Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-20
THE EMPLOYERS SIDE.
Continued from Page One3

Your thus leaving the mills without
notice and without any attempt 1T u
conference is unfortunate all arouna.
Both the company and the employees
are bound to lose a good deal of mon
ely as a result, which neither of us can
afford l am not blaming you, but
realize you We're greatly disappointed
and that some of you acted hastily
and the rest followed; but L want you
to see how hard You have made my
position.
Il am an employee Of the company
as YOU are; as it's president | am
bound, on the one hand, to take prop
er care Of the interests of $1,000 stock
holders, quite a number of them are
employees, and most of them are not
rich. Many of them necessarily depend
on their dividends for their living Just
as YOU depend on your wages for
YOURS. On the other hand, / am bound
to look out for the interests of some
25,0oo employees. 1t is my duty to see
thar each side has square deal, ana
| try my best to perform that duty
fairly and honestly.
II want every man and woman
working for the American Wooden Co
to get the best wages that the COM
nany can afford. You work for the pest
interests of the company when you
are contented, but you must reahze
that | must also care reasonably Tor
the stockholders interests and see
that the business is properly managed.
You know we have very sharp compe-
tition and if we do not do our work
economically our competitors VIII
drive rs out.
"The last two years have been YER?
discoura ging years for US and for all
the manufacturers in our line. me
present year being a Presidential year
is also bad for business. You VIII rear
ize. too, that the hours of labor are
shorter here than in other states. II
we should pay as much for 54-hours
labor as our competitors in other
states pay for 56, or even 60, we should
soon have to quit. / am not crltlelziHs
our Massachusetts laws, but for the
nresent YOU see it puts us undef d
| handicap.
II have gone over the whole SITUATION
with a desire to do my conscientious duts
TO YOU and to everyone interested III Inc
| company l have consulted long ana ahN'
iously with the directors and those asso-
ciated with me in the management. ne
luctantly and regretfully we have come
to the conclusion that it is impossipie
: with a proper regard for the interests OIL
| the company, to grant at this time any
/ increase in wages. Trade conditions DC
not justify an increase.
| II ask you to have confidence IN tnls
statement and to return to your work
AS long as 1 have managed the aHaif'
of this company it has never yet reduced
your wages, but on the contrary 1oui
times this company has increased YOU
wages without your asking.
II say further to you that when tht
| conditions of our business are again sucf
as to warrant raising your wages l shall
| again, without even request, recon-
mend such an advance as circumstance
warrant. This proves that | have locke
| after your interests pretty well in th'
past Why should 1 not Ahave your con
i fidence for the future?
"You are being advised ESQ ! am IN
formed) by men who are not and never
have been employees of this company, ant
who do not live in this state ana are
strangers to you. They are strangers t
me also, and / know OF them only pS
report. They do not know the history o.
your relations as employees with this
company, but you and /, on the othel
hand, are members of the organization
We all of us have been getting our liy
ing from the company When the com
pany is prosperous we are prosperous
Your advisors have nothing to lose in tho
disasters of an unfortunate strike oil
lockout !. You and l have everything tt
lose.
81, therefore, as head of this organ
ization of which we are all members APP
peal to you to return to your work and
faithfully discharge your duties.
81 will try conscientiously to discharge