Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-14
UNIONS NOT YET CONVINCED
National Organizer Pierce Op.
posed to Industrial Education.
Declares II Is Scheme on the Part
OF Manufacturers to Evnde the
Laws against Child Labor
Favored by Others.

Cooperative industrial education, as Il
Is conducted in tho high schools of Fitch
burg Mass. and proposed for Burlington,
Will not meet with favor among the labor
unions here II the statements made Sun
day afternoon by ]. Il. Pierce. national
organizer, may be taken ms indicative Of
the general attitude OF the unions in the
matter Mr.. Pierce addressed a meeting
or the Central Labor Union in Central
Union hall at three O'Clock Quite q num-
Der Of the members of various unions
were present and while the attitude taken
by tho men was not radical one 1t was
evident that the unions in Burlington
- still to be convinced that the plan
Is a good one
The meeting Sunday was presided
over by George f. Maynard, president Of
the Carpenters Union. The meeting was
an open one and intended for the purpose
Of discussion by anyone interested in the
project Prof. Charles v. Mixter, of the
University. outlined briefly what he un-
derstood the purpose of the proposed CO.
operative Industrial department in the
schools to be, and he was followed by
Mr.. Fierce. who outlined the position the
unions generally had taken against the
trade school, project or any other pro-
ject which combined education and indus
try for boys and girls. Mr.. Pierces re-
marks We're not directed against the pro-
! ject as proposed for this city, but were
more in the nature OF an explanation Of
why such projects generally were not IA
vored by the unions.
Mr.. Pierce related briefly the history Of
the attempt on the part of the trade
unions to prevent child labor and the
subsequent passage of laws prohibiting
children under a certain age from working
| in factories. He characterized the trade
| school as an attempt on the part Of large
| manufacturers to get the young people
! back into the factories under the guse
of obtaining an education while at work,
thereby obtaining the same results that
the child labor laws had prohibited.
The speaker said that large concerns
nowadays are not interested in teaching
boys to he al-round mechanics, men who
could read a blueprint and go rgh,
| through q job from start to finish. What
these concerns want now, he said. are
, specialists. Therefore. said Mr.. Pierce
1t was useless to say that boy would
be turned out a thorough mechanic in
three years. The speaker said that the
factories where boys were supposed tc
learn their trade in all its branches would
be found TO be factories where the men
were not allowed to organize
Mt. Pierce said he did not believe a
boy. "a years OF age. was capable OF
knowing what trade he wanted to follow
and he characterized the proposed co.
operative plan as an imposition on the
part OF the manufacturers. an attempt tc
bring about a system that Is in direc,
violation OF the law.
The manufacturers said Mr.. Pierce
raise the cry that the parents would bt
benefited by having their children earn
ing a livelihood while getting an educa
ton He said that II the manufacturers
would raise the pay OF the parents the
necessity for the children working Will,
getting an education would be eliminated
Mr.. Pierce declared that II the co-opsra
tive plan were adopted as susgcsted an(
!. the boy who had obtained hi. certificate
to work as a first class mechanic wa!
! graduated, that boy would take his faith
er's place in the shop when times became
dull.
The speaker said that he looked Will
( suspicion on any move made by any man
2 ufacturers who deny mon the right to or
ganize. when they say they wish to i'm
( prove the minds Of the children. 1t mus
l be said in justice to Mr.. Pierce that h.
/ did not attack the project OF co-operativ
e education in this city. His remarks wer
2 entirely OF a general character, dealing
Y with conditions that he had met durinl
his experience In the labor field.
; Other speakers during the afternoon
were ex-Mayor James F. Burke an
George A. Armstrong. both of whom IN
vored the plan as proposed for BuriinS
ton. No Official action was tt cr st tn
meeting