The Washington times., 1920-07-28
A.F.L. L.T0F|GHT
CUT IN WAGES
Will Resist Any Reduction AT
All Hazards" Asserts Fed
GRAFTON Chief.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
International News Service.

| International News Service.
Warning all concerned not to play
politics with the industrial situation,
either by laying off men or reducing
their wages, President Samuel
Gompers, Of the American Federation
Of Labor, today, in an exclusive in
terview given the international
News Service, declared that what the
country needs today is production
and that arrogance, bigotry, and
autocratic conduct Of employers is
waste that society can i'll afford. I"
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President Gompsrs scored the tend
ency to lay Off men. and asked IL 1t
were a political trick for the purpose
of soaring them into ono or the other
political camps. AS to wage reduc-
tions, he said labor would tolerate no
such thing and would resist to the
last ditch.
"For months we have heard the
ery,- he said, "dinned and dinned and
dinned into our earsi increaHe pro-
duction! Increase productien'
"How can Increased production be
accomplished under = policy Of laying
on thousands Of wOrkerrf
The American Woolen Mills in
Massachusetts close their doors IT
may be OF interest to note the record
OF profits for this company and to
recall recent statements of President
William w. Wood.
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The American Woolen Company
increased its net income 316 per cent
for 1918 over 1914. The net increase
in common stock earnings was 631 per
cent. Since the American Woolen
Mills controls so large a portion of
the business of making wool cloth,
being commonly known as the wool
trust it may be well to go into more
detail regarding its operations.
There were for the year ended
December 81, 1919. after deduction of
taxes and all charges, net earnings OF
S1O,779.SO4, equal to $39.S9 per share
on the 500, 900 900 of common stock.
This Is after. allowance has been made
for preferred dividends. In 1918 the
earnings per share OF common stock
were S13S6, a total of s5,572,527.
President Wood told his stockholders
that the close of the year left the
company with untitled orders suffi-
cient to keep the machinery fully en-
ployed well into 1920, and with good
prospects for fun production for the
entire year Foreign deliveries In
creased approximately 100 per cent
during 1919.
"In addition to this case there is
the action Of the Pennsylvania rail-
road in laying off approximately 12,-
900, IL reports are accurate.
"wiu this help to move freight?
VIII 1t help to give the nation that
increased production OF which 1t
stands In real need?
HINTS aCRUDE POLICY" REVIVED.
"Or 10 the laying of OF workers a
revival of that old and crude policy
Of laying Off men during a political
campaign for the purpose of driving
them in fright and necessity into a
political camp?
"In addition to the laying on OF
men there have been reports Of efforts
to decrease wages.
"It will be recalled that in 1907 and
1908 employers sought to reduce
wages, the result of which at that
time would have been to produce a
panic.
"The American Federation OF Labor
sent forth the warning that we
would resist and resist and resist,
and we paraphr ased a saying and de-
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