The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-08-16


eye. Upon approaching it one of
the first things that attracts at
tention is a ground floor display
room of beautiful plumbing fix
lures, protece ed from the elements
by huge plate glass windows bear
ing the legend "Kohler of Koh-
ler." Replicas are to be seen thru
out the United States by millions
of workers to whom modern sani-
tation in he wealthiest country in
the world is an unrealized dream.
Many years ago, Walter ]. Koh-
Ter toured Europe, making a study
of modern housing for workers and
"socialized" relations between the
workers and their exploiters. He
returned to Wisconsin and founded
the "model" village of Kohler a
few miles from Sheboygan. There
he established his factories, his
workers homes, and the Kohler
CASTLE" where he lived. The viii
lage was laid out according to a
carefully thought out plan. Every
thing from the ground beneath to
the sky above was owned by Koh-
ler OF Kohler. All he touched
turned 20 gold-profit in the soil,
profit in the brick houses and of
surplus labor time and power there
was plenty. America was Kidding
itself of Bot became mania
amongst the bourgeoisie-and the
fancy toilets and bath tubs sold
like Cointreau at the Dome. Hun
dreds of workers invested in homes
in Kohler and it became famous
thruoNt the U. S. A. as the model
industrial town. These workers
were held in the iron grip of their
Master, Kohler. Their wages on
payday paid an installment OH one
of Kohler's houses, paid the gro
Gerry bill at one of Kohler's stores.
Kohler Castle became the citadel
of industrial feudalism where the
Master. firing of all the goodness
he had created, decided to enter
politics.
He became the governor of Wis
consin and this eliminated for a
period of years the payment of in
come taxes. Life was full and
good for the Master. A strong
company union "took care of the
interests of the workers" and made
strikes unnecessary" In 1929
the crisis of capitalism deepened
and with the passing II millions
of American workers found them
selves jobless. Kohler village went
blithely on, however, immune to
the cold, grey world about it. Nc
agitators of any kind disturbed its
peacefulness-not even the Reds
On the surface all was calm and
bright, but beneath the placidity
smouldered resentment against the
company and Kohler. 1t seemed tc
the workers that they could never
get out Of debt, that their hours
were too long, that their wages
were too low.
Then came the MIRA and the
New Deal from the slippery finger
of the Roosevelt administration.
Here inGeed was the panacea for
all their ills, thought the Kohler
workers. But the minimum wages
under the code became their maxi.
mum wages and their hours of
work week, forty.
With all the turmoil of the class
struggle everywhere manifestine
itself in the United States in the
strikes that sometimes even took
on a political characteristic cap
italist press of Wisconsin pointed
to the serenity of Kohler of Koh.
Ter. Here was no Harlan, I'M
perial Valley, San Francisco-here
the antagonisms of capital and la
Dor had been solved. Kohler leads
the wayl
Then at dawn, July 16-conster.
nation in the camp of the bour-
geoisie and their lying press;
picket line was thrown about the
Kohler foundry strike. A Strike
at Kohler!
1t was almost unbelievable to
the bourgeoisie. Federal unio1
18545 of the A. F. of L. had pre-.
scented set of IA demands to Mr.
KohleT, based on the MIRA. code
Kohler had replied to the demands
point by point. The union re-
jected the reply and called strike
1900 workers walked out. Their
basic demands of the IA were tn,
recognition of the union as the col
lective bargaining unit, a minimum
wage of IS cents an hour, 80
hour week and seniority rights.
On the first day of the strike {
few shadows of subsequent events
were cast. The pickets derailed ;
coal train and would permit no Goa
to enter the yards of the plant. A
gas barrage was the answer of tn,
deputies, but without effect. A
guard that struck a picket was
beaten by the workers and brief
skirmishes took place.
! The second day of the strike
found a picket line that might JUS
as well have been a high stone
wall. About 500 were in the lin,
and they carried heavy rope from
hand to hand. Walter Kohler wa
the only person allowed to pass thu
lines. The employees who wer,
scabbing could not leave the plant
The company had cots and food OF
hand, however, for their temporar,
residence. A locomotive that at