The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-01

The "Old Man., hailed Tn a recent series of newspaper advertisements, "haS shown himself completely at a loss to find out what is wrong with tilis country, declared John J. Driscoll, secretary of the Waterbury Brass Workers union, in a radio ad- dress over Station WATR last night.
 Big business believes that it can propagandize the workers of this nation into believing they are well off", said MT. Driscoll. Waterbury's "Old Men,, he said, have shown themselves "unaple to cope with even the little problems of society, let alone the big problems.
 MT. Driscoll called attention to a mass meeting of local unemployed, to be held March 24.
 The text of MT. Driscoll's address in which he signals out member of the board of finance as his illus tration of the symbol" reads as follows:
 hope that every single one of you listening this afternoon read in yesterdays Republican the full-page advertisement titled "The Old Man. If you didn't, I hope you will find some way to do so. This advertise ment carries 8 real lesson for every working man and woman. It shows the attitude of big business. It shows that big business still be- lieves it can propagandize the work CTS of this nation into believing they are well of.
 A Symbol
 ''The Old Man" of the advertise ment is only symbol. This old man, who worked up from water boy to be a captain of industry, is supposed to be typical of the aver age big business man. The average big business man, according to the "old man" formula, has breaking heart. He is worried about the for eign "isms" and fears they may be transplanted in this country. He is annoyed because his employees are listening to soap-box orators who tell them that they are oppressed and that all employers are evil. He is afraid that there will be taken way from the working man in this country the right to work up from water boy to captain of industry.
 Yes, big business is afraid that radio addresses, like the one you are now listening to, will destroy your conviction that everybody in this country has equal opportunities and that you can go from carrying a water pail to 8 mahogany desk, equipped with row of buzzers and three or four telephones.
 Neither nor any other conScien- tious labor leader wants you to be- lieve that all employers are evil. But I do hope I can convince you that many employers are not actuated solely by altruism. I hope I can convince you that big business has had its chance and has failed. "The Old Man." patron saint of the work ing man that he may believe he is, has showed himself completely at a less to find out what is wrong with this country. He talks of the op- portunity of every man to make his way from the bottom to the top, from the water pail to the mahog- any desk. He talks this way when he knows the employment agency of his factory is turning away every day hundreds of men who would like to carry water pails. "The Old Man" apparently is not only trying to kid you and me; he is trying to kid himself. Millions of men in this country today can't even get a job carrying a water pail; and the old Man" knows it.
 Waterbury Has 'em
 Waterbury has its "Old Man." in fact several of them. This group