The Spectator., 1915-07-02
WILL ENLARGE ITS PLANTS
Bethlehem Steel Company Has De- clded to Spend Twelve Million
 Dollars for That Purpose.

becduSS or neaVy domestic orders as well as war orders, the Bethlehem Steel company Is to spend S12,500, ,000 In enlarging its plants at South Beth lehem, Pa. The company announced that 1t had received an order from the Pennsylvania Railroad company for 5000 tons of steel rails. The steel com pany Is to build new mill and en- large others on the former Jersey Zinc company's property at a cost of $10,- 100000. The product at these plants Is to be open hearth steel bars for the open market. At the Saucon plant ten open hearth furnaces, to have a capacity of 5000 tons month, are now under construction. This plant will make structural steel and rails. The Lehigh plant is to have a modern furnace to cost $2,500.0O0
 The Cedar Cliff silk company an- nounced its plant at Paterson, N. J.. would close until further notice and the work be transferred to it's branch at Binghamton, N. Y, and the Schwar- zenbach-Huber company of Stirling started to make good its declared in tention of moving it's plant from that place. The Cedar Cliff company said its move was made because of lack of orders, but General Manager Spengle- man admitted the dominance of the Socialist element in Haledon Borough where the mill is located, had some thing to do with the situation, as the company had difficulty in getting work men at wages admitting of competi- tion with firms located elsewhere in the city limits
 The miners employed by the Calu- met & Hecla are sharing in the dis tribution of $500,000 extra money. rep resenting the amount the men lost in wages during the recent depression Last fall the men were put on short time and had their wages reduced, on account of depression The office help was cut 15 per cent at that time The men were later reinstated at the old wages and on full time, but it was de cidcd that the copper boom warranted the gift by the copper magnates to the men of the wages lost in the depres- sion.
 AS basis of settlement of the cot ton trade dispute the British board of trade requested the manufacturers' as- sociation and the operatives organixa- tions concerned to submit to the de- cision of the committee on production as to what, if any. increase of wages shall be made. It Is understood that acceptance of this proposal will be fol lowed by an immediate resumption of work and the withdrawal of the de- mands of the operatives and the no tces threatening lockouts issued by the manufacturers.
 Former President Taft, in an ad. dress at the commencement exercises of the Wentworth institute at Boston, both commended and criticized labor unions. He declared that the unions had maintained wages and had pro- cured Legislation advantageous to the employees He contended. on the other hand. that initiative was de- stroysd and ambition taken away by the closed shop system. which he char acterized as a narrow policy and one that did not encourage great skill. at- tention or speed.
 By decision of an official arbitrator. wages of coal miners in the South Wales coal fields have been advanced. Miners asked 12h per cent advance on actual earnings Owners offered ten per cent on standard wages. The arbitrator awarded 17h per cent on standard. equal to II per cent on earn what they asked. The minimum wage of skilled collier will henceforth be $11.S7 per week. Actual earnings may be taken at double this sum.
 The Pennsylvania supreme court has sustained a verdict of $6.196, recov- cred by George Case. a carpenter fin an action against the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company. His right arm was crushed by the falling of . heavy timber. due to the breaking of . chain. In other words. the employer was held liable for injury caused by defective tool or instrument.
 The United States Steel corpora ton's monthly report shows an in- crease last month of 102,35 tons in the thrilled orders on the books, mak. ing the total 4,264,59S tons. which is 266,43 tons more than the figures of year ago In May last year there was a decrease of 278.908 tons. and in April this year decrease of 93,505 tons
 Three thousand men. employed at the Smithfield meat market in London. have volunteered to work four hours a day in turning out munitions of war A committee formed to put this plan into effect purposes to close the mar ket two hours earlier than at present on four days of the week. to offset in part the increase in working hours.
 Alba B. Johnson. president of the Baldwin Locomotive works fin Phila-