New-York tribune., 1919-10-02
organization ?" asked Senator

labor organization asked Senator
Walsh.
II will not deny that unions may be
good and useful In their place, at some
times. to certain extent. to protect
the interests of labor | deny tho de-
sirability of tn universal demand Of
unions for the closed shop 1t is in
mical to the best interests CT the en-
ploycs and the public"
You have no objection to indef te
organizations of labor in your plants,
but do not want them affiliated with
general organizations? asked Mr..
Walsh
eve don't want them affiliated with
organizations that tend to unlonize in
dustry,' Judge Gary replied
"Certainly. Judge Gary, you will
agree that nothing has done so much
as organized labor to better the con-
ditions of workers. mean AS to rtt-
ting shorter hours of work, the restric-
ton of child labor, of woman labor,
prevention of accidents. Improvement
of working conditions and sanitary
Matters asked Senator Walsh.
Denies Credit to Unions
II deny that absolutely" said Judge
Gary. "Where the unions have ad-
vanced these interests Of labor, thev
have merely followed the practice of
tho United States Steel Corporation,
which has been the leader
"union leaders have not advocated
the eight-hour day in order TO help
the workers. The question Of hours Of
work also involves that Of colnpensa-
ton
1--WE had the seven-day week for
years. the employees having been re-
sponsibe for starting it in order to
get more pay. We decided to elimi-
nate the sevcn-day week and did. There
were strikes against the change, be-
cause the men did not want to lose the
wages. Then the war brought the
shortage of steel and the men still
wanted more pay and the seven-day
week was restored. immediately after
the armistice, the government ordered
us to stop Sunday and overtime work
on government contracts, and since
then we have given the men one day
off each week.
What Eight-Hour Day Means
IL don't recall when the eight hour
basic day was adopted. You must an
derstand that under it the men don't
work eight hours and then quit They
wanted the eight-hour basis because
they got time and q half pay for over
time. The man who worked twelve
hours earned twice as much as if he
had worked eight. A large part Of the
public believes in the eight-hour day
and many employees do, though, | think,
not ma jorty. We are CONSIDERING
the question, and if it should prove
practicable to give ten or twelve hours
pay for eight hours work the employees
would all be for it. AS a matter OF
policy, if we can adopt the eight-hour
day and the men will accept it, we Wi
Nf
public sentiment for it. I'd not op-
pose it if the men want it, think
some of them do prefer it,
But It is not admitted that more
than eight hours makes too long a
working day. All our executives came
up from the ranks and hard work, and
we know We were always satisfo
when we worked the long hours. What
Will the farmers do? They simply can
not survive"
Spent S32,0000O0 for Homes
Judge Gary said that the steel cor
poration has spent S32 100000 for
homes for is workmcn and is spend
ing $7000000 more. In addition to
this, he said since 1912 the company
has spent 500, 900 for the welfare
of the employees.
But don't think we have been lib
eral" said Mr. Gary. 81 think we have
been only fair. The labor unions are
not one-tenth as much interested in
our wcrkmcn as we are ourselves"
John ). Martin, of Youngstown Ohio.
who is a skilled worker in one Of the
mills at 50 a day, told the committee
OF threats that were made against HIM
by the strikers.
The Americans in the YOUNGSTOWN
plant he SAID, were unanimously op-
posed to joining the union. When the
strike was called, he said, thousands
met us at the gates and threatened the
killing of our families and the burning
down do" ? of our homes. They threatened
Foreigners Fed Bolshevsm
The foreign workers, he told the
committee, "have been fed nothing but
Bolshevism and |. w. W.-ism by the
union organizers.
These organizers made no effort to
have the Americans join the unions,
ne said, looking directly al Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federatlon of Labor, who sat on the
other side OF the room from Judge
Gary during most Of the hearing. a[
don't believe they represented the
American Federation of Labor princi
pies.
ut is my opinion that some one has
got in and scuttlcd the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. Fitzpatrick is the
king bee, ably seconded by Foster This
band Of buccaneers is going to upset
this country If they are not stopped" :"
He said that he never met either
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