Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-28
u. S. Steel Meeting Watched.
Doak Says Hoover Stand
Still Opposes Pairing.
CONTINUED From First Page)

should be construed as condonement
by the administration OF temporary
wage reductions. These persons, MI.
Doak added. who are hoping for wage
cuts might interpret it to conform VITA
their hopes"
The letter was in reply to a protest
To President Hoover from the Rhode
Island Representative. who said that
the textile industry in his State was re-
ducing wages and thereby violating the
agreement" made at the White House
in 1929.
Mr. Lamont informed Representative
Condor that the Presidents position IN
the matter of wage reductions Is well
known and understood. No enc couio
have done more to maintain wage
rates"
Praises Conference.
Continuing, Mr.. Lamont wrote:
when the conference was held III
the Fall of 1929. representatives CT va
rious industries expressed themselves in
favor of maintaining wage rates ana.
even though they were not sent as
delegates of their industries. or even
of their own companies, and had no
authority to pledge their companies OF
industries to any definite plan OF ac-
ton, nevertheless, without eXceptloh'
the industries represented nave NAM
fAlne0
two years ago, and the influence OF the
conference and its conclusions have sue
ceeded in a marvellous manner IN sus-
tanning wages. ,.,.
LAS the period of depression length
ems. many corporations. which were not
we'll protected by reserves accumulated
In wears of good business, hnd them-
selves at the present time in extremely
difficult positions. Many OF them a.
IiIyd salaries.
some of them are faced with the pres
meet of closing down altogether and thus
creating more Unemployment or, alteI-
natively. seeking temporary wage re-
auctions.
Il very greatly regret that these cases
should occur. but, l do not oelleVe u Is
the duty of the Government to interfere
in such cases. neither do think Such
interference could be ehect<'e.
Condor Addresses Hoover.
The following is Representative Con-
don's letter to President Hoover:
It am again calling your attention 10
the wage-cutting campaign now IN
progress in the textile industry In Rhode
Island.
on behalf of several hundred of my con-
stituents. 1 requested your assistance 10
prevent a wage cut in one Of the mills
of the American WOODEN Co, In Oiney-
vile. R. 1. I feared then that such
wage cut, if allowed to stand. would be
soon followed by others and that the
inevitable result would be industrial
strife at time when 1T would be most
disheartening to those who were GONG
heartening to those who were doing
their best to cooperate with you IN
YOUR efforts to bring business and IN
.dustry safely out of the present de-
preston.
ployes believed that their employers
were a party to the agreement entered
into with you at the White House IN
1880 not to cut wages during the pres
ent depression. I also stated that the
belief was widespread throughout the
State and that the imitation OF wage
cuts was looked upon in Rhode Island
es a breach of such agreement.
Disorders at Two Places.
ut was with great regret and some
surprise that l learned from you,
through Secretary Of Commerce ROBERT
z. Lamont, that the textile industry
was not represented among the in
Gustrial leaders of the country who made
the pledge against wage cutting referred
to above.
"A serious condition now exists in
this State, and particularly in my dis
trict Many thousands of employees IN
the textile industry here have recently
received substantial wage cuts In sew
eral of the mills where wage cutting has
been announced strikes have occurred,
and in two instances, in the cities OF
Central Falls and PaWtucket, serious
disorder has accompanied the attempts
OF employers to operate their mills with
strikebreakers. 1t is quite likely that
this condition will grow worse unless
some one who can speak with author
ity tries to convince these employers
that they are aggravating an already
bad situation and repeating the serious
mistake they made in this industrial
area during the 1921 depression.
Quotes DIR. Julius Klein.
I'm this I am borne out by the opin-
ion expressed by the Assistant Secretary
of Commerce, DR.. julius Klein. in his
radio address on Sunday, April II,
1881, in which he mad, the following
observation:
Fortunately, the vast majority OF
cur industrial leaders are keenly appre-
ciative of the necessity of providing at
least some work for the maximum num-
bsr. Most of them realize, further
more. the grave periis that lurk in the
short-sighted proposal OF the wage cut
Let us not add strikes and other in
dustrial disorders to our troubles. We
have enough grief as it is. That is what
was done in 1921 when wage cuts
started the greater part of the 2,4O0
strikes in that depression and turned
more than million workers out into
the streets. One dose of that kind of
dangerous nostrum ought to be enough
in our depression experiences
Asks President to intervene.
1T is indeed a pity that the leaders
Of the textile industry in this State
cannot be classed among the numb
referred to by DR.. Klein, who realize the
perils of the wage cuts. 1t seems to me
that it is their duty to cooperate with
you and the leaders Of other industries
who have voluntarily pledged you their
aid.
May I, therefore, most respectfully
request that you personally interest
yourself in the very serious and alarm
ing situation now rapidly developing in
the textile industry in this State and
to use the great influence Of your tX-
allied Office to bring these leaders OF
the textile industry to a realization OF
the serious mistake which they are
making and ask them to withdraw the
wage cuts which they have already an
nounced and put into effect"
Hoover Speech Recalled.
In his speech before the American
Bankers Association at Cleveland on
October 2, President Hoover said:
1T appears from the press that some
one suggested IN your discussion that
our American standards of living should
to lowered. To that enphatically dis
agree. I do not believe it represents
the views Of this association. Not only
do not accept such a theory. but on
the contrary the whole purpose end
the idea Of this economic system which
is distinctive of our county. is to in
crease the standard of living By the
adoption and the constantly widening