Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-05-23

Just a few short years ago, IN al
most every county and town of any
size, then was an electric light plant
run by the moneyed interests of the
community. But one day few of
the larger stockholders got together
and conceived the idea of cOnsolida-
ting, and after this was effected The
Central Light & Power Co. became
large and we'll paying business. No
body said anything against their bus
mess prospects or offered any inter
| ference when a few Of the larger
financiers merged their interests.
Most people thought if this company
can make a higher per cent of inter
est on their investment by organiza-
ton, and give as much satisfaction
with one main plant as with fifty
small ones, we'll and good, that's
their business.
The large plant at Newark was
finally completed and the high tension
wires strung, then all the small plants
we're closed. Not a word was said
about the number of men thrown out
of employment by this consolidation,
for the simple reason none of them
belonged to any labor organization,
and like the over worked mule, would
/ take a beating without making kick.
But in our little city of Newark there
were a few men of different callber
who started business venture OF an
other nature. They organized. Their
capital was the daily toll performed
for this c.. L. & P. Co. So you see
both are in an honest business, one
sells electricity, the other sells some
thing as powerful, their labor. The
iuice dealers had, according to state
law and the majority of the people of
the state of Ohio, the right to organ
ize and sell their production at the
highest figure.
Now the people working for them
should have the same right, but this
company declares they have not, that
thew must either give up their union
or their job. Is there anything fair
about such a deal? This firm has
their president, board of directors and
attorney at law. Have not their
workmen, who produce the article
from which the c.. L. & P. Co. de-
rives a large profit, the same right
to their president, committee and ad-
wiser or business agent? It's simply
a matter of business, trying to get
an honest days pay for an honest
davis work, and if a company or
corporation intended to give their
workmen their just deserts they
would never deny the right to organ
ize, or give them the choice to dis
perse or quit their job. It's only the
firms who wish to run things on the
sweatshop practice that are making
the kick. and when you look at the
stationary engineers you see class
of mechanics who have had sweat
shop wage handed to them for years.
What they are asking for now is not
living wages according to prices of
everything else. Yet they must not
organize, but just sit still, and if the
big boss thinks they can stand one
square meal all right, but if he thinks
one oyster cracker is enough it's all
right anyhow. But thank God this
is a thing of the past, they have got
the right to organize and get full
face value for their daily toll. The
working class and their dependents
have as much right to few of the
luxuries as their employers. Besides,
this is no time to begin to establish
bread lines and overrun our country
with an army of unemployed. There
is plenty of work to be done, and
plenty of money to do it with and to
pay a living wage to each and every
man employed and leave a good sub
stantial profit to the investor.
Where union labor is employed and
a fixed scale of wages is signed there
is no chance for disagreement for
a year, then why should firm say
their employees should not organize
when it is better for both sides =?
Is it because some firms dislike to
meet their employe on a business
level and admit that he is an actual