Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-05-28

electrical industry. My mission is to
tell you how deeply interested the
men and women of organized labor.
Whom L have the honor to represent.
are IN electricity and in the use of
eeIiect1clty. 1t was but natural that
Vnose who work viewed with feelings
OF Oh apprehension the use Of power and
Vhe introduction of so-called labor
SAVING machinery. This state of mind
OF the working people can better be
appreciated when you understand the
jobs. ~ ''p0ii 'iieii
TO them the opportunity to work
means life and the endowment of lifa
The prospect of being dispIaced and
thrown out of work. THROUGH the mea
Oh machinery, filled their hearts with
dlsmay and, in many instances
aroused strong opposition to the on
glaVIon OF poWer-driven machines.
put tlme and experience allaved thei,
LIARS tt and they, soon began to realize
@ vliaC lhe use OF power and machinery
Wa TGs inevitable. The building of r.
facture of the MANY mate.
CURED in the building of marbina,v
t, tlIu Ine erection of power plants, the
transmission and distribution of eIec-
t ZIG current created additional oppor-
IuhltleS for employment. It seemed
tilaC IN accordance with economic law
Ille workers temporarily displaced
t,.;d1 M?;le quickly asslmllated in the cleo
Crlcal and mechanical industries
While we look with amazement
upon the changes which have taken
place IN manufacturing, mining and
transportation and while, in the be-
ginning the workers were forced to
gIFappIe with the problems of dis
Placement, we now realize that it
would be quite impossible to return
10 the Old, antiquated methods of
manufacturing and production. They
now do with the machine what at one
Clme required the strength and vigor
OF their bodies. Work has been made
easier, life has been made more toll
erable, living conditions have been
improved and the workers have been
permitted to enjoy the blessings and
benefits OF modern life.
The marvellous DEVELOPMENT of
electric power has resulted in in
creasing the efficiency and productiv-
Ity of the individual worker. The
United States government statistics
snow that within the last two decades
the productivity of the Individual
worker has increased from twenty
live to fifty per cent. This showing
could not have been made except for
the broad and general use to which
electricity has been adapted
,"The public utility corporations
which operate the electric lighting
and power plants of the nation have
eXperlmented in methods of owner
snip and management which have at
tracted the attention of the American
people. | refer to the growth and or
ganlzation of holding companies and
the wide distribution of stock-own-
erShlp. At the present moment it is
difficult to see where this sort of an
experiment will lead. Labor and Lab
or's relationship to employers has
been changed materially by this pro-
cess. Instead of the owners and real
employers of labor coming in close
contact with the workers the manag-
ers employed by the directors of pub
lie utility corporations direct and con-
troll the policy of the corporation and
deal directly with its employees. Man
agement control and management re-
lationship has taken the place of en-
ployers' control and employers and
employees relationship. Organized
labor is deeply interested in this
change and in this situation
"The electrical manufacturing in
dustry has grown so rapidly and has
reached such point of Importance in
the Industrial life of the nation that
its influence and IFS service must be
fully appreciated Many thousands of