The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-05-02
CLEAR LAKE LUMBER co.
SOLVES LABOR TROUBLES
CoOperates With Men Providing Them
Amusements-Agitators Are Not
Wanted

WdHteu
Because some ten or fifteen former
Leavenworthians are now employed
at the Skagit county lumber camp the
following news story may be found in
teresting reading. 1t is also interest
ing as pointing the way to settling
many of the causes of labor troubles.
How the Clear Lake Lumber Co., has
solved its troubles with I.>W. w. agita-
tors by making conditions of employ
ment such at Clear Lake that there is
no room for discomfort and the growth
of Bolshevism, is told by S. j. Lom-
bard, state inspector of the Minute
Men, who spent several days in Skagit
county points last week where he was
engaged in organizing the Minute Men
in a movement to Americanize the for
eign labor employed in the lumber and
other industries. Mr.. Lombard spoke
at a joint meeting of the Anacortes
Patriotic Association and the Minute
Men Friday night, and at meeting OF
the Skagit county chiefs of Minute
Men at Sedro Wooley Saturday, out
lining the Americanization plans 10 be
followed. He will continue his trips
until the industrial districts of the
state are thoroly organized.
"Our plan of Americanizing our for
eign element is to make working and
living conditions such that they will
attract American citizens who by their
influence and example will go far to-
wards Americanizing their fellow
workmen and thus offset the I. w. W.
Bolsheviki propaganda which has been
so persistent in the lumber and other
Industries where foreign labor is
largely employed, said Mr.. Lombard.
"a visit to the Clear Lake Lumber
Co., plant gave me demonstration OF
the practicability of this plan for 1t
has worked there to perfection. Dur
ing recent years, the Clear Lake Lum-
ber Co., has had much trouble with the
discontented element, but plans put
into effect by R. B. Lewis, president
of the company have changed Clear
Lake from a center of un-American
agitation to a center of American
working men who themselves promptly
discourage any unAmerican activities
among their fellow workers.
This change was brought about by
making employment at Clear Lake at
tractive to American workmen. The
company has built . fine club house
for the use of the men with a good
dance hall adjacent to it where they
can entertain their women friends. II
has also erected motion picture the
atre. These recreation features are
operated by the men themselves on
self-sustaining basis, leaving the men
to regulate their own amusements on
an independent cooperative basis.
"The Clear Lake men are much IN
terested in the good American game OF
baseball and organized strong team
but had no suitable ball ground, SO the
company leveled field and built a
granstand, the men financing and run
ming the games themselves. Coupled
with good wages, there is plenty OF
chance for recreation and for reading.
| was invited to the mess hall and ate
all | could of a meal which would cost
So 90 a plate, if served in a Seattle res
taurant.
"There is no more un-American
trouble at Clear Lake. The conditions
attract the best class of workers and
thew set the standards for the others
and see that they are lived up to-.
Whenever an employee is out of tune
with these conditions and tries to start
trouble, the workers themselves take
care of him. OccasionsN- some one
is ducked in the lake by willing hands.
"Other employers who follow this
example and make working and living
conditions attractive, will be able to
secure and hold good American work
men and to eliminate, without precipi-
tating trouble, those who refuse to be-
come Americanized and continue TO
agitate for the overthrow of American
institutions and government"