Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-13
BITTERLY SCORES
.ATTITUDEOFhIlCH
COPPER cos.
Sec. OF Labor Vim. B.
Wilson Addresses
American FEEDER.
alton OfLabOr.

Seattle, Wash, Nov. 12.-Secretary
of Labor William b. Wilson, address,
ing the American Federation of
Labor, today, bitterly condemned the
attitude of Michigan copper mining
companies and warned them that a
new conception Of titles to property
was in process of formation. He de-
cleared he would make public not only
the wages paid to the miners, the
hours they worked and the labor con-
ditions. but the enormous profits Of
the mine owners.
Mr.. Wilson. who addressed the. dele
/ gates as Fellow anionists" said:
The department of labor as now
! organized and directed will be util-
lied to cooperate with the great
| trade union movement in its effort
to elevate the standard of human So
ciety. w
"One of the general duties imposed
on the department is that Of promot-
ing the welfare Of wage workers.
The, one great specific duty i'm
posed on the department is to act as
a mediator and to appoint commits
sioners of Cancellation on trades dis
putes."
OF the situation at Calumet, Mich,
the secretary said that it had hereto
fore heen the custom to anYestigate
wages, hours and conditions OF labor
wages, hours and conditions of labor
and report This time he said, it had
been determined to go a step further
and investigate the earnings Of the
corporations involved.
And, the little bit of confidence that
I am going to give to you" he added.
is an advance statement of. one Of 4he
items in that situation-that the largest
corporation engaged in the production Of
copper in the Michigan district was or
ganized, in 1870. under the laws of the
state of Michigan, that the face yaiue
of its capital stock is S2,5o00oo. The,
shares are SIS each. They were pur-
chased at si2 each. SO that the actual in.
vestment is $1,250000 = ssss-sss--s
From that time until one year ago
the last fiscal report. that we had, a Pc
riod of ~ years-that Corporation de-
ciared in dividends $121, 0OO. 0Q0 and made
re-investments out of its earnings of
$25.00o.0O0. Nearly s200,0OO.OOO of actual
net profits in a period of AZ years on an
investment of $i,2oO.00e, and they not
only protest against meeting committees
of their workmen. but refuse to accept
the good offices of the department Of Ia
Dor in negotiating the difficulty,
They say the property Is their own;
that they have the right to do with lit as
they please. Maybe they have, hut those
who take that position have q false con-
ception of the titles to property, \.
The secretary said every title was law
created and law protected. and that de-
prived of those laws, the property in
volved would be at the mercy of the
first strong and cunning man who de-
sired it.
Law had created those titles. he
continued. mot primarily Tor the well
fare of the man to whom 1t conveyes it,
but for the welfare Of the community.
Society has conceived, whether rightful-
~ or wrongfully, that the best method
of promoting the welfare of society ID
to convey titles to individuals in real
estate and personal effects 1t does It,
however. not for the welfare of the in
| dividual, but for the welfare OF the great
mass of the people. II any individual
or corporation takes the ground that thu
property is his own. that he has the
right to do with it as he pleases and
| falls to take into consideration the fact
that the title has only been conveyed to
| him as a trustee for the welfare Of tho
society. then he is creating q Honditton
| that will cause society to modify or
| Change THESE titles to property, as II has
a perfect right to do whenever In it's
| judgment, it deems it for the welfare Of
society to do it,
Mr.. Wilson condemned the sending
of strikebreakers by private employ
ment agencies, and said:
81 wish to see created within the
department of labor a bureau OF in
formation that will be handled much
on the same lines as our. weather' bus
reau of information, where. with, the
aid of the immense number OF gov
eminent employees, which we have
scattered over the country, we will
get better information Of where men
can find employment, the conditions
under which they toll. whether OF not
trade union is recognized and. last.
but not least, whether or not any
trade dispute exists where the en-
pioyment may be had; and then Con-
dense that information into a sheet
that can be posted in every postoffice
IN the United States and in every
other place where men congregate. SO
that they win have the information
relative to where employment can be-
ilad and the kind of employment, and
IN doing SO giving them the informa :
'ion IN such a way that when a mem
eonies into community where "a.
strike exists for the purpose Of tax
ing the place of those strikers he does
50 with his eyes open and cannot
make the plea of ignorance"
Inc secretary also spoke Of the In
aianapolis car strike and or tbs
trouble in the Colorado coal fields.
IN the recent street car trouble a,
indianapolis we offered our good of-
noes before the strike commenced. no
said' and had storm of abuse heap
CONTINUED on Page Ten.l