The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-02-10
SAYS HE'S WORN
/. SUIT NINE YEARS
Testimony Of Striker At
Investigation.
EFFORTS TO MAKE ENOS MEET
Futile. He Says-Director
Knew Nothing OF EN-.
pl0yes' Struggles.
SAYS NONE cF his BUSINESS

New York, Feb Am inquiry
into the strike ct me Chrome and
Roosevelt IN. - plants of the
American Agricultural ), Chemical
Company. which resulted in the re-
cent shooting and killing of strikers,
to-day was inaugurated BY the Fed
eral Commission, on Industrial Rela-
tions. Tho commission had before
II one of the strikers and one of the
Directors of the company.
The striker was Antonio Wsaiter.
who testified he tried to support a
wife and five children on a wage of
$3.50 a day and failed. Even with
additional money his wife was able
to earn he could not pay for the
bare necessaries OF life. he said So
he ran into debt. He said he had
worn one suit of clothes for nine
years as his Sunday best"
The Director was A. Barton Hep
burn. who is also Chairman of the
Board OF Directors of the Chase Ma
tional Bank of New York City, and
one OF the trustees of the ROckefel-
Ter Foundation.
D. Hepburn said he know nothing
about the condition OF the employ
ees OF the chemical company and he
never had visited the plants in New
Jersey. He first learned that strik-
ers had been shot when he read it in
the newspapers.
He then called up an official of
the com pany and was told that the
men were On strike, for more
wages and shorter working hours. -
The official also told him that he
believed the strike would be OF
short duration, as there were many
men looking for the places the
strikers had vacated.
AS stakeholder, the witness
said, he did not consider himself re-
sponsible for the conditions at
Roosevelt. He defended the Rookie
Teller Foundation. its purposes and
policies. and said he did not know
that among the securities held by il
were those of the American Agricul-
tural Chemical Company.
Other witnesses to-day were Geo.
w. Kirchwey. professor OF law at
Columbia University. and Morris
Hillquit, Socialist writer.
Prof. Kirchwey gave IL as his
opinion that there was some doubt
that the charters OF the Rockefeller
and Carnegie Foundations were con-
stitutional. as they failed properly
to define the scope aud purposes of
the institutions.
hillquit assailed the philanthropy
ic Foundations as being lat the bot
tom OF business enterprises founded
by capitalists. not to relieve the suf-
fering OF their fellow rnen, hat as q
means of strengthening their own
social and economic position. While
the Rockefeller relief ships for
Belgium were being loaded he said.
thousands OF American workers
were suffering with hunger within
one mile of &c broadway.
Waiter. the striker, produced
bills to show that. living economic
ally. II cost $40 month to pay all
his expenses-those OF his wife and
his children.
Waiter said that he lid bought
one suit oil clothes in the last nine
years. Even when he was getting
SO a day, before the wage sut. he
could not buy the necessaries OF
life. AT si.60 day he couldn't
buy enough food for his family.
Commissioner Weinstock tried to
find out from the witness where he
made mp the monthly difference be-
tween his wages and his expenses OF
about $50. Waiter said he worked
extra every Sunday. and that his
vile went out To do Washing and
other odd work, The witness owes
SIS now to the butcher. baker. gro
ser and SO on. What his wife earn
ed she spent on her children. said
Waiter.
Hepburn's attention was called TO
the testimony OF Waiter. Il think
the condittons sat Roosevelt are en-
tirsly pnse<ipfsetory." hs said.
However, the responsibility OF