Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-14

AZ AHAe SAAbipS U-eht ! say " ySA
that do not speak for the entire
State of Maine because know not
the situation which obtains through
out all Maine. but do know some
thing Of the condition and the situa-
ton which does obtain in my own
locality. I want to say in fairness
and in justice TO those great manu-
featuring enterprises which do bus
mess in the city that I represent.
Lewiston. that so far as / know. 50
far as / understand and 50 fa- as
believe. those men have never en-
ployed this method OF blackiisting
city n my county where this prac-
tice OF biacklisting these workers in
the shoeshop is employed-I refer.
gentlemen. 20 the city OF Auburn
and t will be necessary for me to
tell you something 81 the system en-
ployed in those shoeshops- There
are, as you well know. a large num-
Der Of shoe manufacturers in the
city of Auburn. and these men have
very properly and legally associat-
ed themselves into an association tor
mutual purposes. SO far 50 good.
and so far legally We do not cues
ton their right to do that. Neither
do We question the right OF the
worker 70 organize Now this man
ufacturing association maintains 4
central labor bureau where every
shoe worker IN the city OF Auburn
IS listed IN a card system. and data
is kept in that central labor bureau
covering the history Of those work
ers n the snoeshops IN Auburn. Now
We do not complain because the
manufacturers maintain a system OF
this kind. II IS absolutely legal and
absolutely proper. They could keep
II II the Individual shops o. they
could keep it there at the central
Office: but now the stage Is set. gen
stage c-eeps IN The evil and the err
.or which this DILL seeks TO rec-Ify.
Now here IS the situation: Let
NE give you som ething N the ma
rure OF a concrete case. Some work
er IN one OF TIE shops may be d.>-
charged for some valid or some in
valid reasons. He may be active IN
the union: he may be active politi-
cally: ne may have excited the AMI
mostly and tie hatred Of some fore
man IN that shop and so be dis
charged Now say to you that the
manufacturer had the right TO dis
charge the Two of them. say to
you that the shoe worker had 6
night TO leave MS employment but
I say 70 you that what followed
so far as he is concerned is abso-
Iu-ely illegal. absolutely Un-Amerl-
can and absolutely u3dem ocratIc. be-
cause when this man leaves tie shop
information goes from this slcp INTO
tha. Central Labor Bureau. and D.
some mystic sign upon the card n that
our.a. that worker IS biackhsred. Now
what does cha: mean? !. means tAa-
shop IN the city OF Auburn. ard il IL
does ne fails 20 secure e17piornsnt;
and I say to you that tina. is a vicious
uaAner,can cyster Now yo- nay say
20 ne that that practice is not carrie
OF as I say II IS, and I have here
which I arr going 70 read to yoc, am
davics OF men who are on tia. blacklis.
:he-e in the city Of Auburn, Een vhu
have been workers n those shops.
some Cor d years. and good. conpe-
tent vo-anen as they are even n the
stress OF wartiraes could not secure en-
ployrenc in those shops. I want To
rad them 20 you. I cosid have Sc
cured AFFIDAVIT after atsGavl- Men
came TO ne and said: u am on that
blacklist: cannot secure employment
II any shoeshop IN the city, bu. hav.
taken from that blacklist and can
ags.a enter upon the employment -
making shoes, which has been ny bust
ness Substantially ali my life I sal
20 those men: II Do no. want TOUR All
davit;" but the men who gave TIE an
davis are men who have the courage
and who want 20 assist these other IN
fortunate brothers OF theirs. ard they
gave ne these aMcavi-s that might
read them 20 you. ! wish to read h-s.
the aMdarit OF a worker there in ,hose
shops ty the name OF Herman Koss
IL follows:
STATE OF MAINE
A.t-oscogE.n ss.
I Herman j. koss. 3 years o. age.
Of Auburn. county Of Aadroscoyg1n and
State Q. Maine. on OATH cepose aac
say, That ! have resided j, Auburn
for the past four and one-halt yea-c,
and tha: I an married and have four
children. my said vie and children
being dep-nden, upon me so- support
for "a
Lunn & Sweet Company Of Auburn
a5oU, four years ago. and tia: I was
INDICTED into the service on August 9Th.
and that l was discharged from the
army at Camp Upton on September j..
1915, Cor physical disability and that I
vas employed hv the LCnn & Sweet
Shoe Company and entered their en-
p,oy On September io.h. 1915. as ut,,i-
y man Il The lasting room ara that I
remained n their employ up 20 ard III
Guiding September sab, 1915. a. which
tine vas discharged BIZ Ed~are y
No-pAy superintendent Q. No. cae-
tory, the conversation being as fellows
Get your hat and coat on and get
FOUR tools and come down n ire o0ca
and / VII pay you Of and tell roc
wiz. Tsaid, Kind Of Sudden and
Ae replied. Too bad you stuck your
too- IN on that l. W W organization "
I rep..ed, 1T isn't for pad WORK you are
srng me- and he replied Nc, and
he pulled out OF his pocket an appiica-
ton card Of the United Shoe Workers
81 America and said That is the -ea-
son am arng yoG. 1. VS. under