Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-03-13

were measured by this definition of
success. To make profits it is neces-
sary to keep down the cost of produc-
ton, The PRINCIPAL item In the cost of
production is the labor charge. the
wages of the men. The employee man
ager set himself to his task. One OBJ
jecI. one thought, was always before
him-keep down wages He drilled
this idea into his staff. his superin-
tendents. his foremen. The first com
mandment of Big Business to him was
make dividends or quit"
Evil in over-capitalization.
Frequently these large Industrial
corporations were greatly overcapitai-
lied. A corporation representing an
actual Investment of $lUO,00O,000 was
organized for $50O,O00,000. 1t didn't
take a tinancier to see that $400. 00O00
of its capitalization was wind, water
fake-a lie. The law that gave the
corporation a right to exist forgot to
keep it under control. The stock
was sold. shares representing fiction
as well rs those representing value.
The Captain of Industry spoke of the
$500 OOO00 of oVercapitaliZution as a
melon" The law should have writ
ten it down larceny. The selling of
this stock was nothing more or less
than obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. When working man oh
tanned bread under false pretenses he
was sent 10 Jail. When honest meT
cried out against this grand larceny
they were called muckrukers. ag.ta-
tors, and charged with provoking an
rest. disturbing business. If this did
not silence them. paid publicity told
the world that the stock was h@!d 10y
Willows aud orphans, that the attacks
upon it were efforts to rob them
The state, the law. The government,
bad given dollars TIE right 10 organize
A corporation IS a union of dollars, eA-
actly lis labor union is an orGauza-
ton OF men. The men organized as
matter OF self-defense. They knew the
individual no longer had Il chance to
register his complaint with the owner
and that as an individual the worker
was utterly meaningless Ia such
large scheme. When he complained
he was told, Take things as they are,
stop whining; if you don't Ike your
jobs. quit. There are thousands of
men waiting TO step into your shoes,
one Of the first things the corpora
ton did was to deny to men the right
the law gave 1.-THE right To organize.
In defiance of their attitude the men
did organize and forged the strike as a
weapon with which 20 fight for their
rights The law had not kept pace
with the times. II failed to furnish
protection. II failed TO provide "A rea-
Sonahle control over these powerful
big combinations The men asked for
the privilege Of collective bargaining,
II was a simple request. a Just one
It's meaning is clear. The men wanted
the right 10 appoint committee to
represent them and discuss with the
men who hired them The terms Of en-
ploymcnt. The directors generally
men who never SAW the plant, 'ele-
graphed the employee boss the man
ager direction Ia refuse the demand
for collective bargaining, There was
only one reply the men could make.
They made it. It was force--the
strike. The last twenty-five years
have been filled with strikes, which
created waste and caused hate which
grew out of The refusal Of Big Bust
ness to concede To men right the law
conferred on it, the right to organize