The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1915-08-19
STANDARD WAGES
THOUGHT TOO Low
Company Blamed for Strike by
Federal Investigators.
PAY LESS THAN COMFORTABLE LIVING
Settled Policy Toward Employees Is
Criticised Laws Against Child
Labor Strongly Opposed.
PAY LESS THAN COMFORTABLE LIVING

Chicago.-The report OF George P.
West and C.. T. Chenery, who investi-
gated the July. 1915. strike of the
Standard Oil Company employees at
Bayonne, N. j., for the United States
Commission on Industrial Relations,
was made public by Frank P. Walsh,
chairman of the commission. The re-
port said, in part, after stating that
the strike was against the Standard
Oil Company of New Jersey:
1.-THE company is the most import
ant 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, IL not
in the world, that of John d. Rookie
Teller, ST., and his immediate family.
The facts regarding the company's
labor policies must, therefore, be re-
garded as Of special Significance be-
cause of the tremendous power WELD
ed by the group of men who control
this industry and because of their an
nounced intention to enter the field of
industrial relations with view to
widening their influence and activity,
proper theories and principles that
ouOuiQ 6ONClh tlAC AClabiOio DCtu CCti
employer and employee"
The following findings of fact are
| to be considered in the light Of the
| foregoing:
1.-THE Standard Oil company, of New
Jersey, although conducting an enor-
mousiy profitable enterprise, pays
wages too low to maintain a family
on a comfortable, healthful basis.
,af xrrffI at ffkr1
to the earnings of the company, but
by taking into consideration wages
paid by other companies in the same
locality and then fixing the wage as
low or lower than the prevailing wage
in that locality. In Bayonne it paid
common laborers less than those o.
two companies whose plants adjoiI
its refineries. This is in direct con
tradiction to the claims Of the com
pany in a statement issued at q
Broadway that it has always paid thu
prevailing wage or better. The state
ment of the general manager OF thu
company that the interests of othe
companies in the same locality ar
considered in the fixing of wages con
stitutes in effect an admission tina
the company combines with the poor
est and least generous employers t
fix the wage rate.
1.-THE company has instituted no ma
chinery by which real or fancie'
grievances may be peacefully an
promptly adjusted. The officials sa
that any man has access to the ger
eral superintendent, but the employee
allege that they would be discharge
before reaching the office
General Manager Clifford is not
believer in child-labor legislation, an
on the other hand, thinks the childre
should be allowed to go to wor
earlier. He and Mr.. Hennessy appal
emily have little respect for the TO
eign-born men whose labor produce
the company's earnings and are PR
ponents of the extremely individual
? istic and reactionary industrial thee
!, les discarded by enlightened emplo,
2 ers and by economists many year
5 ago."
t The report then recited that tn
company employed a detective agenc
of New York City to furnish guart
and strikebreakers. 1t quoted the a
:. torney for the agency as referring
e these men as "a lot of thugs" The i
3 vestigators added: Their appea
5 ance amply justified his use of IL
e term"
1.-THE strike was broken by Sheri
Eugene Kinkhead," the report state
who first overawed and disorganizs
? the strikers by assaulting and arres
! ing one of their leaders and the
'. strengthened his control over them
!, promising to use his influence to o
10 tain an increase in wages and by q
st resting 80 of the armed guards"