Evening journal., 1916-10-23
ployees as individuals.

permtendent. was elected president
OF the new league. The other officers
are: w. j. Cummings, chief of the
powder department. vice-president:
w. j. LOveioy. assistant chief OF the
powder department. secretary. and
l.. c. Streeter. mechanical superin-
tendent. treasurer.
When a reporter for The World
visited the Haskell plant yesterday
he noticed that a small percentage Of
the employees wore the Hughes but
tons which were distributed at the
trance TO the mills there was a large
colored poster bearing pictures of
Hughes and Fairbanks with local Re
publican candidates. A similar poster
was displayed al the entrance TO the
club house.
This campaign is in no way local
Mr.. Lyman said. Just rs ecOn as the
organizers can get to work and move
ment will be in full operation IN the
other plants We intend 10 10 every
thing possible to enroll our men in
the interests Of our candidates. At
present there is a COMMITTEES at work
tabulating the voters IN this plant. TIE
same thing will be dones in all our
plants, and further campaign appeals
will be made to our employees
When inquiry was made at the du-
POnt COmpany's Offices about The
World story today the publicity bu-
reau said the story in the main was
true. and emphasized hat the COM
pany, as such, is taking no part in the
campaign. although some of its Off
Gals as individuals are. The com
pany's position. it was stated Is set
forth i'm the following letter from
Pierre s. DUPONT. president. appearing
in a Philadelphia newspaper tlday:
The statement in a Woodbury.. y. j..
dispatch. printed in your paper Octo-
Der IS. that the dupont Company had
issued an order 10 its employees for
bidding them to wear Wilson buttons
is untrae. No such order has been
given to any of our men in any of our
plants.
Every individual in the employ of
this company is free TO vote as he
pleases and to work for whatever can
didate. national. State local. he
pleases. HI sstanding as an employC
will be affected in no way by his pc.
litical leanings
The company. as an organization,
has taken no part in the campaign and
has not sought to influence its en-
ployes Its attitude toward many pub
lie questions is well known. and
many Of its men have shown a very
active interest in the campaigns
bearing on their individual welfare.
There is a growing realization That
many acts of the present Administers
ton have been inimical to the inter-
ests OF the company and therefore in
imical to the individuals, who, as en-
ployes OF stockholders. depend on II
for their daily bread.
Men OF both the national parties. VIII
have studied these acts in an impartia
non partisan light, have reached tn
conclusion that they and their familie
will benefit by a change at Washing
ton. They have expressed their view
openly both within the plants and with
out, and neither they nor those VIII
think otherwise have been interfereI
with in the slightest degree by the man
agement.
One of the administration acts e
which strong objection has been mad
is the imposition of the retroactive, dis
criminatory tax on munitions profits.
This levy converts into the nationa
treasury one eighth of the profits iron
the direct sale of munitions. II leave
untaNed the industries which have pro
fted indirectly. but no less certainly
from the sale of munitions. At tin
same time many small levi6s. staml
taxes and the like. which had not beel
considered burdcnsome. but which yield
ed large revenue. were discontinued
showing that the chief aim Of th
trainers Of the bill was not. as had beer
declared, to make up a deficit.
The company has always divided It's
profitsswith its employees. in the form
of bonuses or larger salaries. These
employees do not like the idea Of having
a disproportionate share of the tax
taken out of the industry from which
their living is derived and having thai
living endangered. not only by this &C
but by the possibility of its repetition
The cavalier dismissal of the du
POnt Company OFFER to build a plant
for the flxation OF atmospheric nitro
the interest Of the men. This offer was
to supply the explosives industry with
nitric acid from the air by processes
which involved the use of the govern
ment-contrOlled water lowers. Tit
government was to profit largely b,
this; but Cong. ess gave the offer NJ
consideration. Instead, 4 passed a bill
appropriating $4,000 900 for a govern
ment plant. and threatened at the
same time both the powder industr,
and the fertilizer industry by peace
time manufacture of heterogeneous ma
terial in this government plant.
Instead OF taking advantage OF tn,
preparedness OF the powder industry
plants and organizations havinl
been expanded and perfected by sew
eral companies TO meet the demandl
OF the European war-the admin,stra
ton took measures to establish
third powder plant OF its own
All of these acts were discussed II
an official way by the company at tn
| time they we're under consideration a
Washington. The company's position
and the public's interest we're sc
forth definitely in each case. and il
each case its offers. its protests an
both interests were ignored.
All of these facts are OF record ant
are known 10 the men. Some OF thu
employees have not hesitated TO EN-
phasize their importance in discuss
ing the political situation. But tn
company. officially, has not in any wa,
attempted TO influence the votes o
its employees.
e. /. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO
PIERRE S. DUPONT,
President.