The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-22
$1,20O,OOO to Fight
the Unions

In West Virginia about 20 years ago the yellow Dog
contract first appeared Since then the state has been
haven for open shoppers and today elaborate plans
are laid for keeping the unions out.
The Ohio Valley Industrial Corporation of Wheeling,
W. Va is an organization similar to Chamber of Com
merce with dual mission. They have cash fund of
for the purpose of keeping unions out OF
the district and they this fact bait to lure small
manufacturers from New York to a slaughter
From an Industrial Report" prepared by the Ohio
Valley Industrial Corporation Wheeling, W. Va 1t is
evident that the manufacturing enterprises derive labor
from the wives and children of the underpad miners and
steel workers in the district who forced to slave in
clothing factories in order to boost the family income to
a point nearer the maintenance mark. Rent is exhor-
bitantly high and wages extremely low. Female and
child labor prevalent and unprotected The munich
pal and state governments owned and controlled by
the manufacturers and the courts known to be par
tal to them.
In recent campaign to lure some New York clothing
manufacturers into their spider web the real estaters
and bankers of Wheeling, w. Va, had the Ohio Valley
Industrial Corporation promise as follows:
Labor rates in the Ohio Valley District are low-we
are in position demonstrate to you that the average
saving labor alone will be approximately $25OOOOO
a year for each 100 employes-the Ohio Valley Indus
trial District offers large supply of non-unon female
labor low rates." All of these females wives and
daughters of miners and steel workers who under
paid that they cannot meet the high cost of living in the
Wheeling District. glance at the comparative earn
ngs and rents paid by aborers in Wheeling will show
this very plainly.
"The wages paid skilled workers average from $1,000
to $500 week of forty-eight hours.
Laundry workers paid straight salary OF $1,000
to $14.00 per week.
"Clerks employed in National Chain Stores average
from $1,000 to $500 per week"
Negro women be hired for four dollars a week and
Negro for six dollars week, in any Southern
state.
"The following is the average rental scale of house
rents:
Houses suitable for white skilled employees (the ones
who $500 to $500 week. don't forget) $4,000 to
$4,000 month.
Houses suitable for white unskled employees with
earnings of $1,000 to $500 week. $4,000 to $4,000 per
month.
Houses suitable for colored employees (you may de-
pend upon that sefrespecting pig would not want tc
live in these houses) $1,000 to $4,000"
From these figures it is apparent that industrial real
estate brings handsome profits
Sixty percent of the clothing workers ano
there is an abundance of female labor especially young
girls"
To quote further from the Report eve you
that you will not have any labor troubles in the District
this is strictly non-unon District and the attitude
of the Courts and the financial interests
towards protecting the manufacturers interest"
Open Shop-No Strikes
There no strikes in the Wheeling District, are
told because $3.50 of the labor is employed the
shop basis In 1921 the large steel mills broke the unor
which has successfully re-organized.
Labor laws framed to protect the manufacturers
The Commissioner of Labor has no power Children
above ID years may be employed for eight hours day
There laws at all regulating female labor,
the Workmen's Compensation Act is not compulsory but
protects the employer nevertheless.
! The most foolish statement contained in the indus
trial Report is that over $3.50 of the cys population
carries savings accounts" Considering the low wages
high rentals and large degree of unemployment (sressec
the abundance of labor-which is never scarcely thai
is indeed miraculous accomplishment-or downright
lie.
NropM ~ err r,r-r