The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1955-01-13
The Strike As Others See If


= In neghboring Morgan county, Wilbur D Matson is
editor and of the Morgan County Herald and he
mas always been keenly interest the welfare of Noble
In the following editorial he is commenting on
Ihe strike at the Caldwell plant Cleveland Graphite
Bronze Co Both now have plants the Cleve Division
In their communities - ~
in td dh9 Gadwe strike as other people it, related
III the following editorial by Wilbur D. Matson
Caldwell and MaltaMcConnelsvie are adjoining
@ nuuy seaS Inc population OF each is comparable Com
MUMMY problems similar Heretofore the main both
nave been trading ceners, servcng hill folks living on
small farms and with limited incomes Neither profited
uc through the trend of the past century, from rural to
industrial There few productive Industries in
either county seat Both villages when Chicago was
Fort Dearborn outpost in the wilderness Since
neither village had much offer employment to it's
YOUTH they never grew they could have grown or had
oile'ls 70 atract new cltlzens, seeking livelihood.
Plagued recent years by spates of Strikes many of
em irresponsible and brought about through the fexng
OF muscles by labor leaders, flushed with power through the
Wagner Act industry decided to decentraize Many large
corporations commenced locating subsidiaries in smaller
towns That IS largely the the Clevite corporation
located plant in these sister small villages When the good
news OF this fact arrived there great rejoicing both
towns It said their location here the beginning
OF new and better economic for communities.
So far as living conditions concerned most anyone
IN these days OF good roads and automobiles prefer
life in the small town. However, being under necessity
OF eating jobs essential to buy meal tickets Here was
the answer-another fine industry would offer employment
at good and excellent working conditions Those who
needed work. would the situation of good Jobs
and city wages plus the attraction of living here home
So business men and many pubcsprted citizens dug into
their pockets contributed money for factory site and
worked zeaousy to do what they could to profit by this
unexpected Wndfan
Having lived in McConnelsvlle for many years. we say
from experience and observation that labor is inspuab
better off in this community than before-and the
applies CALDWELL We recall the day-and we have
had Jobs which enable us to speak from our own nowedge
when strong young drew wages of $400 per week of
63 hours Married men drew $500 for working % more
hours per week than the current 40 hours Even measured
by the comparable purchase power of toays rubber dollar
that wage would only be double the amount of dollar value
In spite of this local new era for labor in spite of the
fact that what both towns have hoped for worked for and
prayed for has come to pass in spite of the best outlook for
labor either community has enjoyed both plants have
been tied up with strikes labor dispute was recently
adjusted and settled here At Caldwell the Graphite has
closed down in controversy over wages
We have intention Of discussing the merits of the
contention Caldwell strikers But we also believe that
the welbeng of both stake and that the general
welfare of the community is best served by labor peace
The Clevte corporation not compelled to operate in either
If managing factory where top wages were paid and
every modern standard of labor conditions rendered.
if we had leaned backward to be fair with en-
plovees-yve would not be content to indefinitely submit
agitation and controversy rviaities and
frivolous compantwe would close the plant down Meth
ing opinion of the employeeshey largely the work of
professional labor agtators whose function apparently is
TO throw monkey wrenches IN the lnaust1a @ mac4mery
approval in Caldwell during the present dispute Most
ueape believe in union labor T6ev do not believe in the
abuse of this power though they may rejoice in the
general elevation of wages and working standards and the
right of labor to organize and to strike
In closing the Herald prints the above, without even
hint suggestion from any company We are
speaking in behalf of the public of both villages We are
of the fate of Happy Hooigans and know from
experience what happens outsiders who intervene in
family quarrels We write solely from standpoint of what
honestly believe the best interest of the company, the
union and the communities concerned
What could be than losing either both of these
splendid community assets? What could be locally
economically disastrous than having the board of directors
Cleve company swallow hard decide upon abandon
1np 0f thpSe as
bad nvestmen-or in allocating business to other sub
salaries and gradually amortizng the two subdivisions
Would anything to the willy labor agitators who
ncite and encourage these disputes if this should come
to pass? If Caldwell and McConnesvle become repued
as centers of what has either town got to offer
in the way nducement for other great corporations to
locate new enterprise in them? = Wilbur D. Matson.