Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-06-20

Congressman Victor Berger ofTers
resolution for calling of international
conference 10 end Versailles Treaty
none Of the union men discharged At
klondike.
We proceeded with the work Of or.
ganlEatlen fer some four weeks and
finally had a one hundred percent
unlonlEed mine. We also discovered
that while the superintendent did not
openly say anything favorable 10 II,
that not only was no one being dis.
charged for belonging 20 the union.
but that the under bosses were speak
ing favorahly of IL 90 those who had
not attended the meetings, and In,
hueneing them In such way that
they joined 1t.
just about this time the manager
of the store had to stay IN the store.
overnight for some reason, and he
heard cur discussion. lie took the
matter up with Mr., Watt aud tried
TO get him TO discharge all the union
men. Mr.. Watt refused To do Il. This
man then went TO the New York
office of the coal corporation which
owned that mine, and advised them OF
the situation.
A representative OF that office came
back With him TO the mine and called
ON MIR, Watt, told him what the store
manager had reported and asked him
II II We're tfue--Mr. Watt advised him
that Ii was.
Mr., Watt was, at that time, feeely.
ing $4,000 year salary The repre-.
sentative of the New York office OF
the corporation, advised him that IL
he would agree tn discharge every
man who belonged to the union, and
work the mine non-union, that they
would agree TO increase his salary 10
$4,000 year; that m the event he
refused to do this, they would be com.
PEELED 10 discharge him. Mr.. Watt
replied that he knew these coal min
ers--that they were human beings
like himself, with every desire and
aspiration that he had; that they had
wives and children who were just the
same as his wife and his children,
just as dear to them; that he could
not, or would not, drive them like
animals, that he believed they should
be organized In order that they might
protect their lives, limbs, and their
health; required the kind Of treatment
that men were entitled TO, aud 10
secure the kind Of wages that would
give them and their children, the kind
of life and the opportunities they
should have.
He said he had no other position in
sight, and had but very little money In
the world, also u family to keep; that
he dlsliked very much giving up his
position, but that he would do that,
rather than ues his influence TO the
injury of his fellows and the coming
generations So they discharged him.
There Is no doubt in my mind, but
what II Mr.. Watt had been willing TO
become tyrant and dictator, 10
crush the workers and exploit them
in the interest of that corporation
that his job would have been secure
and his salary would have been fur
thef increased. lie would have been
let in on the ground floor in the new
developments that took place In the
coal mining industry in West Virginia,
and today, he would be spending his
winters in Miami, Florida, or some
similar place. and his winters on the
Atlantic coast or at some of the other
cool, pleasant summer resorts-hia
family would have been provided with
an education. Today, they are scat
tered to the four winds, all working
for a living, but he still has, even at
this time. that kindly disposition,
that patience, unsehshness, and that
brave spirit that he had then.
His only hope IL, that he might
spend his remaining days without be.
coming "A burden on his fellows, that
10 the last, he will be a helpful in
fluence in their lives.
As these thoughts run through my
mind, | know that human nature is
much better than what Il generally
appears 10 be on the surface. There
are hundreds and thousands Of fine
men and women, who, unTewafded and
unnoticed, are giving their lives in this
way for human betterment, for the
raising Of the standards Of the human
race, that knowledge strengthens one
1t renews ones faith IN men, and in
the ultimate high destiny that Is be-
fore humanity. My regret is that the
hundreds and thousands, yes millions
Of men, women and children whom he
and men like him, do these things for,
usually are not aware Of lido not
even know them.
! hope that the day may soon come
when there will be no danger Of the
poor house for men of this kind who
do these things for men; when they
will not even be compelled, at the age
Of eighty in their declining years, 10
act as watchmen in the Capitol Build
ing, for a pitifully small sum, just
sufficient to barely keen them alive.