The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-01
ORGANIZATION
CONTINUED From PAGE One.7


the American Federation of Labor,
because the federation expects every
member to do his work and do all the
work possible and not try to cheat
his employer.
Smith explained that he came to
Richmond because it was thought that
if he did not visit the city, a cessation
of war work might take place.
Don't Stop Working"
II came to advise the men and wom-
en- of this city," he continued, that
any differences that might exist be-
tween you and your employers can be
adjusted, so far as you are concerned.
| without the loss of a days work I'M
less the employers are responsible.
No matter what your wage scale nay
be, no. matter what your conditions
of employment may be, my advice is
that you do not let these conditions
cause you to cease working for one
day"
He said that this was the first town
{ in which he had been for the last
| twelve months where there were va
! cant houses on every street and where
there We're SO many girls and women
going to work in the factories. He
said, lit doesn't take man with
college education to see that there is
| some reason for this
IF the women must work he con-
tinued, they should be given the
lighter work, but if they are given
equal work with the men, then they
should receive equal wages with the
men"
This statement was received with
! grpat applaIco nv tho ardiancn
Equal Wage for Women.
The American Federation of Labor,
he went on to say, does not object to
women in the industries, but believes
they should be employed on lighter
work Direct competition with men
on heavier work is discouraged, be-
cause some employers take advantage
of the situation to lower the wage
scale when they put women on this
kind of work. The government in
sists that women receive equal pay
with men on all government work and
that eight hours constitute a days
work
The speaker declared the war
would rotS end until there were no
, more kaisers left in Europe. I'VE
should start at home,' he added, land
clean out a few of the dollar patriots
and make this country a better place
to live in when the boys come home
am sorry that there are dollar pat
riots and profiteers, but our duty is
to back the government to the limit
to win the war While the boys are
fighting over there to make the world
safe for democracy, we are trying to
make the world a better place to live
in over here"
Smith said he had no fault TO find
with the Richmond business interest
in organizing to protect themselves.
But, by heaven" he said. there is
no reason why they should interfere
with you for organizing to protect
, your own interests. The doctors have
their own organization, and a doctor
cannot give a dose of medicine until
| the organization says so, and if that's
the case, then you men cannot so to
work until we say you can, and this
would be just as fair.
} Want Honorable Peace.
"The American Federation of Labor
has 100000 members, not including
the four railroad brotherhoods, which,
while not actually connected with the
federation, are backing it up. 1t ad-
ueu 4U,OUO 10 us mem DerSQlp last
year. Every laboring man in the
United States should join a union of
some sort to help make the world an
industrial democracy We all want
peace but we want an honorable
peace. The laboring men want this
war to last until the kaiser gets
/, licking even if it takes ten years In
the meantime we must lick some
, kaisers at home. In undertaking to
whip the kaiser the United States is
depending upon organization. and that
is the way we will have to lick the in
dustrial kaisers at home.
Il understand there is some unrest
here, but that must not interfere with
your work. The only way to solve
industrial unrest is through organiza
ton. Then every dispute that arises
can be referred to the War Labor
Board, and this board has agreed to
the unrestricted right of employers to
belong to organizations and the unre-
stricted digit of labor to organize
unions. 1t has been agreed that the
minimum rate Of compensation for
labor should not be less than 40 cents
an hour"
Smith said he belonged to the Unit
ed Mine Workers Union and in that
organization service flag there are
5000 stars, and all members feel that
it is their duty to back up those boys
in every way possible.