Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-22
Editors Letter Box
The Labor Problem, Article e.

The Labor Problem, Article.2.
Editor Kennebec Journal:
| broke off in my first article telling
| the readers of the Kennebec journal
what a nice time white people were
having in the Hawaiian Islands
believe it is absolutely true of women,
especially society ladies': all they have
! to do is to entertain and be enter
tanned in lunches, dinners and dances
and all labor connected Herewith is
done by japanese servants. More
over when young society women want
to get married there are plenty Of
captains. iieutenants and corporals
nearby. No wonder they call Homo
lulu the Paradise of the Pacific" l
believe l told how the contract labor
system-Once in vogue-was abolished
and a new regime established. 1t was
all accomplished by organized labor.
! That was one of it's beauties. It's
economic value came in better labor
and better product for the market.
/ believe in organized labor-that is in
Unions when they have the right lead
ers. Bad leaders and more especial
ly agitators, lead to mischief only. 1t
is safe to say no one believes in,
tyrannical methods either by employ
ers or employed, but sometimes manu-
facturers and corporations adopt
methods. which will not exactly tyran-
nical are subversiye of the best inter-
ests Of the employed.
For instance, when corporation
takes a contract and puts on large
number of apprentices at one dollar
per day for six months or year, they
are getting lot of work done too
cheaply, work that requires skilled
labor and big pay and consequently it
throws out Of employment good
many men who would be glad to earn
a decent living. Therefore a large
number of employees commenced kick
ing and they kicked to some purpose
for employers j., then revised their
schedules agreeing to put on limited
number of apprentices. 1t was right
hand blow on thelja of the employ
er and it,.hurt Some, but good came
out of it in the END. -.,...
The blow they struck at the manu-
facturers was a light one compared to
the one aimed at the farmers-that
was a. complete knockout. How did
that happen. you ask? 1t was this
; way. In the fifties and sixties-think
! it was-Frepch Canadians came
} through and helped Maine farmers do
their haying and then returned and
did their own haying. They were
splendid workmen and worked for
$3.50 per day and board. They came
in teams, paying $40 for each horse
as they crossed the border receiving
their money back on their return UNI
less the horse or horses and team
E were sold on this side. The Unions
then commenced their warfare and SO
strong was the influence they brought
to bear -upon the Legislature the
thing was stopped by law. Then the
Canadians came by rail by way Of
, Lewiston. That too was stopped by
law and the joke of the whole thing
, was, it was done by the votes of the
farmers themselves, for they COM
prise as they usually do two-thirds or
more of the Legislature. They cut
their own threats. The fact is. a
, farmer can be twisted around the lit
tie finger of an astute lawyer.
I have had all kinds of labor in my
day. Native, French, English, Irish
Negro, Swede and Armenian. The
>Armenians were fine fellows and good
workers. But l must acknowledge
that without exception two French
Canadians from Waterville were the
best help ever had. l never had to
call them in the morning and they
, would take no incoming after dinner
: though l urged them to do so-in hay
ing time. 1 paid them $3.50 per day
, and board the first year and $2.75 the
! second year and then l hired each OF
: them for four months after haying al
$4,000 per month and board in relay
ing stone walls and in Undertaking
But there is one thing / do kick at
and l am going to keep kicking at II
until there is reform or l will do my
own painting and papering. masonry
and carpenter work. / can do most
anything except build a ship or run g
} newspaper. When a contractor either
in painting or carpentery takes job
charges me s2.75 per day for every
man he sends. but pays those same
men only $3.50 per day, have nothing
, to say; it may be all right for him to
make % cents on each man for he
, runs some risk in taking the job, but
what 1 most decidedly object to is
there sending me-in place sof the
b$2.75 mana man not worth over $l.5f
per day and sometimes only $1.00
. There's where the shoe pinches.
fdpn't object to eight hours as days
work, / think that is enough on a
steady job. Ny goodness! could
write book on this subject; it might
not be very interesting, nevertheless
it would be book. / am not quite
done for intend to haul lot Of peo-
|. pie over the Goals Of criticism.
Hallowell, Me. w. p. A.
i PEOPLE Say To Us