The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-03-30

situation was considered and the several
men present at this luncheon were as
| founded at President Hefner's lack of
accurate information on the labor Situa-
ton. His knowledge consisted princi-
pally of erroneous ideas regarding Mr..
Duncan and his demands, apparently
gathered from biased and prejudlced
sources. and his argument was almost en-
tirely a damning of Duncan and Duncan
ism 1t is possible Mr.. Hefner talked
with some other ''idealist' for he states
/ the one he conversed with was much con-
| cerned as to the attitude of the trade to-
ward him." whereas the Presbrey- Leland
| company is not at all concerned and will
not be in any way influenced or cOerced
/ by the trade when considering their duty
/ toward all men associated with them and
particularly their attitude toward labor.
| To the extent of their knowledge and
| ability they viii see that every man, from
/ the apprentice boy up. has a square deal,
| and as they are given light to pursue this
! course il will be adhered TO regardless of
/ consequences to themselves.
Had the union men and officials re
fused to confer with us and rejected the
agreement offered, We would have. decided
! that negotiations We're useless and would
have been one of the first to declare for
open Shop-but there was no such alter
native necessary.
President Hefner's threats apparently
aimed at the Barre district and threaten
ing dire consequences at the hands of the
| retailers if they did not follow hills dicta
ton and revise their business methods,
will probably prove about as effective with
most of the manufa cturerS i'm that district
as his criticism of ''idealSts' and their
methods has with the Presbrey- Leland
company.
President Hefner cites Jack Sargent as
a leader who stands for right above ex-
pediency and the good of the men as we'll
as the public Jack Sargent is a friend
of ours with whom we have no quarrel.
but he was one of the first to declare for
open shop and So per day ito save the in
| dustry" The fact remains that Mr.. Sar-
gent went to Mt. Airy only a few years
ago with a very small capital and today
| i'm a great measure controls the Mt. Airy
granite interests lives in beautiful
home, and has stated personally that in
1920 he cleared what would have been
considered a few years ago great for
tune. Mr.. Sargent has now been operat-
ing more than two months on the open
shop and supposedly cut wage basis, but
I is not quoting any lower prices than he
did four months ago, and in our opinion
he cannot as a result of any reduced cost
of production accomplished by the cut in
wage. The unlimited use of machinery
| and the morale of the men must accom-
| pliSh this much desired result, and it will.
! 1t has been stated that it Is the policy
/ of congress not to afford our industry
proper tariff protection until we have re
/ duced our labor costs to ''pre-war" levels.
| What industry is on a pre-war basis
| today or likely u be?) How about re-
ductiOn of profits as well as labor costs?
| Was that side of the question considered
| by congress? Does the opinion of one
! man in Washington bind congress when
| that persons information was undoubt-
| eddy secured from a prejudiced source,
| viz, those who interviewed him? Does
| any sensible man suppose that when our
| industry actually needs protection against
| foreign GRANTEES congress is likely to re
| fuse aid on the ground that skilled labor
! ers are not receiving pre-war wages?
| The presbrey-Leland company is sell
! ing at retail all over the United States,
and no firm Is in a better position to
| know what the buying public is thinking
! and demanding. All business has been
subnormal for some time past but is
/ gradually improving, and if manufactur-
| erS and retailers viii cease telling the
| public there is going to be Il big reduc-
] ton in prices and printing on their pro-
| posalS statements to the effect that
prices may soon be lower but instead
| make a settlement: then go out for bust
ness informing the public that a definite
arrangement has been made, that unnec-
! esSary overhead expenses have been cut to
! the limit, all restrictions have been re-
moved on machinery. efficiency Speeded
! up win resultant - per cent reduction
! in prices. and that no further reductions
| can be made. then we shall have this bust
/ ness back where it belongs and fully as
good as general business conditions make
! possible.
| We find the people contemplating the
| purchase of a monument, mauSoleum, or
| the use of granite in building. have no
| desire to purchase at a price that will
compel the manufacturer to pay a lower
wage than skilled and industrious work
men deserve and must have to ike like
Americans. Perhaps many people don't
realize that the men lose at least a full
months pay each year by holidays, cold
| weather. sickness and slack business
! and frequently much more than a month.
If some of the men now demanding most
vociferously the SIS wage were forced
back to the banker, they would very soon
change their opinions.
When we find Il cutter soldering not
| withStanding our treatment of him, this
man is allowed to resign at once, but this
| seldom occurs. There have been faults
on both sides, but the employers should
show the way to better and more salts
factory condition, and to those who do
viii come peace and prosperity.
Yours very truly.
/ G. II. PRESBREY.
New York, March IS.