The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-09-05
READY TO MEET
EMPLOYERS
Continued from first page)

"A AZ still danger.
But no matter what our opinions
may be as to what ii due us, the EN-
ployer il confronted with the need tt
market the product and II he ii forced
70 ask 4 price higher than the consumI
er can or viii pay, he must go out 81
business. That IL evident. Some EN-,
| ployers and unfortunately for them
selves, some Of the working people
i have believed that point had been
reached in the granite industry. Last
year and during the early part Of this
year purely artificial condition was
| created by financial interests and BY
the organs Of publicity. People ac-
cepted normally as a blessed happy
coming state Of affairs IN which every
man could hold his own price, but iii
which every other man would have to
give his stnff away. Every buyer was
shouting bis demands for cheapness
while every seller was explaining why
! his particular commodity could not be
reduced in price. This confusion and
babel Of tongues had its effect, and the
result was evident in industry. People
refused to buy. In the granite indus
1 try, price had nothing to do with IT..
| Az an actual fact and as a test, sales
| men asked apparently prospective Gus
toners $500 for a 5000 monument, and
the cry was still for lower prices.
This delusion about a buyers para
| disc lying just over the Hill is happily
passing, and with il II coming a re-
turn OF prosperity There has been
an insistent demand for granite prod
ducts this year, demand which has
been and Ii being stifed by the action
Of employers in trying 10 force an I'M
warranted wage reduction. Those EN-
ployers who do building work exclu-
sively base their arguments on the
competition with other materials.
Limestone Is set in building for half
the cost Of granite; artificial or cast
stone Ii still cheaper. The cost Of la
Dor required III the cutting Of granite
runs from rs per cent to 40 per cent
of the total selling cost Of the finished
material. So, If the granite workers
donated their labor, granite could not
compete with these other materials on
a price basis.
The workers in the industry are not
supposed to have any right to know
anything about the selling OF their
product. They are simply to work and
produce and bear the burden. Yet an
intelligent understanding Of the condi
tions which affect the selling Of the
work is Just as important TO the men
who produce ii as it il to those who
sell ii. The weak end Of the industry
is the selling end. Employers In Barre
have done more TO correct this weak
ness than any other set Of employers
in the business. They were making
excellent progress until the destructive
element among them gained control |
Let me cite several actual happenings |
as illustrations of the selling methods |
OF men in the granite business.
Price Slashing
"Mr. A. wanted mausoleum. He /
went to Mr. p. and explained what |
he wanted. Mr.. ID. was in the bust
ness. but was unable TO do a job Of |
that size He went to Mr.. G., who /
runs manufacturing plant and asked
Mr.. G. to give him q figure on the job.
Mr. G. gave him an estimate of $4,000
Mr.. d. let Mr., G. know
the name and address of Mr. A. and |
Mr. G. visited Mr.. A. and offered to do
the work for 81 500, Mr.. A. then went /
from one man to another with his de
sign until ha finally placed bis order
With man, who agreed to do the work
for sc, 400. Result. Mr. A. got poor
Job and the man who did il yelled
that the wages in the granite industry
were too high"
"Mr. Smith wanted y monument He
vent TO Mr.. Jones. who submitted
iesign and price of II. $50. Mr.. Smith
thought this was all right and paid
loposit OF S75. but did not sign con
.ract Mr. Brown slipped around to
zee Mr. Smith, urged him to eliminate
certain details in the design and offer
ng to do the work for 81 .450 If this
vas done. Finally, Mr.. Smith placed
,is order for monument and got one
II inferior design. workmanship and
Material for 81 200. The man who did
hat job declares that the public will
lot buy unless wages come down.
"These instances are the rule and are
lot exceptional cases. What q demand
hat the welfare of men, their wives
nd their children are to be sacrificed
ecause Of the foolish business methods
4 other men And that is what the
emand for a wage reduction amounts
o and nothing else. II
Making Granite Cutters
"The public, however, is told It isn't !
question OF wages, that il is ques
ion OF the education Of apprentices, /