The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-29

NEED PRODUCTION
G0MPERS INSISTS.
Federation Chief Advises
Against Reducing
Forces
WARNS BOTH PARTIES.
Must Not Play Politics With
Industry Employers and
Candidates Told
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs.

WASHINGTON, July 2S,- warn
Ing all concerned not to play poll
tics with the Industrial situation,
either by laying off men or reduc-
ing their wages. sam Gompers, pres
idont of the Aemerican Federation
of Labor, in an exclusive Interview
given today to the International
News Service, declared that what
the country needs is production and
that Arrogance, bigotry and auto
cratic conduct of employers is
waste that society can i'll afford"
President Gompers scared the
tendency to lay off men and asked
II 1t we're a political trick for the
purpose OF soaring them into one or
the other of the political camps.
As TO wage reductions, he said, labor
would tolerate no such thing and
would resist to the last ditch.
'y'For months we have heard the
CRY" he said, "dinned and dinned In
80 our ears: increase production!
increase production!' How can in
creased production be accomplished
under a policy of laying off thou
sands OF workers.
Wooden Mills Close.
THE American Woolen mills In
Massachusetts closed their doors. II
may be of interest to note the rec
40 recall recent statements of Presl-
dent william NJ. Wood.
Tho Eagle Woolen company In
creased its net income ais per cent
for 1918 over 1914. The net in
crease In common stock earnings
was 531 per cent.
Since the American Woolen mills
control so large portion of the
business of making wool cloth. be-
ing commonly known as the wool
trust II may be well to 60 into
more detail regarding Its operations.
There were for the year ending
December 81, 1919. after deduction
of taxes and all charges, net earn
imgs Of $10.779,S04 equal to s39.S9
pel share on the $40. 100000 Of COM
mon stock. This is aftor allow
ance has been made for preferred
dividend. In 1918, tn o earn,
ings per share on common stock
were s13.s6, a total OF S5.572,527.
President Wood told his stockhold-
'ers that the close Of the year left
the company with untitled orders
sufficient to keep the machinery
fully employed we'll into 1920 and
with good prospects for full produc-
tion for the entire year. Foreign
deliveries increased approximately
100 per cent during 1919.
I'm addition to this case, there
is the action of the Pennsylvania in
laying off approximately $4,000 IL
reports are accurate.
'rWill this help TO move freight?
Will il help to give the nation that
Increased production OF which -
stands in real need? Or, is the lay
ing off of workers a result 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 political
camp7
I'm addition to the laying off Of
men there have been reports OF ef-
forts to decrease wages.
.'It will be recalled that In 1907
and in 1908 employers sought to
reduce wages, the result OF which
at that time would have boon to
produce a panic.
THE American Federation OF La
Dor sent forth the warning that we
would resist and resist and resist,
and we paraphrased a saying and
declared it better to resist and lose
than not to resist at all.
"a policy OF reducing wages was
abandoned as a result of the warn
ing. We repeat that warning to-
day.
Resist Wage Cuts.
"At all hazards we will resist
wa3e reductions There Is no ex-
cuse and much less a reason for re-
duction In wages. We will tolerate
no reductions of wages. Even yet
we have ground to cover before we
restore TO all the purchasing power
of 1918.
"The nation needs production
Employers have called for produc-
tion too frequently as a means of
driving the workers to unpaid ef-
forts and in order to cast reflec-
ton upon their efforts and their
honesty and integrity.
'"There is no trouble with the ef-
ficiency of the workers. There Is
growing efficiency bf workers.
There is too infrequently an equal
efficiency and integrity and inteili-
gence in the management OF INDUS
try. The action of corporations to-
day that lay off thousands of men
Is nothing less than a tremendous
indictment of management and a
heinous offense against people IN
need of every possible ounce of pro-
duction.
what is needed above everything
else today is continuous operation OF
industry with a fairness and honesty
aud intelligence upon the part OF
employers that will make conunu-
DDS operation possible. -,
Two employment policies VIII
hinder production that Is the re-
duction of the working forces or
brutal efforts to drive the workers
without consultation and without
agreement with the workers,
.'The mills and factories should
run. Management should consult
with workers through the chosen
representatives of the workers. The
corporation to be achieved by such
n policy will give the nation the
production that 1t needs and that Is
needed by the whole world.
Arrogance, bigotry ana auto
cratic conduct of employers Is a
waste that society can Ill afford