The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1914-01-21
LET EMPLOYER MEET
THE WAGE GARNER
Continued from Page One.)


good homes, chance to save a little
money, well fed children and content
ment."
Bass reported that only one union
In the city was now having any trou-
bic, the stage mechanics union OF
which he is member. He said that
only conservative methods would be
resorted to by the members of this I'M
ion to win their fight for recognition
Special guests of the Central Trades
council were Mayor w. j.. Robbins, eX-
mayor DR.. w. w Zimmerman, Chief
of Police Harry Goodwin, ex-chief l.
A. Gormon, Charles w. Jordan, Ru-
dolph G.. Leeds, Edward II. Harris,
Luther NJ Feeger, w. r. Poundstone
and l.. NJ. Shaw. Interesting toasts
were responded to by these guests,
although several of them were really
too full of provender for utterance,
having previously attended the Com
mercial club banquet at the Westcott
hotel in honor of delegation OF Ma
rion business men.
Fahlsina Presides.
William Fahlsing of the painters un-
ion and president of the trades council
presided over the banquet and showed
himself to be an exceptionally we'll
qualified POSTMASTER. President Fahl-
sing is we'll posted on labor questions
and contributed numerous interesting
I comments during the course of the
evening in introducing speakers.
President Fahlsing turned on the
flow of oratory for the evening by urg-
ing all classes of citizens to put their
shoulders to the wheel in a combined
and well directed effort to make Rich
mond bigger and better place for
all of us to live in" He predicted a
prosperous year for the city and then
introduced Mayor Robbins as the first
speaker. The mayor, suffering from
the effects of an overly burdened COM
missiary department, obtained at the
earlier banquet, called for boiler
maker to refine his boiler. Laughter
greeted this sally but to his sorrow no
boilermaker was present. Mr. Robbins
traced the history of the labor move
ment and declared himself the good
friend of the trades unions, declaring
that It had been not only beneficial
to the workers of this country but also
to the republic.
CrIticises Piece System.
DR.. Zimmerman, Drawing threat OF
pneumonia to attend the banquet, also
spoke in high praise of unions but eX-
pressed the opinion that each union
should have a working standard to
compel all its members to render ex-
pert and competent services. He also
sharply criticised the piece-work pay
ment system, declaring he had once
been a victim of it when he was a
casketmaker. Under this system the
scale of wages is fixed by the work
70 #
worker, he said.
Toastmaster Fahlsing defended the
wage scale system under trades un-
ionism. ''This scale is established for
the poorest mechanic" he said. THAT
insureS such men a fair wage. The
better wOrkmen are rewarded by re-
ceiving more pay than the scale calls
for. In every union workman when
he joins it serves a probationary term
and if he cannot do enough work to
merit the wage scale he is appren-
ticed at smaller wages. II union work
men were placed on graded wage
scale there might as we'll be no unions,
for petty jealOusies would be aroused !;
the workman receives less wages than
one of his fellows would be envious of
him and the seeds of discord would
be sown at once
First Lock Out.
r. G. leeds remarked when called
npon for an address that the funda
mental cause for unionism was the
clock out" Of Adam and Eve from the
Garden of Eden.
Referring to the movement started
last fall to thoroughly organize the va
rous crafts of the city, Mr.. Leeds
stated he was in sympathy with the
movement If it were carried out in a
busness-like, comprehensive and fail
manner He said he had been an EN-
ployer of union men ever since he
had entered the newspaper business
and regarded union labor as one of the
most valuable assets of his business
because he was guaranteed eXperI
workmanship and full service.
When you consider your wage
scales, don't make them above the
scales paid by competitors of your EN-
ployers in other towns, because if you
do that provides unfair competition
for your employers" said Mr.. Leeds
and he cited a few examples of the
injustice Of such action. This advice
was received with hearty applause.
Differs With Gompers.
Mr.. Leeds also took exceptions te
the action of President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor in de
nouncing the efficiency wage scale
and he predicted the time when il
would be generally established, to the
'immeasura BILE benefit of both employ
es and employers"
Mr.. Jordan Of the Commercial Clu!
followed with a very interesting ad
dress. He said he stood for the cause
of union labor and that it was as un