Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-21
Open SHOP The
ONLY SAFE, Sane.
COURSE FOR ALL
Cotton Head Tells AS
sociates at Annual
Convention
Cotton Mill Workers Showed
Rare Judgment in Accepting
Recent 22t% Cut - Sees
Bright Future Ahead for
Business

Boston, Aprn 2o.-Application of
the Golden Rule to the cotton manu-
featuring industry was urged as
cure for present industrial problems
by Russell B. Lowe of Fitchburg,
president of the National Association
of Cotton Manufacturers, at the open
ing session of the annual convention
here tonight. a live and let live"
policy ultimately would be the plat
form on which American industry
would survive, he said, and the cotton
manufacturing business would stand
its application as much as any other
industry.
An optimistic note for the future of
the business was sounded by Presi-
dent Lowe, who cited in support of it
the great shortage of manufactured
goods in Central Europe and Asia and
the lessened production resulting from
the 4S-hour working week IN the
plants
The willingness with which cotton
null operatives accepted 223 per cent
reduction in wages permitting resump-
| ton of activities last January after a
period of depression, was pointed to
as a leading example to all other in
dustrleS. Cotton mill labor, hesaid,
had taken the situation with rare
judgment.
AT the same time Mr.. Lowe asserted
that 1920 and 1921 had shown the pub
lie the selfish extremes to which or
Ganized labor would 90.
The open shop is the only form of
employment which provides American
constitutional freedom to the public.
to labor and to the employers" ne
said
We. hadthe swing of the pendulum
lew years ago which proved the
seihshness of capital and resulted in
| the antitrust laws. The present con.
ditions of the railroads and building
trades with the impossible labor ar
ganization rules has aroused public
sentiment everywhere, because if the
puDllc realizes that it stands all the
burden. demand by the public and
employers for the open shop would
have the desired result in all parts of
the country"
transportation and the cotton sun
ply were mentioned as other problems
before the manufacturers. The trans
/ portation situation as a whole, the
speaker said. was no better than last
year.
! THE New England situation" he
continued, lis bad and something dras-
NC must be done. The development
OF coastwise trade is of first import
ance. Then, believing that Boston
should be terminal of trunk lines. T
personally feel that the Boston g.
Maine railroad should be taken by the
Canadian Pacific, the Fitchburg diyis-
ION by the Delaware & Hudson. the
New Haven by the PENNSYLVANIA. and
| the Central New England with tbc
standardization line by the Erie
rms would make Boston a terminal
TOT the Canadian Pacific, New York
central Erie, and PENNSYLVANIA. and
would allow coal feeders like the Del
aware d Hudson to supply our roads.
Inc cotton supply, which is over
abundant, has caused the planter
much hardship to mark down and car
ry and the underlying condition is not
| good. The world is billions of pounds
OIL cotton products short since 1914,
ana 10 NIL this vacancy will call for
! more and more cotton. But the PLANTER
plans for less. which is natural. In
! dlcations point 20 a planting IF so to
20 per cent. but on any such program
we are facing serious shortage"