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WU m ii IWUftSPMT IWH h'tt" ".''TfWMS """'' ,PWy,''VJVt11rfir'pWHiyT Mil WKliiJl'JIilJBU!UliB!!JfcjglWLi!tllJia.lUJIEIM III FBI, M JWtlM, ,.M, I Hi J THE ONTARIO ARGUS, ONTARIO, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1919 i !.l 1 , i J 1 i Ir 5 t i F 91 s ( Ontario Argtta GEO. K. AIKEN, Editor mul Publisher Published Thursdays at Ontario, Oregon, and entered nt the Ontario post office for distribution ns 2nd class matter. SUBSCRIPTIONS One Year $1.00 GOING TOO FAR There is u difference between the or dinary strike for higher wages and better working conditions than that which is now paralyzing the steel industry and which is threatened by the members of the United JMino AVorkers of America. According to testimony produced be fore the Senate investigating committee, William . Foster, leader of the striking steel workers is a syndicalist a near anar chist. Such a man is not an American and that he should be placed in so important a position by the steel workers shows the character of the movement for the rank and file of labor unions delegate the most nioinenteous decisions to their leaders. fn the case of the Mine Workers there is an absolute violation of their contract with the operators. These contracts run for two years, the country over, and end on April 1. How can wnrkinir men expert the public to have faith in their statements of working conditions, no niattei what they are, when they do not keep their mvn pliuht ed word? These strikes however are doing one thing. They are showing the average citi zen, the average business man that it is time that he awakes to the situation and takes an active interest in what is going on in labor circles and that means in politics. The average poltican is afraid of labor unions. lie cowers before their 'dire threats, for labor is organized and the average man be longs to no organization. There is evidence growing daily that the public is losing faith in the protestations of labor leaders, it is getting tired of threats against the life and prosperity of this nation men who heretofore have taken slight in terest in these matters are talking about a know in a general way the difficulties which their employer has to meet they are less apt to strike than when they must deal onlv with a foreman who follows rules laid down by someone that perhaps neither he nor his men have ever seen. The employer who does his best by hh men, who takes an interest in their welfare and knows of their troubles and sympath izes with them, who conies in personal con tact with them can iron out troubles when a foreman has to wait to carry the matter befoie a superintendent, who takes it up with the general nianajer, who refers it t( the president who ponders over it with the board of directors. This long string of red tape takes time to unravel, and in that time a trivial tiling mis irritated tne workers un til its importance is enlarged and a strike results. What we will have to do in America is to Immunize business. Directors of cor porations will have to be directors. Thev will be called upon to know the conditions under which their employees serve. They will Have to Uiiojv more about the foremen they place in charge. They will have some thing else to do than to meet semi-annually to declare dividends. That is the trouble with our big cor porations. They are too far removed from the men who work. Men are made dir ectors because of their financial ability rather than their ability as managers of men. Either our corporations will have to be smaller or the men who direct them will have to be bigger, broader men. This last is the best solution for the labor problem. H ANOTHER IMPROVEMENT. With the advent of paved streets and the general improvement in the appearance of the city of Ontario people will generally concede that Ontario is fast approachinu ill r . mat incasing designation, rity, m lact as well as in name. Tn cities there are certain things ex pected that are not fond in rural towns. It is these things that differentiate a town from a city. Among these is the free de livery of mail to the residents. m.. i. ...:.. l l. vi ii it. .. ., ... ......... ........- viiuuiu nun, ii v n-iinuu n iiu uriMYiii hi hii.iw uuwii wiui iiiiiur, iiiiu wiiuii umt inm- the post office business, been entitled to free comes there is no doubt of the outcome. If the railroad men would starve the nation by strikes well they will starve with the rest. If the coal miners would freeze the nation to death they and their children would suffer as quickly as the rest. It is time that the railroad men with their Plumb-crazy plan of operating the roads, and the mines workers and their six-hour day and 00 per cent increase thot of this side of the question. There, is no doubt but that there are conditions in the labor world that need ad justing and correction. But labors present plan will not bring the solution, and the sane laboring man knows it. What labor needs to do is to clean house of the radicals in power in labor unions. liiKe t ucir cmniovcrs lanorimr men must lie Americans first and union men afterward Thev must realize that they can not intini- midate government officials or the public any more than can corporations, LABOR'S UNREST No doubt there are two sides to the labor controversy, but there is no denying that there is not, and should not be two masters in America. We can not have government by the elected representatives of the people and government by ultimatum from labor leaders. The general unrest in labor is due largely to a miiisconceptiou and to the de ception so generally practiced by American business men, especially those who make ostentatious displays of wealth. Most business' men, and laboring men, too for that matter, are prone to make a show ot what wealth they have. It pleases their vanity to he deemed successful men. And this is often true of men who are barely getting by, before whom at times failure looms large. They keep up their show. They drive their high powered cars and their wives dress and entertain lavishly. . These are the evidences that the working'nian sees. He does not see the worries of the omplovor. He does not know that often this show of wealth is a false display. Ue thinks his employer rich, prosperous, happy when the opposite is otten tne case. But tho greatest source of labor troubles may bo traced to absentee ownership and officious management of plants and mines by foremen who hick authority to settle dif ficulties. Men aro human. They do not like to bo deemed mere machines and deal with impersonal authority. AVhon workmen are generally familiar with conditions under which they work and delivery for several years but the matter has not been urged by any one in particular since it was, during the war not patriotic to create new jobs. This however is no long er true and Ontario folks are entitled to all the benefits that go with residence in this city. It is true that Ontario would have had this service three yours ugo hud the side walk system of this city been adequate to the standard set by the postal department. Conditions are slightly better today. There are stretches along some of the streets, foi blocks, where there are no sidewalks, or what is worse sidewalks that are a snare anil delusion, an actual menace to the safetv of anyone who would attempt to use them During recent months several blocks have been improved by having permanent walks laid upon them, but the woist stretches remain untouched. The City Council has taken note of this condition but has not yet gone far enough to merit further action on the part of the postal authorities. There is still tune tins tall to get tins con dition changed and start the necessary pro ceedings to have Ontario take the step from a rural community to a city with city mail service CHAUTAUQUA WORTHY OP SUPPORT. Not long ago Ontario business men freely subscribed $100 for a horse race. No one objected. The purpose was fultilled by making better just one number on an utter noon's program nt the Fair. This if-100 was secured by a committee of two hustling business moii in less than three hours two to be exact. Next week Ontario will have a Chau tauqua program. It likewise will cost $100, and for that sum live complete programs, each of two hours or more duration, tilled with good music or high class lectures, in spiration and informative will be given. The $100 derby lasted less than two minutes. The Chautauqua program will last ton hours. The price to the public will bo the same. The ' Chautauqua was guaranteed bv representatives of the Commercial Club, the Public School faculty and a number of pat riotic citizens who want to encourage educa tional entertainment for this city. Ts it unreasonable to ask for the same amount of support for such a week's pro gram as to ask for contributions to one event of one program at the Fair that lasts but a moment or two? fl . Announcement .i. ( We have moved to the old Silver Grill Room and now have the most up-to-date Jewelry Store in this section of the country. We are receiving new goods almost daily and will have the largest stock of Holiday .Goods ever carried in this city. You are cordially invited to inspect our lines, and we want you, when thinking of a gift, to think of us as we have just what you want. tNArfNW " " " .... - - -. . - ,,-,- ,- ,-n-i J-j---j-j-u-j-u-tnj1 Blackaby Jewelry Store BROOMS Just received a new stock of Oregon B rooms These are the best Brooms we have had for years. Let us show you the stock. E. A FRASER I '.t I i