Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-27


we will thank you to keep track OF
this man and advise us further"
Shortly after the receipt Of this tel
egram the bottom dropped out OF the
excitement and options took tumble.
Everybody knew from the beginning
that while Mr.. Porter was an unusually
smooth article, he was fake, and II
anybody had endorsed the strangers
check for q couple Of hundred or so,
the fact has not yet come out. Why,
there is not man In the bunch who
would give himself away on a PROPOSE
ton like that.
UNION LABOR SITUATION.
The business and industrial atmos-
phere of the city of Rock Hill is just
now surcharsed with premonitions Of
pending clash between managers and
employees capital and labor,
between organized ownership and
unionism. The situation described has
been brewing for several weeks and
day by day 1t has seemed to grow per-
ceptibly stronger until now it Is gener-
ally recognized throughout the entire
business, commercial and manufactur-
ing life Of the city. But as yet there
has been no overt act calculated to
precipitate crisis and many of the
most level-headed and conservative
thinkers Of the community are hoping
and believing that all differences may
be adjusted without an actual clash.
To get at an exact explanation as to
the origin Of the difference, the mean
ing Of 1t, or the object sought, requires
q much more general and comprehen-
sve knowledge Of such situations than
is to be obtained by questioning the
average interested individual on either
side. It Is not to be understood that
the leaders of either side are incapable
Of understanding or explaining. They
know what Is the matter. But it would
be indeed difficult to get an admitted
agreement from either side as to what
the other side really stands for or
hopes to accomplish.
For instance, q spokesman for the
| employer Is more than apt to say
something like this: The whole ques-
ton is one Of more pay. The mill help
Is now the best paid class of labor there
Is in the country; but still it is not sat
isfied. It wants more pay. It Is not
asking directly for more pay; but 1t
demands shorter hours-an eight
day at the present prices, or slightly
advanced prices, with time and half
for overtime. It does not really want
the eight hour day. If the law should
stipulate that q man can work only
eight hours, even for ten hours pay,
the mill people would at once raise
row that would be heard all over the
country. So after all the demand for
an eight hour day is only an indirect
demand for more wages"
But competent spokesman for the
operatives will not agree to this state
ment. He will size up his position
something like this: "Yes, we are de-
manding an eight hour day at living
wage. The issue is unionism. We want
not only the right to organize; but We
want employers to recognize our chos-
en- representatives as representatives,
not only Of US; but Of labor. We be-
lieve that the employers are organized
and have settled policy in their re-
lations to us. In carrying out that pol
icy one speaks for all. That Is not
fair. It puts the employe at a disad-
vantage. No matter how just the
grievance Of the employe or how cap
able he may be in the presentation of
that grievance, he cannot go as an in
dividual up against an organization.
Even If he should win he will win only
for himself. Others who may be In
exactly the same position, with exactly
the same grievance; but without the
ability to represent their cases with
the same force and ability, will be
forced to continue without relief. Ger
tainly we have no complaint about our
general treatment-about the interest
and generosity our employers show in
the welfare and uplift work. We ap-
preciate all that. But that does not
cover the question or any part OF IT.
We feel that we are men, not children;
that we are self-reliant, capable, inde-
pendent men, not dependents, and we
feel that we have a right to be recog-
nized as such. We feel that we have
a right to deal with our employers as
equals, rather than as dependents, and
while we are perfectly willing to con
fer" we do not relish the idea OF al
ways being under instruction. We
want a say-so, and we know OF no way
of getting that say-so except through
representatives OF strong organiza-
ton"
But these two views do not cover the
whole situation, not by good deal.
Among the mill owners are some en-
ployers who recognize the justice OF
union contentious, at least at heart,
and who would be glad to accede to
them. This is especially true Of some
prosperous employers who are making
money, who believe that they can con-
tinue to make money with fully organ
lied union labor. and who do not want
an expensive fight that will be inJurl-
GUS to both employer and employed.
But these are understood to be so
bound up with other employers that
they do not feel warranted in acting
without the agreement Of the majority.
There are other employers who take
the position that they have a right to
employ whom they will, and If the en-
ploye does not like his working condl-
tions, let him get out Of the business
and go at something else. Also among
the employees are many who are thor
oughly content, who are content with
their wages, content with their condl-
ton, and who do not want night be-
cause they do not feel that y will be
worth the cost. But these to, are very
much disturbed over the situation.
They know that if there is fight they
cannot continue to work in peace; that
to say the least Of 1t they will be
thrown at outs with many Of their
friends and associates and that II the
union should win, they will be regard
ed as "scabs," and their position will be
made more or less intolerable.
The trouble in Rock Hill had It's ori-
gin In Mr.. Johnson's Hlghlanu fark
mill, and is at least indirectly connect
ed with still larger troubles in Char-
lotte, where Mr.. Johnson has the di-
rection Of two other Highland Park
mills. From parties who know the
facts by hearsay, a representative Of
The Enquirer on last Saturday got the
story about as follows: "The mills, Mr..
Johnson's mills, began the enforce.
ment of a 35 per cent reduction OF
wages on time reduced to four days
week, amounting to so per cent re-
duction in wages. The operatives were
unable to live at this reduction and
appealed, without result. Then through
the good offices Of Mr.. Marvin Rich,
the services of government concilia-
tor were secured: but he being unable
to accomplish anything after two
weeks Of effort, application was made
to the American Federation Of Labor,
which sent down Mr.. Deon, one OF lts
organizers, from Brooklyn, VINO at
once got busy unionizing the mills. In
the meantime the Highland Park mil