The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-01

foreigners are good citizens. loyal to
their country and Loyal TO their en-
ployers."
Gary could not give the percentage
Of foreigners employed
Gary offered to submit exhibits
which ARE entirely antagonistic to
the idea that they are dissatisfied or
are unwilling workers"
Kenyon questioned Gary closely
about the foreigners employed.
THE strike was inaugurated by
union leaders. not by the men. The
men have not been seeking the assist
ance of some one to organize them"
What union leaders," asked Walsh,
Massa ehusetts.
well, the American Federation of
Labor" Gary replied. "Workmen
have been getting great many
threats from LADDERS. They say we OBJ
structed them.
THE strike was preceded by prom
ises of higher pay to appeal to the
cupidity of the uneducated workmen.
THE strike was called, the threats
had been made, we don't know how
many-to burn houses. kidnap their
children. etc"
Men stayed on strike because they
! feared lack of police protection. he
said.
But when protection was assured,
the men began returning to work. -
| Gary explained.
Only IS Per Cent Out?
| Gary said he would estimate those
who remained away. both on strike
and thru fear, were % per cent of the
employees of the United States steel
plants and subsidiaries and not over
forty per cent of the manufa cturing
establishments at which the strike was
| chiefly directed.
IN TIL.
has been steady increase in the fig
ures.'
$4.62 Day Cheapest Wage.
paid to unski1led labor working ten
| hours a day was AZ cents an honr for
| ten hours and time and a half for all
| hours over eight, making 1852 for the
, ten hour day.
That's the cheapest labor for men
There are boys opening doors, some
of whom get So a day." Gary ex-
| planned.
The highest wage of the rollers
| is Sass a. day.
ployes, including executives, is 1927
a day for ten hours. in the rnanufac-
| turing plants. Gary says. and the un-
skilled average is SIS a day; skilled.
$50.
In the open shop, Gary declared,
promotion is by merit
Hours of Work
Twenty-six and one-half per cent of
all employees work twelve hours day,
he said. reading the following figures
| as to wages and hours of labor:
Total employees working twelve
hours a day number 6.4S4; ten hours,
| 1894, and eight hours. 1924, Gary
said. In the manufacturing plants,
the average wage of employees was
s2.93 in 1914 and $6.27 in July, 1919,
| an increase of ia per cent. In coal
mines controlled by the corporation,
i wages increased from $2.74 in 1914 TO
1928 in 1919. an increase of S9.s per
cent. Ore workers jumped from S2.75
to S5.T0 in the same period, 1913 per
cent, transportation subsidiaries s2.71
| in 1914, to $500 in 1919. an increase
of $50 per cent
Further testimony for the strikers
will be given Thursday by William z.
Foster, secretary of the strike COM
mittee and he will be followed by
Michael S. TIghe. president of the
Amalgamated Association Of Iron.
Steel and Tin Workers. Other wit
nesses are to be heard In the Pitts
burgh district by the committee, who
plan to carry their investigation into
the heart of the steel strike zone The
investigation will be held either the
last of this week or early next week,
dependent upon peace treaty develop
ments in the senate.