The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-12-07
PREEEMTS SOME PLAIN STATE-
nNrS FOE CONFEDERATION
OF AnHRICAN PEDEBA-
TION AxAD.
Shows Comparative Importance %
Organized labor and the
Farmers OF tho Nation.

The following open letter is addressed
70 President Samuel Gompers OF 'he
American Federation Of Labor by G. T.
UT, a California farmer.
Tus;in, Cal. Sept. 70 1871.
Mr.. SAMUEL GOMRERS'
Pres, A. +. L., New YORK.
DEAR SIR:
You are quoted us saying that Inc
present unemployment situation IS an
economic crime" Quite right. out VINO
are the c~riminals7
The farmer has been thoroughly oe-
oatod, His gross income has been
practically cut in half. and his labor
income almost annihilated. Altnous"
the farmer constitutes nearly nan tno
nation and performs more than ha!i '"e
labor OF the country you DO not soe"t
10 know that he exists. or Rno"!nS
that, you consider that ne was cFe"'UH
10 be exploited by the labor unions r"4-
road brotherhoods and the miuo'e"''"'
The farmer is earning for his LABOR IN
como very much less than in 1914 be-
cause his other costs are double toat
NJ t0t4 due principally 10 tho refusal or
union labor 10 share In the defation'
You also say that wage reductions
will not ~rel!eve the situation" In TINS
YOU are, in my opinion. entirety mis-
taken. You Ike most city men, Ignore
,he farmer Rs an economic and integral
FACTOR in the situation. If. rs you seem
(ouite naturally. l presumc) TO 'nihN'
tho Ave million labor union memocrH
constituted Labor" or even were d
majority OF labor, or or the people %
this country, you would DC correct ="
that case what tho carpenter ah" u"
nlasterer eStorted from the LOCOMOTIVE
engineer In high priced houses ANY
rants the Railway BrotherhoooS "ou'"
In turn extort from the plasterer anu
CARPENTER In high priced freight anu
nassenuer rates, and 30 on through an
no union trades. However, unton
labor constitutes only about oho-nt't,
Of the labor and people or these INV"
StRtcs aud their Rttompt 20 holo inc
."ADNANTAGES' gained by 'he"'
during the recent general insanity can
hayn no other result than unenploy-
ment.
7 wish 10 call your attention TO a fe"
facts.
Ths farmer not only performs more
,hnn halr the labor Of the country but
he is almost half the people
Income and outSo.
His gross income Is cut In half ~hlIe
almost eyerythinS- he buys Ia priced 70
him at double price, due 70 douo'r
wages for union labor. II does no'
matter which way no turns. ne nnHH
carpenters. piasterers. painters raIIr0a"
onerntors and all union labor eHtor''ns
double wages from him. The result OF
,hls lamentahle outrage ls that AFTER ne
has spent all his income he Is on'E
nb1e 70 get half the things he want OF
could bus. II wages were debated In pro-
norton as his total income has peeh'
CAs have explained before. his LABOR
income has almost d!sappeared.)
1t follows. therefore, that 50 Tar as
the farmer is concerned he can only
keep half as many men busy at - POI
dav as he could at 50 per day.
You complain OF high priceo rents
II building costs Increase 900 per cent
as they did by 1920. can you expect
rents 70 stay down? Now building COSTS
Rave decreased. due 10 greater efficiency
NJ labor and lower material prices 70
snn rrr cent OF normal, that Is TO say
a $1,000 cottage for a por mar may nov"
ne hull, for $4,000. This Is due to the
high price Of labor.
Now does this rob Henry Ford or
O \ Rockefeller. or the roor man :
And IS either Mr.. Ford or Mr.. Rookie
TELLER to blame that the. carpenter an"