Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-09
HIGH SPOTS OF
CAR Strikers
MASS MEETING
Extracts From StenographiC
Report Taken at Session
at Labor Temple
Sunday.

and more than doubled the expense
OF the company during that time"
He reviewed recent financial af-
fairs of the company and stated that
there is no more prospect OF de-
claring dividends than there is of the
kaiser getting to heaven, unless re-
lief is given. y.
TT is all right to raise wages"
\ he added, land | am glad to- see
them raised. but it is wrong to tell
an employer that he can not sell his
i product for one cent more than be-
fore the war"
Conciliator Speaks.
Conciliator Smith of the United
States Department of Labor urged
the men to recognize the national
war labor board. Verbatim extracts
from his address follow:
II want to say at the outset that |
want you to take what am about
to say in the same kind of spirit
as it is meant and coming from me.
! am here as a representative of the
Department of Labor at Washing
.ftn, D. c. The national war labor
~sboard has more power in dealing
with questions of labor than all
other boards now in existence-they
are the choice of the president of the
United States, and all things that
they have taken up and done up to
date have the sanction of the presi-
dent.
Il arrived in this city Friday aft
ernoon and Immediately looked up
Mr.. Reynolds. the president of your
State Federation of Labor. Let us
all be willing to play our cards right
on the table face up. | am trade
unionist. | have just as good card
as any man sitting in the room, and
carry it in my pocket, but that
doesn't interfere with me in dealing
squarely on all matters that are pre-
scented to me as mediator and con-
ciliator. | am not here representing
the trade union movement, | am rep
resenting the Department of Labor
at Washington, d. {.
Labor Helps War.
Labor has done its part in this
great war. There is no question
about that now. There is no man of
any intelligence whatsoever that will
hesitate to get up before any kind
OF an audience but must truthfully
say that labor did its part. The
men Of labor are loyal.
know nothing of this contro-
versy and what efforts have been
put forth in connection with this or
ganization, but heard someone here
before 4 the meeting started, say
something about turning down the
national war labor board. | say,
\ boys, that is wrong. Don't make
such an assertion as that. When
4 you make that kind of an assertion
you are as much as saying you are
turning down the government of the
United States, and | don't think
there is one of you would want
that stigma placed against you, that
he was going to turn down the gov
eminent of the United States that
has kept our flag flying in
honor throughout this country and
throughout the entire civilized
world.
Represents Government.
Boys, | say l am standing here
as a representative of the United
States and not as representative
of the labor board. I know nothing
about what kind of decision they
made in this controversy. | know
nothing of it at all. | am under no
instructions here but am just simply
here to mediate and conciliate and
try to get both sides together and
to try to keep down any contro-
versy that may have existed during
he life of this war.
1T is true, as the president of
this company has said, that the war
is not over yet. The ,arnstice has
been signed, but what does that
mean? The war is not over until
peace is declared and the president
Of the United. States issues his
proclamation to the people. | am
glad that the national war labor
board is going to stay on the job.
And I want to see all the other
boards--the shipping board, and all
the other boards keep intact so we
can shave someone to appeal to IN
case these controversies come up.
"Now, men, it is right and proper
4 that you take this vote now. | am
opposed, as q trade unionist, to a
standing vote on any proposition
!. like that. | think secret vote
should be taken. Be fair. was
the one that suggested that the
president OF this company come
down here and meet the men this
afternoon. He made the PROPOSE
ton to President Short suggesting
and requesting him to cali a meet
ing OF the men and in an effort to
make known his sentiments to the
men.
Wanted Wattles to Know.
II had another object in view. |
heard Mr.. Watties say himself Sat-
urday at the conference, L think,
in the mayors office, that there was
a large per cent of the men in his
employ who were not agreeable to
this situation as it now appears and
that there weren't as many in the
organization who thought this way
as they tried to make it appear there
was. Well, wanted him to come
here and see for himself If they are
here then he knows just exactly w"o
is here and who was in it. Gap
plause.)
sand now l hope and trust, men,
that when you make your decision
in this proposition, you will do it
openly and above board as to your
own conviction of what you think
is best in the matter.
"Now, with those few words,
God speed to you men, | am going
La e .a4l.:.,Iz