Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-08-20
INVESTIGATION Of
STANDARD OIL CO.
COMMISSION SUBMITS REPORT
SCORING CONDITIONS Az
BAYONNE, N. J.
STRIKE BREAKERS ARE THUGS
Wages Too Low to Provide for FAM
iles-Manager Said to Favor
Child Labor-Neighbors
Pay More.

Chicago, Aug. 1.-THE report of
George P. West and c. T. Chenry. who
investigated the July, 1915, strike OK
the Standard Oil employees at Bayonne.
N. j., for the United States commits
sion on industrial relations, was made,
chairman of the commission The re
port said, in part, after stating that
the strike was against the Standard
Oil company of New Jersey
"The company is the most important
of the Standard Oil group, and this
group is the principal contributor to-
the wealth, prestige and power OF the
largest estate in the country, II not i'm
the world, that of John d. Rockefeller
ST., and his immediate family. The
facts regarding the company's labor
policies must, therefore, be regarded
as of special significance because OF
the tremendous power controlled by
the group of men who control this in
dustry and because of their announced
intention to enter the field of indus
trial relations with view to widen
ing their influence and actively propa-
eating what they deem to be the proper
theories and principles that should
govern the relations between employ
er and employee. The following find
ings of fact are to be considered I'm
the light of the foregoing:
"The Standard Oil company of New
Jersey although conducting an enorm-
ously profitable enterprise, pays wages
too low to maintain a family on COM
Portable, healthful basis.
ut fixes wages, not with relation ton
the earnings Of the company, but by
taking into consideration wages paid
by other companies in the same local
ity and then fixing the wage as low
as or lower than the prevailing wage
in that locality. In Bayonne it pai6
common laborers less than those or
two companies whose plants adjoin it's
refineries. This is in direct contra
diction to the claims of the company
in statement issued at 26 Broadway,
that it has always paid the prevailing
wage or better. The statement OF the
.. general manager of the company that
: the same locality are considered in the
5 fixing of wages constitutes, in effect,
D an admission that the company conn
bines with the poorest and least gem
: !, erous employers to fix the wage rate
= 1.-THE company maintains a settled
policy of refusing to deal with any
Il labor organization or professional
0 labor man and even refuses to permit
= those employees who can not speak
y :, English intelligibly to engage an at
= torney as their spokesman and repre-
:, sentative.
g General Manager Clifford is not a
e on the other hand, thinks the chill
dren should be allowed to go to work
L earlier. He and Mr.. Hennessy ap-
!, parently have little respect for the for
: eign-born men whose labor produces
i. the company's earnings and who are
v proponents of the extremely individ-
IL ualistic and reactionary Industrial
n theories discarded by enlightened en-
ployers and by economists many years
N ago."
% The report then recites that the
IS company employed detective agency
e of New York to furnish guards and
" strikebreakers. 1t quoted the attOr-
a. ney for the agency as referring to
st these men as "a lot of thugs" The
p. investigators added their appearance
Is amply justified his use of the term"
lie 1.-TWO days after the men had re-
u turned TO work the Standard Oil COM
&c pany announced increases in wages.
- These increases were less than those
~ demanded by the strikers, and the
re rates being paid are still below those
q paid by one of the other companies
adjoining the Standard Oil company
plant, ii the common labor rate can
be taken as basis of comparison.
"The outcome of the strike constf
% tutes complete victory for the Stand
90 ard Oil company as to it's vital policies
% y that is, its refusal to recognize or per
-. NIT collective action or to make any
n. concession to the men except of ite
Dis own free will and accord"
" The report gives long history Of
IA the strike and of the disorders which
accompanied it. 1t accuses the Stand
ed ard Oil company of urging the Bay
nd onne police to keep strikers off tho
lr- streets and asserts that the attempt
IN to do so caused the first riot OF
ro- July 20.
III