The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-03-18

sons who have been spoiled with
money and colleges. Moreover, If you
rich eastern people have no sons to
send, then you ship, as foremen and
designers, poor, broken down or unin-
+ telligent relatives, whom YOU would
/ otherwise be obliged To support. Mind
you, | don't begrudge giving these
people good wages but I do oppose
giving them positions of authority
and responsibility"
Ford Unpopular With Both Elements.
Like most moi. with real Individual
ity Mr. Ford is unpopular with tho
/ leaders of both sides of the Industrial
conflict. l mean that Mr.. Ford Is dis
liked by the typical labor leHder as
we'll as by the standpat manufacturer.
The men Of the Ford Motor Company
are not unionized As | had heard
many consisting statements as to Mr..
Ford's attitude tward labor unions,
| frankly told him what | had heard
and asked him to confess. This is
what he said;
Mr.. Babson, I believe that labor
unions are like everything else in this
world, a source of both good anF
evil. | believe that they are necessary
in cert2in plants In order for the men
to get any kind of square deal. | SYM
pathize with labor, and were
workman in the average plant would
be a member of and a worker for my
union.
When He Opposed Un 'oniz,ng His Men
After however the object for which
union is formed has been obtained
| feel that it can become a source Of
harm to an organization. have
frankly opposed the unionizing Of my
workers. Here wages are above the
highest of union wages, our workday
is only eight hours and the factory
conditions are equal if not superior
to any plant of its size in the world
Now there is nothing that a union
could do for our men and it might
tend to retard the efficiency of the plant
If so 1t would bring disaster to all of
U.S.
Il look upon labor unions as great
industrial Jewelers.. For men receiv-
ing wages and working under condti-
ons below the average, the unions are
Of great help, but for men receiving
wages and working under conditions
above the average the unions may be
a detriment"
| then asked Mr. Fard why 1t Is
that men receive wages and treatment
below the average and others receive
wages and treatment above the ev-
ernge, and again he broke loose This
time he stood up and went to the WIN
dow that looks down upon his great
building and said
Emphasizes His Meaning.
Mr. Babson, have you missed the
point of all my remarks? Must | start
at tho beginning and explain again to
you what said about absentee owner
ship? 1t Is the same old story.
an the plants operated by distant
stockholders who have no knowledge
Iof the business and no acquaintance
: with the employers or the conditions
, under which they are living, the wor-
f kers are receiving treatment below
the average level Men employed in
, such plants need to unionize and to
employ leaders to fight for them
"Such plants as a rule are not only
being operated ineficiently but every
thing is being sacrificed to pay divi-
: dends on stock, much of which is fic-
? titious and represents no real good to
the company. Wipe out such stock and
! place the management Of such plants
in the hands Of men brought up in the
business and the workers could and
! would then be given proper treatment,
so that the need Of a union would not
, exist. Yes, then IS day could perhaps
/, be paid, with as much left for divi-
J dends as a present"