Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-15
OPPOSING VIEWS
OF TEXTILE PLAN
Originator of Council Sys-
tenn and Workers Off,
cial Express Opinions
JOINT FUND DISCUSSED
Number of Hours i'm Week
Also Considered by Hurl-
but and McKosky
JOINT FUND DISCUSSED


ton have so far ignored the Men and
Managements Textile Council plan, pro-
posed by c. Stanley Hurlbut, attorney
and secretary of the Full.Fashioned Io-
siery Manufacturers Association.
Letters explaining the plan are being
sent TO several thousand employees, both
those on strike and those at work.
Frank McKosky, vice president of the
United Textile Workers, says the plan
will be ignored by the members of his
organization.
The American Federation of Full
Fashioned Hosiery Workers, Branch IA.
whose members are not on strike. have
not yet passed on the plan. 4 special
meeting will be held to consider the plan
In the near future.
Meanwhile Mr.. Hurlbut who drew up
the plan, secured it's adoption by the
textile manufacturers Of this city and
who Is president Of the council Is hope
full that it will find favor with the ma
jority Of men and women in the textile
trades.
McKosky's Views
MT. hChOSky Sdlu his
would cooperate in any measure which
promised better working conditions and
better understanding between the tex
tile workers and their employers.
we cannot approve the Men and
Managements Textile Council, howevet."
said Mr.. McKosky in an interview.
since it Is apparent to us that its first
purpose is to do away with our labor
organization.
gether with their employees their first
step should be to establish confidence,
They cannot do this unless they take
the men into consultation.
Let the manufacturers give better
hours and better pay, and then it will
be time to talk cooperation. A house
cleaning is needed in the mills before
the workers are invited in to talk about
getting together.
in drawing up the men-and manage
ments plan. Therefore. we are not
going to enter into 1t. We fee, that the
plan is not going to be success. 1t
looks like huge joke to u.s."
The men and managements council
plan provides. among other things, for
distribution to the workers, OF a joint
fund to which the mills and their en-
ployes will contribute.
Basis of Objections
The workers base their objection on
various grounds. Among these are the
stipulation of fifty hour instead of a
forty-eight hour week; the tieing up of
the workers money for a month
period, and the failure of the authors
Of the plan to consult the workers in
drawing up the provisions of the pro-
visions Of the plan.
"The rea son we made ii a fifty-hour
week is this" said Mr. Hurlbut. About
80 per cent of the workers in Kensing
ton want n fifty-four-hour week. because
II enables them TO earn that much more
money.
''In making the week even one of fifty
hours we thought, we were imposing
somewhat of a hardship on the people
who wanted to work fifty-four hours.
1.-The objection that the money paid in
by the workers adds to the working
capital of the mills is easily answered.
The dues are taken out of the workers
wages AS soon as this is done the
money is turned into the central fund.
/ In addition to this, the mill takes out of
its treasury an amount equivalent to ten
cents a dozen on every dozen stocking
'firsts' shipped. This is turned right into
the treasury. Both the money paid by
the treasury.
''This fund is under the joint control
of the men and managements. The mon
ey will be disbursed by the treasurer of
the council, who will be elected not by
the arrangements, but by the employees.
1t cannot be disbursed, however, save
with the counter-signature of the presi-
dent who Is to be elected by the mana ge-
nients. The individual mills will not
have any voice in handling the money
or dsposing of it.
"The letter which 7 am sending out
to the textile employees explains that
any one who wants to withdraw from
the fund may do SO at any time. Only
twenty -four hours notice will be re-
quired to get the money. The return
of the money in full is guaranteed by
the mills.
Fund Of 100000 4 Year
'"The amount paid in by the workers
will be only a fraction of the total put
into the fund Averaging it up, the
workers will contribute about $50 year
for each one of 5000 employees in the
stocking trade. This will make a total
Of 100000 a year. On a production basis
of 100000 dozen stockings year
which is a fair average when things are
running normally-the mills will con-
tribute 100000 yearly"
Statement From Council
The executive committee OF the mel
and arrangements council has issued
statement denying that the body is op
posed to organized labor. The statemen
was sent out over the signature of Mr.
Hurlbut after a meeting in his office
at which the following mill owners wer'
present: John W. Snowden, of Stead
& Miller: II. II. Bosworth, of the De
laine Mills; C. Fl. Masland, Of C. II
Masland & Sons Company; w. II. Fol
well, of Folwell Brothers & Co.; JOSEPH
wasserman, of the Philadelphia Tap
estry Mills William G. Wall of the Nice
town Dye Works. and Samuel r. Boggs
of the Model Mills.
The statement follows in part: I'll
addressing meeting Of several hundred
textile workers In Kensington John Col
den, president of the United Textile
Workers of America, endeavored to in
fern his hearers that the textile manu-
facturers of Philadelphia were endeav
oring to apply a bonus system as
means of keeping their mills operating
during the readjustment period
"Such a statement is absolutely un
founded.
Every one else after studying tn,
idea believes 1t to be the only real solu
ton of the labor problem, for it gives tn,
workers. equal voice and equal vot
with the managements of a mill.
"The old idea that unless a man fol
lows the advice Of paid agent Of al
organization he is an enemy to thu
workers is rapidly disappearing. Th
fo a. \.