The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-17
Labor Organizer Says Now Is the Time to Shorten
 Hours for Machinists
TELLS OF ACTIVITIES
 IN LAST FEW MONTHS
Shows Reporter List of Plants at Which Workers Have Secured Increase in Wages and
 Better Hours

General Organizer NJ C McMahon of the International Machinists' union de- nied last night that German influences had anything to do with his plans to induce the officials of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company to grant an eight-hour day to it's machnists. MT McMahon also specifically denied that he was in the city to nstigate labor troubles
 Organizer McMahon has been in Bir- mingham. he admitted for several weeks although he would frequently leave the city to visit New Orleans. Baton Rouge and other cities of the south where mu nitions of war for the allies are being manufactured In every one of these cltles' Mr. MeMahon stated that he had been successful in securing increases in wages and also the shortening of work ing hours
 MT McMahon stated that since Presl- dent Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor had made the state ment that the strikes in the ca stern states had been occa stoned through the use of German gold, the suspicion was general that Ambassador Von Bernstorff practi-
 
 of the International Machinists' union However, MT McMahon denied that such was the case and said the fact was that so much activity was shown among the plants manufacturing munitions because the machinists realized their chance had come after years of struggle. He said
 Aided 46,OOO Workers
 'AS tla tfo onf,, tions throughout the United States are becoming millionaires through the labor Of the working classes we believe that We are justified in seizing the opportunity and demanding better hours, better pay and better working conditions. In the past two months 46,0OO men have secured shorter hours and better wages through our efforts"
 MT. McMahon stated that the macbin- ists in the railroad shops would not be bothered. as they were getting a good rate, However, in the case of the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad companv the machinists had always had a long hour schedule, though Mir McMahon ad- mitted that the rate of 3S cents an hour paid at the Ensley plant was above the rate paid in the north in ordinary times MT. McMahon stated that the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company was manufacturing steel billets for the allies and had large contracts
 AS George Gordon Crawford president or the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company, was out of the city yesterday. Organizer McMahon was unable to ar range conference on the subject of the eight-hour day at the Ensley plant How ever, MT. McMahon stated that he had talked with Frank H. Crockard vice president of the company, but would not diVulge the result of the meeting
 'I am not here to instigate strikes said MT. McMahon. but to convince tho manufacturers that our cause is right We are getting results all along the line among the plants that are manufa curing munitions of war for the allies and I anticipate no trouble in Birmingham'
 List of Plants Affected
 After making this statement Organizer McMahon showed the reporter list of plants manufacturing supplies for the al- lies that had been affected by the sud- den desire of the International Machin- ists union. The list gives the names of the plants and the men effected:
 BRIDGEPORT. CONN