The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-09
Talk of Low Wages

Washington, January Stalk of trusts
OF domestic and foreign varieties of low
wages and women toilers in industries
abroad that enabled strong foreign com
petition with American enterprises, and of
ing, enlivened the hearing on the earthen-
ware and glassware schedule of the
Puvnes Aidrich itw before the House com
mittee on ways and means today.
1t was the first of the two days OF ar
guments on the second schedule of the
existing law. A declaration of Chairman
Underwood that he was satisfied with the
showing made of the keenly competitive
conditions in the pottery industry was ac-
oepted as an assurance of an undisturbed
pottery tariff.
All representatives. of the different win
dow glass interests denied existence of
any trust in their particular business. But
running through most of the testimony
were references to trusts abroad in va
rious lines of capital, "A constant spectre
that stalked on the customs border lines
to invade this country IL the
tariff bars were let down.
Former Gov. William A. Stone of Penn
sylyania insisted that the National Win
dow Glass association depended in its
price making solely upon the law of sup
ply and demand, and that If the tariff on
window glass was reduced the loss to the
association would be met either by reduc-
tion of the workingmens wages or by
of factories.
He said there were so window glass
factories constituting distinctive class
that did not have today enough profit to
justify a single sale at less than the
current prices. He said there was an at
tempt about five years ago to regulate
prices among the window glass companies
but the government stepped in and sue
&C sfully prosecuted and there had been
no attempt in that direction since.
No Price Agreement
Isn't there any arrangement among
the window glass companies about fixing
prices2' queried Chairman Underwood.
mo SIR"
ut has been represented to me by pur-
chasers that no matter what window
glass factories they send to the quotations
are always the same"
That's true of every product, including
wheat" replied Mr.. Stone
c. r. Altenberg of Cincinnati COM
pairing labor here and abroad in thermos
bottle manufacturing, testified that the
German manufacturers employ girls at
from four dollars week upwards. work.
Ing II hours day, standing over a big
hot flame that roars like a cyclone all
day"
ut all requires lung power?" suggested
Longworth.
"A little endurance" replied the wit
ness.
Joseph s. Auerbach, lifelong demo-
srat speaking for plate glass and other
suggested that "the tariff
way should be toll road and not a
highway where hghwaymen may ply
heir trade
Mr. Auerbach charged that the coun-
.erpart abroad of moro than one Amer
can industry Is controlled in manufac-
lion by dictatorial legalized commits
sion or trust. whose unlawful existence
mere should b4 enjoined and it's promo
-ers Indicted and convicted. He urged
hat the committee consider what would
De the lower and real cost of the OUT
)ut IL the foreign factories were per.
nitted to run freely and not held i'm
he strangle grip of the trust and a.,
hey would be run IL you open the flood
gates of a cut-throat. ruinous and tln-
lawful competition upon home manu-
'acture.
Bottle blowers, mica interests. fiuospar
glassware manufacturers. chi
ia and earthenware importers and win
low glass companies will be represented