Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-02

were left at home. aud these others had
the consent OF their PARENTS to 30.
eivil processes which could have been in
voked by the strikers .
..No civil process can be invoked in the
Immediate face of a powerful .eI,,. mi l,s
ence between this country and Europe
has always been that here citizens can
move freely from place to place with
out police espionage and interference.
Yet here we have in Lawrence the IN
ception of that very proposition that mas
been the bane of all Europe.
Mr. Wilson closed his remarks by reit-
Grating that this interference by the state
isens from place to place gave sumcient
grounds for investigation and interior
.nce by Congress and the federal au-
thorities.
Mr.. Berger Discusses His Bill.
Representative Berger was next heard.
He discussed the measure he introduced
before the recent clash at Lawrence'
which proposed an investigation by Con-
gresA
ct is not the purpose Of my BILL" he
said. ito urge an investigation Of the
conditions in Lawrence on the constitu-
tional point Of the brutal interference
with women and children at that place,
although this point is pertinent within tne
jurisdiction Of Congress President Taft
and the Attorney General have promised
to take care Of that.
Nor il 1t the purpose of my bill to urge
an Investigation Of the wanton killing OF
n woman by police and militia and the
holding without bail for this murder OF
= strike leader who had nothing to do
with 1t. What my bill proposes to In
vestigate is the relation Of the American
Wooden Company to the strike OF It's
operatives at Lawrence"
Mr. Berger then remarked that the
American Wooden Company had received
for years government subsidy In the
form Of high tariff.
ut has been claimed" he said. "that
this high tariff is levied in order to pro-
tect labor. Yet. in spite of this claim. 1t
Is generally conceded that these opera
lives are among the lowest paid of any
Industry in America, and that they are
imported from sections of Europe where
the standard of living is the lowest.
Moreover. this strike has taken place as
a. revolt against reduction of about so
cents week out of a wage averaging
30 a week.
Declaring that the American Wooden
Company practically controls the produc-
ton of woolens in America, Mr.. Berger
insisted that before the House of Repre-
sentatives undertook to fix the tariff on
wool and wooden and worsted goods 1t
should thoroughly investigate the strike.
Comparison of Wages.
Here Mr. Berger paused and shook
rigid forefinger at Representatives Henry
of Texas. Hardwick of Georgia and STAN
ley of Kentucky. the three men most
prominently identified with the money
trust inquiry, which is about to begin.
and the sugar and steel inquiries. the first
Of which has been concluded and the Sec
Dnd about to be-
AN investigation of the American
.Woolen Company" he SAID lis justi
fed as much as the investigation OF
~
average wage which the wool trust
has established is even below that of
the steel trust and that Of the sugar
-Arast. and Is certainly below that paid
by the money trust"
Mr.. Berger declared that not only do
highly protected Industries pay extreme
v low wages in the face of a constant
-ise In the cost of living, but also that
the tendency is to pay lower wages COM
pared with an increased product and to
get more work out of the workers by
constantly speeding them up
This speeding up" Mr.. Berger deciar-
few men and paupers out of hundreds
IF thousands.
I'm the textile industry there is also
the special factor Of woman and child
No amount Of legislation seems seriously
to check it,
Mill workers, brought to Lawrence
from foreign countries, have to work as
Mr.. Berger told the committee.
Fifty of these operatives in Amer
ica," he said. will produce In given
time approximately as much as 100 Eng
fish operatives, 125 German operatives
and $50 French operatives But they do
not get anything like proportionate
amount in wages. Considering the -ela-
tons Of wages to output we have IN this
country the most extensive pauper labor
the world. The strike in Lawrence is
rebellion of the wage-working class
against unbearable conditions.
Thousands of workers In the mill town
cannot earn enough to keep themselves
IN a state of physical efficiency. Worse
han thisp the working communities where
wages are least and conditions hardest
Ire the recruiting stations for the victims
Of the white slave traffic The limit of
endurance seemed to have been reached
IN Lawrence"
Mr.. Berger. in reply TO questions, reit
Grated his statement that the main cause
Of the strike was reduction, in the av-
srage wage of the mill workers from Sc
20 $50 week.
Adds Insult to Injury.
IF that should happen to me-" he
,ried. shaking his fist at Chairman Henry,
4 would become a dangerous man. /
couldn't live on So week. I see that in
order to end the strike and In the good
hess OF their hearts the wooden company
aas offered to raise the wages Of the
Sorkmen 80 cents q week. This Is adding
INSULT to injury"
What benefit could % secured by q
congressional investigation Of this mat
err Representative Garrett Of Tonnes
see inquired.
You could let the light in," Represent
alive Berger replied, ION the mill condi-
tons not only In Lawrence. but in North
Adams. Philadelphia, Chicago and all
over the country"
Mr. Berger then put Samuel Ilpson on
the stand as his first witness. Lipson
testified that he was q Hebrew, twenty
uine years old. had been in LAwrence
seven years. and had worked tor the
American Wooden Company for three
years.
why did you striker asked Mr.. Bsr-
Because was unable to make a liv-
NJ tor my family" the witness answered.
How much did you maker asked Mr..
Berger.
q am a skilled weaver" Lpson an
gW2RUd. and on fun time make between
y md SO week But on slack time
oal1co only s. or 81 a week, and then my
U11o and my four children sometimes live
a teead and water. My little children
49, Il = . holiday when we have meat
what II the price Of nuttsr In Law
eo0coC asked Mr.. Berger.
Butter u Is cents q pound" Lipson re-
-, "buf We don't ever eat Il We fool
Aplaans "speedingups Process.
Tns witness said tha& he cut inaugu-