Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-05
| AUDS WILSON AS
FRIEND OF LABOR
IN STRIKE CRISIS
Sp. Alias, Washington Representa-
tive of Machinists, Praises Stabes-
manship of the President.
rS HEARD AT WATCH TOWER
Congressman Clyde III. Tavenner is Al
SO Given Endorsement Because
of Interest in Workers.

having at its head during the recent
proposed railroad strike, man with
the foresight and wisdom of Woodrow
wilson. Had there been in the presi-
dents chair one with less courage and
vision. this country today would have
heen in the grasp Of the greatest in
Sustrial disaster OF its history" was
the statement which y. r Alifas, rep
rasentative Of the International Assoc
ciarion of Nachinists at Washington,
n C.. made at the tri-city Labor day
celebration al Watch Tower yesterday
afternoon.
Mr.. Atlas explained that the great
victory which the brotherhOods gained
was not an individual one but was the
elimination of a series of successes in
behalf of the toiIers. He said that af-
Ter fight lasting 10 years, in 1911 and
1912 the contest for an eight-hour day
in plants holding government con-
tracts was carried TO a satisfactory
conclusion The government already
had placed the eight-hour day in effect
in its own plants.
Has Been Long Struggle.
Then came the struggle for an eight
hour dav in plants manufacturing mu-
nitions Of war and this was followed
by the recent demand of the railroad
employees for the same concession.
Wilson saw into the future" con-
tinued Mr. Alifas in discussing the de-
q mand OF the railroad men. After the
railroads had refused to grant al
eight-hour day. he took the situation in
hand. He knew that it was a just de-
nand and took action which practical
" forced congress to at once PISS leg
islation which recognized the principle
for which the brotherhoods were con-
tending and saved the United States
from experiencing the biggest te-up OF
transportation on record"
The speaker talked of some of the
things which had made possible the
legislation such as the eight-hOur bill
which was passed at the direction of
President Wilson Saturday evening
He said that much had been accOmp-
lished through the excellent organiza-
ton which the labor forces have built
up. He spoke of the dues it has taken,
the discipline it has enforced and the
curbing of the processes Of injunc-
ton as potent factors in the prelim-
mary work Of educating the public
along the lines Of remedial labor meas
ures.
Hits Taylor System.
The abolition of the Taylor system
was also mentioned. He pointed out
the evils OF the stop watch system
which was proposed for workers in the
government plants and declared that
the plan was founded on the jungle
law of the survival OF the f1ttest.'
During the last two years our
fight against the Taylor system in con-
gress has been carried on by Congress-
man Tavenner." said Mr.. Alias, and
through his untiring efforts the system
has been abolished at the WatertOwn
plant where it had been fully estab
lished and this leads TO the inference
that ii is soon TO be dropped at all OF
the governments plants. But the eff
forts Of Congressman Tavenner
against the Taylor system We're
strongly opposed. especially by Sena-
tors Root, Weeks, Oliver and other re-
dictionaries Of their type, not to men
ton a senator from Illinois Senator
Sherman was highly lncensed when he
thought the stop watch was being
held on him last week in forcing the
passage of the eight-hour bill, but he
was outspoken in his efforts to have
the stop watch used on someone else.
II was quite a different thing when it
effected a mere toiler.
SLdHu by IdNPHUeEs
Il want 10 see the people OF this dis
trict stand by Congressman Tavenner.
II the workers want to have any leg
islation passed in their interests, they
should see that he is reelected. Other
candidates may be telling you what
they would do in regard TO the Mexi-
can situation? But that is OF minor
Importance. None of us expect TO in
vest our money there or TO even cross
the border line. The important thing
Is what is 70 be done for the workers
IN this country. Tavenner has shown
where he stands and can be trusted to
hight in the toilers behalf"
Thompson Wins Applause.
States Attorney F. Z. Thompson
made a decided hit with d brief ad-
dress, in which he outlined his ideas
OF the labor question and said that III
his opinion that this WILL be settled
when capital and labor can have fair
ness enough 10 consider the public's
interest as we'll as their own in dis
cussing their differences.
He said that he favored the organ
'zaron OF the workers and spoke OF
the value OF cooperation among the
toilers. He said the labor problem
was largely due 10 the growth of giant
0OHiuerclal enterprises. lie pointed
out that in the old days when owners
employed but two or three men, the
employers had a chance 10 personally
Know their workers and therefore dit
ierences between them as TO wages or
hours were easily adjusted but at the
present time IL is impossible for en-
p!oyers 70 know their thousands of
employees and this has made IL impera-
i've that the men, in order TO protect
tneir own interests should organize
ana have committees TO wait on the
owners in order to consider matters of
mutual interest
States Attorney Thompson said tina:
hlne-tenths OF the people of this
country were laborers and that the
trouble with the capitalists was tina:
they did not understand the real
meaning OF labor and therefore found
ASK FOR and GET