New Britain herald., 1915-01-21
AWAY BEHIND EUROPE
 IN NECESSARY LAWS
CugQenhein Tells Federal CommiS- sion on Industrial Relations.

New York. Jan. 2l.-Daniel Gus-
 senheim, president of the American
 Smelling and Refining company, was
 lhQ first to be questioned today by
 the federal commission on industrial relations, which is seeking a solution Of the unemployment question. Mr. Guggenheim named many corpora tons in which he and his brothers are directors. The witness did not know how many men are employed by any of the companies with which ne IS connected. He kept himself advised as to labor conditions among his en-
 ployes, he said. and for that purpose
 Frequently visited the N;!r.oCi plants.
 The executive committees of the va
 rious companies. he said, were con-
 stantly visiting plants and mines, to
 keep themselves; informed as to con- dliiDD&. NIr. GugEenhcin, said that l in the mining business the directors and not the stockholders were abso- lutely responsible for abor anu, other l conditions.
 Installed Many Devices. The witness said the American Smelling and Refining company had installed many devices not only to improve labor conditions, but to raise the standard of efficiency. MT. GuS- gcnhe!m discussed at length tie va rious ways :n which the company had tried to better working conditions. Commissioner Walsh read from a government report an extract regard ing s> strike at the Perth Amboy plant, N which it Was asserted the workers generally were receiving SLIGO ] day. Alr. Guggenheim said he had sent ar investigator there and adjustments
 Tad resulted. A man on the staff of Woodrow Wilson, then governor of
 New Jersey. who had also been sent
 as an investigator by the governor . had called MT. Guggenheim up on the telephone and complimented him
 upon the successful adjustment of the
 wage and other questions, the wit
 ness said
 Eight Hours Day.
 The witness said he did not believe
 lnborers in smelling and refining works should be permitted to work | nsare than eight hours a day. The increasing high cost of living, the witness believed, was the cause of unrest among workers. The Z American Smelling and Refining com- pany had no objection to organizers 7 going among the employees, provided
 they did not interfere with the opera
 liens of the plants. MT. Guggenheim
 said he believed industrial discontent DS<as on the increase and had been for
 some years and will continue to in crease unless some remedial measures . are taken" he continued. "The 1 trouble is we haven't had enough legislation We are away behind Europe. We need more business legis- ldtion., = ..s < "e-rs&. al a~~ @-r~ '~0 r Rockefeller Follows Testimony. John D. Rockefeller, IT,, sitting in the audience, across an aisle from Mother Jones, followed MT. Guggen-
 heins testimony closely.
 Mr. Guggenheim said he didn't want to advertise' the phianthropic organizations with which he was con- nected
 .'I don't want to tell what I've done.' he said. i've done all that can. I don't think any of us give k enough. I'll tell you, though, that I am interested in many hospitals, homes and aid societies.
 Should Tax Fortunes. It is the duty of the state and ma tional governments to find work for the unemployed and provide free at-
 teation in hospitals for persons who
 need it, MT. Guggenheim said. Many 1 people don't want charity,' he con- tiuued. They want work. The state should find it for them. The state i should tax great fortunes when rich men die, and thereby receive money to take care of the people until they can get along."
 Workers should be taught to save, he said. They cannot save now be- l cause they don't get enough money to permit it. They should, he said, receive part of the profits of the industries in which they were en- ployed.
 Bad Capitalists. There were bad trusts and bad cap italists as well as bad unions, MT. Guggenheim said. The Am eriCan Snlelting and Refining company op- crates open shops, he testified, be- run the business. The management l however, would trent With unions. or
 with tho men collectively the same
 ns with individual workers.
 Another reason why the Am cctcon
 Smelting ana Refining company cp-
 crates open shops, Nv. 3uggenhein 1 continued. IS because l: does not be. :.eye 1t has :1x1t 70 ocn:1o1 . work
 ers' actions any moro than it mac 70 say what he shall sat and vixen h< 3pal go to bod. Personal liberty
 demands open shops, M-. Guggen~