreman in t1ousahG who would maliciously assume such an attitude; it is not one of animua or de- sign, but one of indifference borne oI their failure to appreciate the simple fac' that as paid agents of the company, their methods of treating the employees are construed by the employees and the paoh1 as those of the company.
 It seems needless to state that very serious trouble may result from this cause This is a subject which should come and the early attention of the as sociation. the situation should be improv- d by organizing a number of branch in- sdtutes. such as those existing in sor:e of the eastern and western coal produc- ing states
 The fifth requirement. that he should be a citizen of the United States goes without saying.
 Out of regard for other papers l must ot transgress upon your time. In clos ing | frankly acknowledge that my ideals fall far below what they should be. 1 realize also that there is not I single company in Alabama which .s conforming 10 them, some are trying to do so but Ne craWl before walking. and large bodies move slowly even when walking.
 There is just one more point before closing. After we have established all the elements enumerated. let no one h= deuded into thinking himself a philan- tnropist when you receive as much as ycu give. there is no benevolence on the l art of either side, as the world grows better. it also becomes enlightened ana while many factors previously liseusscd might have been regarded as sentimente! not many years ago. to- day we recognize them as aids 70 labor  The ethical spirit of the, age is ors which, in local and national legislation eslizes the broader obligations of a cor poratien with reference to 2 community. Conditions Of employment must be sucn u,at the individual and the co immunity ere not only not injuriously sffected. but positively benefited.
 The problem is in your hands. Let 1is make an earnest effort to solve it. net with words. but with action.
 | Professor Mitcham said in part: