The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-08-19
STANDARD OIL IS
UNFAIR REPORT Of
INVESTIGATORS
Wages Paid BY Operators Are
Lowest ~PossibIe-Employes
Have No Rights of
Protest.
EMPLOYERS I'M A COMBINE
Plant superintendent Enter
Agreements With Other En-
ployers to Keep Wages Low
John D. Won Strike.
EMPLOYERS IN A COMBINE

George p. West and c.. T. Chenery, who
investigated the July, 1915, strike of
the Standard Oil company employees,
at Bayonne, N. j., for the United
States commission on Industrial rela-
tons, vas made public last night by
Frank P. Walsh, chairman of the COM
mission. The report said in part, aft
er stating that the strike was against
the Standard Oil Company of New
Jersey:
This company is the most impor-
tant of the Standard Oil group, and
this group is the principal contributor
to the wealth, prestige n power of
the largest estate in the country, If
not in the world, that of John d. Rock
e%feller, ST., and his Immediate family.
Wages Too Low.
THE fact regarding the company's
labor policies must, therefore, be re-
garded as of special Importance, 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 a view Of
widening their Influence and activity,
propagating what they deem to be the
proper theories and principles that
should govern the relations between
employer and employee. The follow
Ing findings of facts are to be con-
sidered in he light of the foregoing:
LA SldIudTQ ol1y OIL
New Jersey, although conducting an
enormously profitable enterprise, pays
wages too low to maintain a family on
a comfortable, healthful basis.
A Selfish Combination.
1t iXes wages, not with relation to
the earnings of the company, but by
taking into consideration wages paid
by other companies in same locality
and then fixing the wages as low or
lower tha the prevailing wage in that
locality. In Bayonne it paid common
laborers less than the companies whose
plants adjoin it's refineries. This is in
direct contradiction to the claim of the
company in a statement issued at 26
Broadway that it has always paid the
prevailing wages or better. The state
ment of the general of the
company that the interests Of the other
companies in the same locality are
considered in the fixing of wages con-
stitutes in effect an admission that
the company combines with the poor
est and least generous employers to
fix the wage rate.
The company maintains a settled
policy of refusing to deal with any
labor organization or professional
labor man, and eve refuses to per-
NIT those employees who cannot speak
English intelligibly to engage an at
torney as their spokesman and rep
resentative."
~ - ILLS last III lul lIiGl- III
the report, it is stated hat Paul Su-
pinsky, a Jersey City attorney, visited
General Superintendent Hennessy, Of
the company, as spokesman For a com
mittee of six employees who had hired
hin to negotiate for them.
1t was further stated that Mr.. Hem
messy, acting in conjunction with Mr..
Clifford, general manager of the COM
pany, refused point blank to consider
the demands nj expressed i%ndigna-
f1nn ~ fhnfG tho MAN oJI IS 1O,ru
gagged a ~nonemploye of the company to
aid them in presenting their griev-
ances."
The men are made to understand
the report continued, that they must
seek no outside assistance in their
dealings with the management, and
that any show of independence or any
hint of ~compulsion will be vigorously
resented.
Hire Thugs for Guards.
The company has instituted no ma
chinery by which real or fancied griey-
ances may be peacefully and promptly
adjusted. The officials say that any
man has access to the general superin-
tendent, but the employees allege that
they would be discharged before leav-
ing the office.
General Manager Clifford is NOT 4
believer in child labor legislation, and
thinks the children should be allowed
TO go to work earlier. He and Mr..
Iieiinessy apparently nave little re-
spect for the foreign born men whose
labor produces the company's earn
1ngs n who are proponents of the
extremely individualistic and reaction
airy Industrial theories discarded by
enlightened employers and by econo-
mist5 many years ago."
The report then recited that the
company employed q detective agency
or New York city to furnish guards
and strikebreakers. 1t quoted the at
t. fOrnnUH fn~ tIN4 - -, -.N.LE 80
the men as "a lot Of thugs"
Ihe strike was broken by Sheriff
klnkead," the report stated, who first
overawed and disorganized the strik-
ers by ~assaulting and arresting one OF
their leaders and then strengthehed
his control over them by promising to
use his influence to obtain an Increase
guards ~
In another section of the report it
was stated that the sherifr's alleged
assault was upon "a young Elizabeth
City socialist by the name 81 ,Jere-
miah Baily."
ne report asserted that the sheriff
nad suggested Baily as a member OF
the strike committee, and when the
man vert to the plant to draw back
pay insisted that Baily, not being an
empioye OF the be barred
from the pay window, and that the
shefiiT Irst beat him ~viciously' and
then arrested him.
Then a Small Advance.
Sheriff Kinkead, of course, had TIL.
cordial approval OF Standard Oil CON-
pany officials, who were thus enabled
to maintain their refusal to make anv
concession to the men until the men
returned to work, and had in effect
thrown themselves upon the bounty
Of the company" continued the reporf
The outcome of the strike consti-
tutes a complete victory for the Stand
ard Oil company as to it's vital poll
cies. that is. its refusal to recognize
or permit collective action or to max
anT concession to the men except Of