The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-06-12
Steel and the 12-Hour Day

United States asked the leading own
ers and managers in the steel industry
to confer with him at the White
House. He made an appeal to then
to abandon the 12-hour working day
in that industry Judge Ebert II
Gary was the principal spokesman for
the steel men at that time as he always
is. and he unhesitatingly indicated that
he and his associates would uphold the
hands OF the president in the attempt
TO improve the conditions Of the work
men. In the face OF these facts there
has been a good deal OF hot weather
conversation in Washington concern
ing what can be done TO the steel mag
mates in view OF their determination 10
continue the l2-hour working day.
The statement put out by the Amer
lean Iron and Steel Institute endeav-
ors to leave the impression that the
steel workers are anxious to continue
the l2-hour day. because il enables
them to make more wages. The shor-
tage OF labor in the country is given as
another reason for continuing the in
human system OF employment that has
come down previous to the time when
unemployment was a crying complaint
throughout the nation.
II is a good thing that there is in
this country a searching method ON
ployed by the government and by the
Christian churclfmen that inventories
the purposes. designes and reasons for
decisions such as have been reached by
the leaders in the steel industry. The
churchmcn have spoken plainly. and
they declare the action of the Institute
to have been in the nature of "shatter
ing public confidence" Book OF the
statement are said to be the represen-
tatives of practically the entire mem
bership of the Protestant. Catholic and
Hebrew churches OF the country.
The Industrial Conference
When President Wilson called big
Industrial Conference at Washington I
at the close of the war. Judge Gary c
was appointed by the President as c
OF that body. 1t had hardly q
been convened before a great strike ?
broke out in the steel industry. and {
Gary thereupon absented himself from S
the deliberations OF the groups that il
mad the opportunity of the century to p
strengthen and cement the conditions p
capital and labor, and rushed O
,H to Ne wYork to direct the fight b
lgain at his striking workmcn. The
'teel industry lined itself solidly as
opposed to recognizing union labor.
because. as they admitted at the time.
I meant the end OF the 12-hour day,
The continuation of the strike caused
samuel Gompers and the labor group
o withdraw from the conference. and
he results of the gathering we're fruit
,ss. When a later conference was
allied. it worked out a plan for shop
presentation, union labor. and other
lcthods by which employers and en-
loyes could get together to effect
bargaining" Added to this
as the recommendations establishing
dcral tribunals and district invcstiga-
ng methods to determine the right
I'd wrong of disputes between en-
overs and employees. But this sec
nd study and determination came too
tie to command the attention of the
merican people.
Leading public men nj political and
dustrial affairs have worked for
airs trying to improve the relations
tween labor and capital. The steel
d the coal mining industries have al
ays "gummed" the wheels of pro-
css. In the present instance Judge
Try and Company are running true
type by sticking to the l2-hour
y.
The Row About Dyes.
For a great many years the Ger
ms had monopoly on the American
c market. German dyes were as
ndard as shirts and pants. The
rman patents were seized at the out
AK OF the war and American manu-
turers were permitted 70 use them
manufacture dyes. Al irst these
v dyes were considerable of
IS, but after a while the quality i'm
we'd. AT the close of the war these
man patents were sold by the Unit
States government to Americans at
wv cost. and il was doubtless thor
lilly understood that the reason for
small figure obtained by the gov
ment was wholly due to the desire
build up an American dye manu-
uring business. The original Ger
! owners of the patents are now
ng to prove that they were robbed
heir property, and the controver-
5 between those who are willing to