The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-08-12
Lumber Workers Condition Worst
in Country, Union President Says

There are lumber companies IA
Washington which. In their greedy
exploitation OF labor. have declar.
ed what l would call a dividend
on wages" testified J. q. Brown,
president OF the international I'm.
ion OF Timber Workers, before the
federal commission on Industrial
relations In tho postoffice building
today.
Brown said the conditions in the
lumber industry were the worst Of
any In America"
Tho wages are lower. the hours
longer. and the working conditions
rotten" he said.
Get sf.35 a Day
Brown filed as exhibits with the
commission several receipts from
the Eastern Railway a Lumber Co.
OF Centralla. The first OF these,
Brown testified. showed that the
company deducted 1000 from the
wage OF si.b0 n day. leaving the
worker only si.35.
I'm this particular case" Brown
testified, "the worker was the
head OF family with six children =
when the commissioners asked
why tho 1895 deduction was made,
Brown declared that the employers
probably discovered new field
for dividends.
"HIrs and Fire" System
I know OF one mill In Grays
harbor." Brown continued. which
has a standing order with the en-
ployment agents In Seattle, Port
land and Tacoma. 10 furnish all
the men they can. The result f.
that there is a practice OF hire and
fire In that concern.
Men get Jobs for only few
days. and are fired. This prevents
organization. II keeps wages down.
IL gives employment sharks and
the company's agents a chance To
graft on the workers. In this par.
ticular company. an allowance OF
$40 a month is made where the
worker boards himself. II he takes
the company's board he Is charged
at the rate OF $40 a month.
Hospital Fee Graft
TN every logging camp. shingle
mill. ard Eawmill, the worker
must pay hospital dues. II he
works but few days. he is charg-
ed full months dues. from 80
cents 20 81 n month. generally the
latter. by hiring and firing en-
pioyes, the hospital dues are not
without profit TO the company.
In CentraIia. the lumber COM
pany made reduction OF wages
last September. and at the same
time Increased by 20 cents a load
the cost OF wood 20 It's employees.
AT the Grays Harbor mill. the
worker Ia lucky II he pays off the
cost OF his railroad transportation
and his hospital dues and his board
before he Ia fired.
Organization the Remedy
Browns testimony VIII be con-
timed this afternoon.
Most OF this mornings testimony
was that OF r.. u. Aull editor OF
tho Union Record.
Ault declared that labor organiz-
alton Ia OF primary Importance to
| the social rest OF tho country. that
where this has been satisfactorily
accomplished. as In the typo
graphical union. relations between
employer and employe have been
| friendly.
Il believe that the right TO or
ganire should be guaranteed by the
government" he said. and to that
end I suggest that congress shall
pass such legislation as viii deny
all protection TO industries. employ.
ers and concerns as refuse TO let
the employees organize.
Government Couldn't Help
I'm case OF street car strike,
for example" Ault explained. this
law would prevent any govern.
mental agency, such as police. from
stepping In 10 help the company
operate its cars. At present the
agencies OF government are EN-
ployed TO help defeat attempts to
organize labor"
Ault expressed his opinion
that about 80 per cent Of the
male working population Of Sc
attic has learned 90 operate
street cars because the Puget
Sound Traction, Light q Power
Co. has a system Of firing a lot
OF men seasonaliy In order to
enforce their rule against or
ganixatIon among employees.
Thus, new men are constantly
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