The Mena weekly star., 1920-08-05
MILL SHUTDOWNS DUE ID POLITICS?
Charge Is Made That Industry Is Slowed Up to Aid Republicans Gompers Asks if Is Revival of
 That Old, Crude Policy"

Washington. July 2S. Insinuations that the woolen mill shutdown and the discharge of superfluous employees by the Pennsylvania railroad represent a Republican move to discredit the Will son administration and to promote the election of Harding were fortr- coming today from both the White House and President Gompers of the American Federation of Labor.
 White House official today dis coursed at some length upon manifes tations of the slowing dowr of indus try. He said he hoped there was no political plot to injure the admins tration and the Democratic party in- yolved in the laying off of men in big industries. but if such should prove the case he was sure the president would make good his threat of some seven years standing to hang the cul prits higher than Haman."
 There came an official statement from Mir. Gompers a few hours later inquiring whether the laying off Of workers is a revival of that old and crude policy of laying off men during R political campaign for the purpose |of driving them in fright and necessi- ty into a political camp"
 For months we have heard the cry, dinned and dinned and cinned in- to our ears increase production, fn- crease production said Mir. Gompers. How can increased production be ac- complished under policy of laying off thousands of workers?"
 Scores WooIen Company. The federation president then paid his respects to the American Woolen Company for closing it's Massachu- setts mills He said the company had increased its income 316 per cent be- tween 1914 and 1918, the net increase in common stock earnings being 551 per cent.
 President Wood told his stock holders that the close of the year left the company with thrilled orders sui ficient to keep the machinery fully employed we'll into 1920 and with good prospects for full production for the entire year." said MT. Gompers. For eign deliveries increased approximate ly 100 per cent during 1919.
 Tn addition to this case there Is the action of the Pennsylvania rail road in laying off approximately 12,- 900 men, if reports arc accurate. Will this help move freight, will 1t help give the nation that increased pro duction of which 1t stands ir real need?
 In addition to the laying off of men there have been reports of eff forts to decrease wages. It will be recalled that i'll 1907 and 1908 employ CTS sought to reduce wages, the re- suit of which at that time would have been to produce a Ianic. The American Federation of Labor sent forth the warning that wa would re- sist and resist and resist. and we paraphrased a saying and declared it better to resist and lose than not to resist at all.
 The policy of reducing wages was abandoned as a result of that warn ing. We repeat that warning today. At all hazards we will resist wage re- auctions. There is 10 excuse and much less reason for reduction of wages. We will tolerate no reduction of wages. Even yet VIC have ground to cover before we rever, to all the purchasing power of 1915"
 Inefficiency of Employers.
 Instead of impaired efficiency of labor there is an inefficiency of em- mill shutdowns. contends MT. Com pers. and adds
 The mills and the factories should run Management should consult with workers through the chosen represen- tatives of the workers. The co-opera- tion to be achieved by such a policy will give the nation the production 1 that it needs and that is needed by the whole world Arrogance, bigotry l and autocratic conduct of employers is a waste that society can i'll afford. ' |
 Surveying IA important industries l the Department of Labor found that in | five there was an increase aiisii iii niTis i q decrease of the number of persons | employed in June compared with May. l There was 5.3 per cent increase In | the iron and steel industry and 32I per cent increase in car building and | repairing. The decreases were 6.5 per cent in woolen, , per cent in hosiery and underwear and 3.7 per cent in leather manufacturing.
 Ten industries showed gains in of employees in June. 1920, 1 compared with June, 1919. The larg- est increases were 42.9 per cent in mems ready-made clothing, PA per cent in car building and renairing. and leather manufacturing and coal mining.