Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-08-15
United States Industrial Com
mission Holds Public Hear
ings i'm Lead.
Will Have National Law Making
One Day of Rest
Obligatory.
HIS VIEWS ARE AGREED With

Right Rev. Joseph Il. Busch,
Bishop of Lead, S. D., passed
through Chicago on his way to Pitts
burgh. While in Chicago he made
the Offices of the Catholic Church
Extension Society his headquarters.
The Bishop expressed his satisfac-
tion over the turn things had taken
In the question of the abuses of the
Homestake Mining Company regard
ing employment of it's men on Sun
day, and while this wrong is not yet
righted, it is on the road to amend
ment. His Lordship is fighting hard
to secure the day of rest for his
parishioners who work for this COM
pany.
1--WE have Just had hearing
from the United States Govern
ment," said the Bishop. "The Fed
Grafton on Industrial Relations held
a public hearing in Lead on Monday
and Tuesday, and it was established
by the evidence of the company's
officers that all my contentious were
true, and that Sunday closing was
not observed, and further, that
owing to the absolute control of the
situation by the Homestake Mining
Company no relief could be obtained
as long as they were unable to see
the need of Sunday observance. 1t
is my duty to see that my people
are able to go to church." continued
the Bishop, 'and incidentally | am
also trying to rid that section of the
country of the overwhelming influ-
ence of the company both in politics
and business. On my way down to
Chicago l stopped at st. Paul,
where had the privilege of address,
ing the delegates to the national
convention of the Knights of Colum-
bus.
THE Knights of Columbus passed
a resolution to have the order assist
in any effort made toward the grant
ing of Sunday observance, locally
and nationally. The knights en-
dorsed my stand. Since raised
that question in Lead they now de-
mand from every applicant for en-
ployment statement as to their
religious Affiliations as we'll as their
political views, and when a man
applies for position he is kept
waiting, or as they put it, he is told
to rustic Translated out of the
vernacular that means come around
every morning, report to the time
keepers Office and we will see In
the meantime the company's spoilers
are sent out to sound him. These
spoilers have never been actually
proven to be in the employ of the
company. The company does not
admit it, but the man is approached
from different men and he is sounded
regarding his views on important
subjects. Then after week or
two of 'rustling' he is either refused
or accepted. The company insists
the men may lay off on Sunday, if
they wish. They will not discrim-
mate, they say. But the men say
differently. They insist that the
company does discriminate, and that
the shift boss will discriminate
against those men who do lay off on
Sunday, giving them the hardest
jobs and laying them off the first of
the lot when the work is slack.
The only thing ] asked of the
company was that they would not
discriminate against these men, and
that they make 1t bona fide offer,
and state that they would like to see
man take advantage of IT, And
they refused. II was then / opened
fire upon them. l wanted the men
to feel that II they wished to lay off
on Sunday they could, and they don't
feel that way The company has not
given me a letter that would satisfy
the men, and l take the position that
the company should not offer them
work on Sunday. for they should
earn enough in six days of labor to
support them and not be compelled
to exc out living by Sunday work
The Homestake Mining Company
has no right to take advantage of
the scanty pay II doles out to them
The law of South Dakota forbids
unnecessary work on Sunday and
the company could very easily ar
range TO give that day to very
large number of its men. All of
them should have IT,"
The Bishop, when asked for his
opinion as to the ultimate result OF
his fight, expressed the opinion that
ultimately We would have a national
law making one day of rest
obligatory 'The State of New
York has adopted such a law" he
said, "and there is no reason why
others should not. great many
agencies are at work toward that
end. and the sentiment is growing. =