Great Falls tribune., 1921-07-26


been dubbed gatherings of petty lar
ceny thieves and high BINDERS
If this meeting tonight is meet
Il ing OF petty larceny thieves and high
binders," said Mr.. Sherwood, II am
ready to leave Great Falls. With this
number Of citizens turning out to hear
the result Of the arbitration board
activities I am convinced that you are
here to know the truth. One thing
I am sorry for. Mayor Armour is not
present to hear the word Of the public
through your presence Mr.. Templeton
has often spoken of desire to appear
before the laboring men and when an
opportunity is given him he turns it
down.
Says Labor Had No Chance.
+. 'eBut I am here to tell you. friends,
that the decision Of the board of arbi-
tration was reached before it met. The
city representatives and Mr.. Van de
Putte had the matter threshed out
beforehand, and labor had not chance
to win. The board Of arbitration has
been a farce and we had hoped for
80 much. But that does not mean that
| all hope is lost. / urge you members
Of the laboring class who are present
to accept the decision Of the board.
Personally / do not believe IN
strikes against the municipality, state
! or United States government. The pub
lie governs these machines and if they
make mistake at one election it is
| their duty to rectify it at the next
election. You have elected your city
officials and you should abide by their
decisions and make known your dis
satisfaction at the next election.
Says City Has Duty.
'The city of Great Falls has done
something to it's employees which no
industrial concern could think Of do
ing. Without notice it cut the wages
of its laboring class $50 a month to
become effective within three days
time. But it is up to you to take the
cut. Men employed by the city have
the interest Of the city at heart and
| the laboring man has a right to be
| heard. Great Falls owes the laboring
| class hearing and has duty towards
| it. And while | am talking to you the
decision Of the board has been present
ed to and accepted by the city coun-
Gil. I exhort you to be peaceable and
have hopes. Living may be reduced
| to such an extent within short time
| that your wages will be living wage
| Great Falls may become prosperous
and the laboring man will be able to
| demand a wage, not collectively but
| Individually. The law of supply and
demand will help labor and may en-
able it's members to demand a living
Of women. The laboring man will now
have two votes, his wife's and his
own. And it is safe to say that his
wife's will be his best bet. Not that
] mean the laboring man is not capable
of voting but he must learn more the
use of the ballot. His wife will have
time to think of the nearing of the
vote and will be able to consider it's
meaning while her husband is working
to support his family"
Urges Against Violence.
'But as concluding exhortation /
want to urge you to refrain from vio
lence. Although it has been decided
that $4.14 per day is living wage and
the city officials have stated in view
Of that fact that they viii give you
$3.50 it is best that you accept it.
A report drawn by Mr.. Kirschwing
and myself will show the kind of living
wage it is. But it makes my blood
boil to think that the only true pro-
ducer, the laboring man. is entitled to
merely living wage. The nonpro-
ducers are reaping the harvest but
the time will come when the producer
will get more than mere pittance for
his labor and employers will find that |
the laboring class will not be content |
to work for the starvation wage that |
prevailed before the war"
Say Mayor Imported Scahs.'
Both the labor members of the board |
referred to Mayor Armour as the 'im-
porting mayor" relating to his action |
in bringing "scabs" to Great Falls to |
take the laboring mems jobs. Further |
they pointed out the selection of A. G.
Fuson of Kalispell as joint city and
county health officer to replace DR..
Aloysius Dolan. They referred to this
act as an insult to Great Falls making
it appear they said that not doctor !
in Great Falls was competent enough
to qualify for the position.
The following statement was read to
the audience by Mr.. kirschwing, who
stated that duplicate blank statement
had been presented to the city repre-
sentatives on the board but they refus-
ed to fill it out.
For Publication Of Facts.
This statement. issued by Joseph
Uuu 1SlIudl u AJACLWO dCL- |
ing as arbitrators in the wage contro-
versy, between the city of Great Falls
and its employees. is intended to inform
the public definitely as to the facts
established during the inquiry. The
arbitrators on behalf of the men in
rolved have always insisted at each
session of the board that it was the
luty Of the board when rendering de-
.ision to give to the public the facts
upon which it was based, while the
members of the board appointed by the
mayor, object for reasons better known
10 themselves, to any publication of
'acts.
ut was agreed at the opening of the
board of arbitration, that any decision
of the board on the wage question.
should be based upon facts shown, and
stated in writing and not merely upon
the opinion of individual arbitrators
'.No facts whatever have been pre-
sented in writing by the arbitrators
appointed by the mayor
'AThe arbitrators appointed by the
men involved present to the board
The following facts, upon which they
base their opinion that the wage set
oy the city council is unreasonably
oW. ,
Say State Average $4.57.
ssTf Gil +ha cities cmnlovinr common