The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-21
CLAIMS REGULAR.
work AN ENEMY
OF B.O.LSHEVISM
Whiting Williams Discus
SEES Labor's Side in
Industry

me chief means OF staying the
grpBth OF Bolsheyism, declared
Whiting Williams, Cleveland, writ.
q and student OF Industrial rela.
lion conditions between employers
and employees In a very able address
last night at the Y. NJ. c. A. under
the auspices Of the Chamber of
Commerce and Industrial Super.
yisprs Club. Unquestionably It
was the best address ever given in
Fairmont on the labor situation, and
was apparent that the speaker
knew. his subject.
DESERVING the lucrative position
nf yice-presldent OF the Hydraulic
Steel Co.. Cleveland, to wear over
ms. carry dinner pail and live
In the lowest ebb OF conditions
with the workers In United States
snd abroad, Mr.. Williams, who is
nov writing special articles in Col.
lier,s Weekly and is the author OF
several books, made an exhaustive
srfyey Of the trials OF the worker.
The speaker was introduced b.
lGeorge;T. Watson, who stated that
for three and a half years Mr.. vii
ltams had studied the workman's
side OF the question In the steei
mills as well as that OF the coal
miner. In 1920 he visited the old
coal mining regions OF Wales and
In 1921 those of France and Ger.
many, as well as the flooded mines
of Belgium. He now plans to visit
the coal mines OF Italy and Spain.
While visiting the New England
Nine OF the Consolidation Coal Co.
today, Mr.. Watson was amazed at
Nj. Williams versatility, as he con.
yersed with Italians, Slavs and 9th.
ers in their native tongue.
One Of the points that was
stressed was that irregular work
makes irregular workmen and they
In turn become irregular citizens
After studying both sides OF the
question; Mr.. Williams declared
that not all OF the right is with cap.
ital nor Is 1t with labor, but he felt
that II capital took the first step
that labor would probably meet II
halt way. The present Industrial
conditions in the world are very
dangerous, unhappy and very trou-
lhlesome, he said. Likening the
super structure to coal mine, he
said one might draw the timbers
In retreating TO remove the strain.
but in the present world condItiona
It would be Just the reverse. Il
there Is collapse in Central Ell.
rome, the break may spread to Great
Britain and perhaps later to Amer
lea. Recently Great Britain with
Stood the greatest Industrial strair
u had ever encountered. he said.
Starting out with s25, Williams
secured position In a steel mil
and only once was his identity
learned. Time after time he stood
with hundreds OF workers in line
for a job. AS he passed the thou.
sands Of unemployed, It appeared
to5him that the saying, Where !
have been there aren't any jobs"
was written across every forehead.
Recalling the expression OF a man
who had stood for hours at the
office OF an employment agency
only TO absent himself five minutes
and return to find that all the jobs
had been attributed was most pitt.
fils In his anguish the man e1.
claimed, "oh, my God, out for five
minutes and the fob has been Civ
en- out"
He heard men curse tho country,
patriotism and laugh at Columbia,
the Gem OF the Ocean," because
they said this country has nearly
all bf the gold in tho world and yet
u cannot get Job" Service men
and others are In the jobless mil
lions, he said.
Restriction Of output, the slow
Ing down on the job. he declared,
was due to the uncertainty OF the
dob. He related his own experience
as one Of a labor gang. At a steel
plant he was heavlng bricks at
rapid-tire pace when his co.work-
ers Informed him that the COM
spany had lots OF tho mon maxi de
Job last as long as possible. " Lon
don workers say that section Is in
the present depressed condition
! due TO the more production" pro-
paganda. Bolshevists in Glasgow
are actively engaged In recruiting
their forces from the ranks OF the
unemployed. Trying to Distribute
work caused the rise OF the un-
Ions, which he admitted have be.
come too offensive, and cannot be
entrusted with the problem any
more than capital.
IN the steel plants the slogan
has been "get out the steel and
he intimate relationship between
toremen OF various departments
md officials Of the company has
siedathe men in the labor gang to
believe that the only way 10 rise
to marry the boss daughter. In
~ efforts to get out production.
the real existence OF Industrial re-
sation6hip between omploye and
Employer is overlooked. The
peaker believed that promotion
By merit is factor with tho rank
aud file, who cease TO be ambitious
When they see those In the ranks
eassed up The foregoing condI-
tons Mr.. Williams grouped under
die mental condition OF the worker.
Under the physiological and
1lI"0a HNaaRN 4 ~
working conditions disheartened
rio worker. A man that works
Twelve hours a day with an eigh-
teen or. twenty-four hour turn
Avery other Sunday becomes tired.
With The tired man goes a nasty
temper. He declared that 9s per
cont Of the labor grievances start
py clashes between one foreman
and one man.
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