The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-07
Addresses Detroit Manufactur-
ers Who Hire 100000 Men.
Praises Them for Interest
Shown in Human Welfare.
SPEECH TO WOMEN ALSO
Declares He Decided Women
Should Vote, Long Ago.
Factories Must Be Equipped
With Safety Appliances.

Detroit, Aug. 7.-Charles e. Hughes.
speaking today to forty manufacturers
of Detroit and vicinity, employing
100, 900 men, congratulated them upon
what they had done for the welfare
of their employees, told them that the
democracy of the United States would
not stand for continuation of this
alleged strife between capital and la
Dor and declared the American work.
men should not be regarded as a mere
economic unit but as a fellow worker,
a human being.
Mr. Hughes's address was i'm
promptu and followed a brief speech
by ]. M. Eaton. spokesman for the
manufacturers who outlined the well
fare measures for employees taken by
Industrial concerns here and suggest
that the nominee endorse a move
ment looking to the formation of a
national welfare association of manu-
facturers. Mr.. Hughes saisl he regard
ed the suggestion very favorabiy."
A few minutes later Mr.. Hughes
spoke to a group of suffragists. The
day was hot and the air of the little
room where he received the manufac-
turers and the suffragettes was almost
sitting. The nominee spoke with his
wife standing behind him.
Formed Stuff Opinion Long Ago.
Mr.. Hughes reiterated in his address
to the suffragiSts his declaration in
New York that the suffragist question
should be settled speedily by giving
the vote to women all over the coun-
try. He added that he had formed
this opinion long ago, before he
thought that the time would ever
come when he would have to announces
his position publicly. In his address
to the manufacturers, Mr.. Hughes said
in part: -ssS <,
1T is an saw6sal mistake to- think. of.
the men through whose activity pro-
duction is possible as mere econoIf1ie
units They are human beings We
are all working men in this country.
We are in different spheres of activ-
ity but we ought to have a sense of
cooperation so that every man takes
pride in what he is doing and in doing
it to the best of his ability because
he is working alongside of every other
man for the good of the country -
In your welfare work you are
buttressing democracy The human
factor is, after all, the important
factor. You may develop your physi-
cal plants. your physical Instrumental
tiles, distribution and everything that
goes to make up the material side cf
prosperity but you are absolutely
hopeless without the human factor
and in America, the land of free men.
the man who is at work for a living
must feel that the country is doing
the right thing by him. He is entitled
to be safe in his work to have every
precaution taken against every sort
of accident that can be prevented.
You Must Protect Workmen.
"a man is put at work How can
he refuse the job which stands be-
tween him and starvation? 1t is per-
fectly idle to say in our Industrial
conditions, that he can take or refuse
the work according to his idea OF
tho safety appliances which may be
provided to protect him. You have
got to protect him. No man can work
in any position where his life, his limb
or his health are subject to any un-
necessary risk. That is good Ameri-
carism and that is good business.
I'VE are not materialists in this
country; we are all idealists but the
one thing that appeals to the working
man Is the idea that he is equal to
some lob in a first class way That il
what makes him proud; that is what
makes him satisfied; and when you
consider our great Industrial marll-
factures and the enormous extensions
of our Industrial markets, the hope
that in all this there will be right.
through 1t the spirit of human broth
erhood, of fellowship and of co-opera-
ton is established so that managers
and working men will feel that they
are engaged in a common cause.
And we will get through with this
old strife between labor and capital.
Democracy cannot stand it. We are
not laborers and capitalists in this
country We are fellow citizens.
That is what I stand for, end
therefore because you enrich our
citizenship because you build perma-
nent the foundation of our society,
1 greet you and / wish you the hest
success in wnrI-'