The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-06


 standpoint to co-operate. and thus
 labor for the success and protection | of all.
 All on Same Footing
 "To my mind this is one of the burning ! questions of today. I am talking to the business family. We are all on the same | footing. l would not be willing to ad-
 init, if I were discussing the question with many of the agitators of the pres- ent day, that the causes of present un-
 rest and dissatisfaction are our fault.
 But that has no bearing when we are considering it for ourselves and between
 ourselves in order to determine that our conduct and attitude should be.
 "We represent. because We are placed
 and kept in position by them, the stock holders of our corporations, and there fore our first duty is to them. Unless we can serve them in accordance with their interests and so as to secure their approval of what We do, we have no right to occupy or remain in our posi- tions. We have no right to consider per- soral interests; we have no authority | for trying to advance our own claims Iunreasonably to the prejudice of the stockholders of our corporation Some times there may be temptation offered
 to secure personal profit or advantage.
 even at the risk of trespassing upon
 the rights of stockholders. am sure | there is no one in this room who would | yield to a temptation of that kind. But | we must be on our guard all the time | against the possibility of anyone in any | capacity connected with any of the com panies departing from the limits of pro- | prety. We must be alert and cour- | ageous; we must stand solid on all oc- casions against being a party to of | consenting to any imposition of the kind | referred to. Everyone will respect us more but whether they do or not is 1 mmaterial. We must do our duty to
 the stockholders of this corporation. Such | is our pleasure. They trust us; they | believe in 1t; they send their proxies year by year to us because they think l we are dependable and we must never | fail them.
 'If it be said that action we have taken at different times has not been favorable to the stockholders of the cor poration because 1t has reduced the
 profits of the corporation, we may dis- agree. l realized that when we in- creased the wages of our men not long since. at the rate of $l2,00o000 a year We took Just that amount out of tn, l earnings which would otherwise hay,
 been available to the stockholders; anc | when we paid out last year S7000 00' for the welfare of employees W, prevented an addition of that amount to the general surplus of the corporation In many other ways, by the generous treatment of competitors, of customers and of others who might be affected by our decisions. we have reduced for the tune the sum of money which the stock
 and been entitled to. But the decisions which we have made have been rendered because we believed they were right and just. And if those reasons are not sui flcient in the opinions of any stoclShold- CTS, then certainly we may appeal to their judgment from the standpoint of their pecuniary interests. because ev- rything we have done has in the long run contributed to their profit. Their corporation is more valuable, 1t stands better in the eyes of the community, it secures better service from It's employees, 1t secures fairer treatment from it's com petitors, and from the general public, 1t has succeeded better year by year; and. therefore. even if we were consid- ring profits only. We have been acting wisly: and certainly we have been con scientous.
 You have in your minds at the pres ent time, no doubt, because of your en- vironments and a prevailing sentiment. the question of wages of your employees. You know that some are making reduc-
 tons Others in large numbers are con templating general reductions and you fear you may be obliged, before we pass through and out of the general and great depression now existing. to reduce the wages of your men.
 "I have this to say: When We feel we are required to take any action We dis like, whether 1t is in competition with other manufacturers or whether it is in reducing the wages of our men, then it is soon enough for us to dispose of these questions. When we feel we are forced to do a thing in self-defense then We have no right to shut our eyes to the facts. But until we believe it Is im-
 peratve to reduce the wages of our men.
 I hope we will not do 1t.
 Employees Have Been Faithful
 We must admit our men have been very faithful to us. No large body of
 laboring men ever before treated their employers as fairly and decently as the 1000 employees of our companies have treated us. Considering their education
 and their experience their belief, formed largely in other countries. concerning the attitude of the ordinary employer or la bor, and their lack of opportunity for Investigating and understanding the mo- tiyes of their employers, our men have been very decent in their conduct to- ward us. There may have been excep- tions; you may always find exceptions to rule; but I speak of our men IS a whole. They know generally what you think of them. they know what your
 concern for them has been and is, they believe you appreciate their dispositions, that you are day by day considering their welfare and making a study of ques-
 tons in regard to the improvement of conditions for life and health and safety.
 They are not at all blind to the fact
 that you have treated them on the
 whole better. than employers ever before treated their workmen. And 1t has been
 great satisfaction to you and to all of us to know that. actuated by high
 motives, you have done the right thing,
 and also that you have done good
 thing for the stockholders whom you rep
 resent. because you have secured loyalty and efficient service. I do not say you
 may not be compelled to reduce wages. You are sorely tried by the results of | labor in other countries receiving very
 much less pay, particularly on account of the present laws of the country which. In pass ns, I should say were passed be- cause those who voted for them believed they were right and would benefit the