Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-10-23


who contend vigorously for their be-
liefs and for their opinions; but we
have certain well recognized princi-
pies upon which We all stand IN com
mon accord.
! Reduction in Wages.
I'VE in America do not believe
that the best interest Of the workers
can be served by accepting reduc-
lions in wages or BY lowering our
standards Of living. Il seems that in
Great Britain the employers Of labor,
following the war, prevailed upon the
workers to believe that the only way
they could capture the markets Of
the world was to accept reductions
in wages. They forced reductions
wherever they could. they ahaued
them when argument seemed TO have
its influences and IS result OF It
all the figures show that the work
ers Of Great Britain have accepted
reductions in ages ii almost every
line Of industry amounting to many
millions Of pounds.
Here in America we adopted q
different policy. We do not believe
that the markets Of the world can be
captured through the establishment
o flow wages and inhuman conditions
of employment. We believe that if
there is to be 3 reduction in the cost
of commodity production it must be
through the payment Of high wages
and through the increase Of efficien-
cy.
How can prosperity prevail in any
nation unless you place the great con-
Stunning mass Of the people in a posi-
ton to buy the things that are manu-
featured? To me it is a strange phi
losophy that would teach working
man that he must reduce this purch-
asing power, lower his consuming
strength, and at the same time pro-
mote prosperity through accepting
reductions in wages.
$50 we have fought, and in some
lines of industry where the men and
women have been somewhat econom-
ically weak, stern fate has forced
some reductions in wages, but among
the bulk Of the working people of
America no reductions in wages have
been sustained since the war. We
have fought fight, and even now
we are fighting some phases in Amer
lea upon the economic field for the
enjoyment of higher standards, in
creased wages, shorter hours, i'm
proved conditions of employment and
the right to be free industrially and
economically.
Coal Strike.
GAS speak TO you now from this
platform in response to the address
of these fraternal delegates 100000
members of organized labor, the un-
ion to which belong, are fighting
in the anthracite fields of Pennsyl-
vania, not against reduction in
wages but for an increase IN wages
that they feel they ought to have.
"As a result Of the solidarity these
men have shown and are showing
every coal pit, small and great, in
the anthracite region is as silent as
King Tut's tomb; and if | know any
thing about the fighting spirit Of
these men with whom have lived all
my life, who are my comrades and my
friends, it is my opinion that every
pit win be as silent as death until
the anthracite operators yield to our
righteous demands.
THAT is the kind Of economic
strength that is displayed by the
workers, for these men believe that
it will not be mere pretense, by dec
larations, by subscribing to some
strange philosophy that they can
rise in the social and economic scale;
they know it will only be by the same
method and along the same road that
humanity has ever made progress
since the day when Adam and Eve
lived in the Garden of Eden, and that
is through their own efforts along
constructive lines.
A. F. of L. Aware of Situation.
"Our good friend Brother Purcell
referred in a most eloquent way to
this world unity movement, the join
ing together of the working men and
women throughout the world in Co
operation and coordination. The
American Federation Of Labor has
never been unmindful Of the situa-
tons throughout the entire world.
Our sympathies go out to the work
ing people of India, of China, of Asia,
of Africa, of Europe, in every remote
section of the earth.
Il recall that when the revolution
developed in Russia the American lab
or movement sent congratulations to
the working people Of Russia, COM
plimenting them upon their revolu-
tionary action in overthrowing the
power of Czarism and all it stood for.
And we succeeded in having appoint
ed upon a commission representing
our Republic outstanding men of lab
or, so that on their trip to Russia
at that crucial period Of the worlds
history they could properly convey to
the workers of Russia the real, hui
name, brotherly sentiment of the