The Washington herald., 1920-03-16
UBy . STAG Csrresps.SestJ

Evansville. Ind. March 15.-Great
movements usually have common
place settings for their openings.
tion and. as aL apology for the
meagre accommodations furnished
the delegates to the first meeting
Of the Farm Iaborers' Union at the
Maley Saw Mil. There are scores OF
better looking mills in Indiana than
this one but In labor annals the saw
dust depository on Green River. at
the Intersection OF the Illinois Cen
trail tracks. 10 likely to be compar-
able only to Independence Hall.
Maley's Mill was picked because
1t was centrally located in Knight
township. Vsnderburg county, not
far from Evansville. There Is plen-
also many farm hands who claim
they are not being benefited by the
surface indications of prosperity.
Some say they have not seen a bath
tub since they were born, while not
q few are waiting for an introduc-
ton to a real mattress on springs.
They have watched the installation n
of acetylene gas and running water
in palatial barns and expensive pig
havens but as for themselves they
still are trimming the wicks Of the
kerosene lamp and making their
ablutions at the pump.
Aim to Raise Dignity Of Farmer.
1t was among these horny handed
sons of toll that Fred Hohenberger
and Harry wilkins appeared. Hoh-
enberger factory worker. editor and
an organizer for the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. furnished the
technical knowledge: wilkins, in
ventor, farm hand and dreamer.
contributed the enthusiasm, not to
say the leg work. 1t was he who
bearded the farmer in his den. told
him the hired hand had some rights
and that he no longer would con-
slider himself the brother OF the OK.
The man with the hoe. he contended,
would rise to the dignity of an or
dinary American citizen. even IL it
would become necessary to tack a
union ukase on every barn door in
the county.
The farmers themselves came to
that first meeting at Maley's Mill.
80 did the married workers, but the
single men piled into the flivvers
and twin skies and went to tho
movies. The organizers had made
the tactical mistake of calling the
meeting for Saturday night. The
rest of the gatherings were held on
Friday evenings.
The farmers themselves being in
a majority that first night, the bud
ding union was at a disadvantage.
but staggered along under the ham
dicap until II came to be a more
T. AN
ever. according to wilkins, the
farmers. more up-to- date than ex-
pected, flooded the county with
propaganda against the new move
ment. The promoters claimed the
churches were enlisted in the farm
ers' cause and thus they tried to
keep them out of school houses for
other meetings. Eventually they
met in a more friendly frame of
mind and the big debate on whether
the farm hands OF the country
should be unionized was on.
Why = Bath Every Day.
Wages and hours naturally came
to the front at the start. The for
mer was easily agreed upon when
Organizer Hohenberger only asked
81 day for single men and SO a
day with house and garden for mar
ried workers. Most of the farmers
admitted that, as a rule. they paid
more than that now. Then they
went into q ciinch over hours and
the owners. fearing an eight-hour
proposition, positively asserted they
would not stand for any union IL the
eight-hour clause was inserted into
any agreement.
The bland Mr.. Hohenberger and
the more fiery wilkins insisted they
never had thought of such hours
during the busy season. Their MEM
bers, they said, would be permitted
to work from sunrise to sunset with
two hours or for dinner, but they
expected that the farmers would
even UP during the slack season.
Also. It was agreed upon that 100
days should be considered as a busy
season." during which time there
might be some adjustment in wages
over the minimum amount. This
was agreeable to the land holders
and things went along swimmingly
until arguments veered toward more
personal matters.
Mr.. wilkins insisted a farm hand
was entitled to q bath after a hard
and dusty days work. He demand
ed the tub or a shower Up rose
a shirtsd farmer from the
Bottoms"
II think a bath As luxury not
needed on the farm" he said. .Ini
the winter the hired man doesn't
& = =, - - Z, ,.,s