The Butler County press. [volume], February 09, 1923, Image 1

About The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946

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VOL. XXII. No. 43
By International Labor News Service.
Washington.—Preparations are well
under way for a furious drive to put
through the ship subsidy bill before
the present congress adjourns on
March 4.
Administration influence is being
brought to bear in every possible
manner in order to line up senators
for final action.
"We are being bent over a bar
rel," said one senator when asked
about the ship subsidy measure.
Opponents of the bill are prepar
ing themselves for a desperate fight.
They realize that they may be called
upon to conduct a long filibuster if
they are to succeed in preventing pas
sage of the administration's pet
proposition.
Legislation which must be got out
of the way before ship subsidy can
be brought to the floor is being dis
posed of with as much speed as ad
ministration leaders can command.
There is no state of panic in the
ranks of those who oppose ship sub
sidy, but there is a thorough realiza
tion of the fact that if the subsidy
bill is to be prevented from passage
every bit of opposition must be
brought into action.
There is not only the influence of
the administration to be contended
$250,000,000
In 11 Years Cleaned Up By
One Group of Standard
Oil
Washington.—Robert W. Stewart,
of Chicago, an official of the Stand
ard Oil Company of Indiana, told the
senate oil investigating committee
that his group, since 1911, have clean
ed up $250,000,000 in profits, divided
$89,560,000 in cash dividends and re
served $143,250,000 for other forms
of divies.
One of these forms is the stock
dividend.
When the federal supreme court, in
the "public interest," dissolved the
Standard Oil Company into its con
stituent parts, of which the Standard
Oil Company of Indiana was one, the
market price of one share of stock
was $2,521.74. Today the market
price of one share is $37,200, a net in
crease of $34,678.28.
Mr. Stewart told the senate com
mittee that he did not regard the prof
its of his company as unreasonable.
The dissenting opinion of the su
preme court in the stock dividend case
well said:
"If stock dividends representing
profits are held exempt from taxa
tion under the sixteenth amendment,
the owners of the most successful
businesses in America will be able
to escape taxation on a large part of
what is actually their income.
"So far as their profits are rep
resented by stock received as div
idends they will pay these taxes not
upon their income, but upon the in
come of their income.
"That such result was intended by
the people of the United States when
adopting the sixteenth amendment is
inconceivable. Our sole duty is to
ascertain their interest as therein ex
pressed."
"Unless backed by organization,
labor's demand for justice are about
as effective as a poultice on a wooden
leg."—Granite Cutters' Journal.
THE OLD
RELIABLE
READY FOR BATTLE ROYAL
FORCES LINED UP IN ATTEMPT TO JAM THROUGH
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL BEFORE PRESENT
CONGRESS ADJOURNS
Final Struggle to Be Spectacular as On Outcome Hinges
Crowning Triumph or Bitter Defeat For Both
Administration and High Finance
niotsas
with, but it is necessary to meet as
well the influence of the thoroughly
organized, lavishly financed lobbying
forces in Washington.
The ship subsidy bill is the out
standing measure now before con
gress involving the interests of big
business. The administration is
committed absolutely to the measure.
The final struggle is likely to be
exceedingly spectacular and the at
tack will end in either the crowning
triumph or the most bitter defeat
for the administration and for high
finance and big business interests.
NOTABLEVICTORY
Is Won By Coal Miners in
Latest Dispute
New York.—Bituminous coal min
ers have won a notable victory in
their dispute with employers.
The agreement practically re-estab
lishes the central competitive district
(Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and western
Pennsylvania). The only exception is
western Pennsylvania, which has
since accepted the provisions of the
settlement, though not being an origi
nal party to the new agreement. The
new agreement will serve as the ba
sis for adjustments in other fields,
as did the old central competitive
agreement.
Prior to last spring's nation-wide
coal strike, the miners insisted that
the central competitive district coal
owners meet with them, as provided
in the then existing agreement. The
coal owners refused, alleging that
they feared prosecutoin under the
anti-trust law. This position was in
dorsed by every professional "100 per
centerj" and with large stocks of
coal on hand the plan to smash the
Miners' Union developed rapidly.
After a five-months' struggle the
coal owners realized the futility of
their plan and the approach of winter
cooled the anti-union ardor of the
'100 per centers." This resulted in a
new agreement along practically the
same lines as former conditions.
A representative of the coal own
ers now declares that the agreement
means that the cost of coal will be
lower. The miners show that the
agreement has not increased wages,
that the strike did not increase wages
and that the coal owners' statement
sustains the coal miners' claim that
for several years wages have had no
relation to coal costs.
BRITISH STRIKES
London, England.—The first strike
in the wool textile industry since the
beginning of the war is on with 600
employes of Mitchell Brothers out.
The firm undertook to apply the "one
break" system without taking a bal
lot of the workers.
Seven hundred furniture workers
are on strike against Harris Lebu, fur
niture manufacturer, owing to the
firm's determination to substitute
piecework for time work in violation
of the existing agreement.
Soap and candle workers employed
by J. C. Field are on strike against
a wage- reduction of four shillings a
week for men and two shillings for
women workers. The company en
deavored to impose the reduction
without consulting the trade unions
involved.
Xi
1809
SALE! 2,000 PAIRS
MEN'S STAG PANTS
UNION MADE
$1.95 $0.45 $9.95
mm*I
w
Philadelphia, Pa.—Bitter condem
nation of the so-called "Mitten, men
and management" plan of street rail
way operation is expressed in a reso
lution adopted by the Central Labor
Union of Philadelphia and vicinity.
The resolution is called forth par
ticularly by the strike of organized
street car workers in Buffalo, where
the traction properties are owned by
Mitten interests.
The resolution adopted here con
stitutes a more complete statement
of facts about the Mitten scheme of
operation than has yet been compiled.
The declaration of organized labor of
Philadelphia is as follows:
"Whereas: The Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Company have inaugurated
amongst its employes a so-called
co-operative plan of management, that
compels the employes to violate every
decent principle of the American
worker and,
Whereas: This so-called co-opera
tive plan, under the lure of stock
ownership, now in operation in Phila
delphia, has, under the direction of
Mitten management, branched out to
assume management of street rail
way properties in other cities, where
the employes have successfully oper
ated their own trade union for years,
(W
$3.45 $4.45
A Semi-Annual Event for which great preparations were made. Pants
for men and young men. In this selling of fine pants you will find al
most every pattern and desirable material. All at extremely low prices
WE SELL DEPENDABLE MERCHANDISE AT LOW PRICES—
BUT FOR CASH ONLY
RED TRUNK
THE WORKINGMAN'S STORE
211 HIGH
ST.
N the butler county press.
HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1923
A A A I N O N
"MITTEN PLAN" UN-AMERICAN
PHILADELPHIA WORKERS CONDEMN PERNICIOUS SYSTEM
WHEREBY MEN ARE INDIRECTLY DISCHARGED FOR
REFUSING TO SCAB ON FELLOW WORKMEN
Quaker City Support Goes To Buffalo And Niagara Falls Street Car Men
In Long Struggle for Right of Free Association
with contractual relations with the
management, resulting in the full es
tablishment of peace and harmony in
the industry and,
"Whereas: To force the employes
of the International Railway Com
pany, operating street railways in the
cities of Buffalo, Lockport, and Niag
ara Falls, Ontario, Canada, to accept
the so-called co-operative plan, and
give up their trade union the Mitten
management of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company compelled
at least 1,200 of their employes, wear
ing their P. R. T. uniforms, to pro
ceed to Buffalo, N. Y., and act as
scabs and strikebreakers against
their fellow workers, who were re
sponsible for any increase in wages,
that the Philadelphia employes had
received under the so-called co-opera
tive plan of Mitten management and,
"Whereas: The 2,200 striking em
ployes of the International Railway
Company have been on strike since
the first day of July, 1922, strug
gling for the right of voluntary asso
ciation with their fellow worker (re
member not for wages and hours),
without a break in their ranks, and
supported by the working population,
who are compelled to use street cars
in their daily occupations in these
cities, but who are consistently refus
ing to patronize the scab manned
cars notwithstanding the inclement
weather, Mitten strikebreakers, Mit
ten press bureau of propaganda, court
injunctions, and the brutality of the
state constabulary, that is now under
investigation by the New York State
Federation of Labor, for a report to
Governor Alfred E. Smith and,
"Whereas: It is common knowl
edge that many of the employes of
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Com
pany were indirectly discharged for
refusing to go to Buffalo, N. Y., and
scab on their fellow workers, and be
cause of their non-affiliation with
the labor movement, have no power to
stop the management from the policy
of compelling them to act as strike
breakers in industrial disputes there
fore, be it
Resolved: That the officers and
delegates, in regular meeting assem
bled, of the Central Labor Union of
Philadelphia and vicinity, pledge
their united moral support, to the
striking street railway employes of
Buffalo, Lockport, Niagara Falls, New
York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario
Canada, in their splendid struggle
against the so-called Mitten plan of
co-operation, which is purely an or
ganized method of disrupting trade
unions affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor and be it farther
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1865
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1
NEPONSET RUGS 9x12
BRUSSELS RUGS 9x12
VELVET RUGS 9x12
AXMINSTER RUGS 9x12
WILTON RUGS 9x12
In some places where there is a
show of lawful government there is
an unseen force that really rules.
In one case a judge was a member
of the forces directing mob action.
The innocence of Ed Gregor, the
slain union man, has been completely
established by three witnesses who
established an alibi of unquestioned
veracity.
The Missouri and North Arkansas
railroad charges that seven bridges
were burned. It has been shown that
at least two of these were fired by
coals dropping from defective fire
boxes.
One union man, charged with
bridge burning, was arrested on a
charge too raw even for J. C. Mur
ray, manager of the railroad. Mur
ray announced he would testify for
the accused man!
Evidence taken by the state legis
lature's investigating committee
shows that the mob was thoroughly
organized, that it worked under a sin
gle "high command" and that squads
under "captains" performed designat
ed work.
Homes were searched without war
rant, deportations and arrests orders
"Resolved: That a copy of this reso
lution be sent to all affiliated unions,
fraternal organizations, and civic so
cieties in sympathy with the princi
ples and purposes of the American
Federation of Labor, asking that they
protest against this un-American
Mitten management, that invites men
to accept employment, under a widely
proclaimed so-called co-operative
plan, but in reality, denies them the
right of citizenship, and under the
struggle for daily bread, and the pet
ty intimidation of minor officials, are
reduced to a mental state where they
must act as scabs and strikebreakers
against the very workers who make
their own wages possible."
~:*m€
Stupendous Rug Values
in a beautiful array of colorings and patterns. New shipments have arrived.
A Few Of Our Specials
Buy Your Rugs Now
ARKANSAS MOB RUNS WILD
DOMINATES SUPREME COURT IN FOUR COUN
TIES, WORKING AS A MILITARY MACHINE,
IN SQUADS COURT JUDGE A
LEADER IN ONE CASE
Searching Homes Without Warrant, Deportations
Arrests in Order—Innocence of Slain Union
Man Fully Established
Latest advices are that mob rule
continues to dominate four counties in
North Arkansas.
Elected officials and lawfully con
stituted courts are not working at
their jobs.
K-R-E-B-S
107 S. 3rd Street
$
WS.S.
mk SAVINGS fOUttf
••inn mr
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAE
and "trials" conducted by the "com
mittee of twelve," which dominated
and organized the mob movement.
One mob witness, asked what "100
per cent American" meant in this
case said he supposed it was "100 per
cent for the railroad."
Another guiding spirit in the mob,
a banker, said that in his youth he
had been a member of the Order jf
Railroad Telegraphers, excusing this
early act of decency on the ground
that he had been "only a kid."
This sums up developments in the
Arkansas railroad insurrection.
The legislative committee will con
tinue taking evidence, perhaps for a
month. Finding the facts will help,
but something more seems to be re
quired. Railroads and business men
must somehow obey the law as 'Well
as working people.
LIMIT RIGHT TO VOTE
New York.—The right to vote should
be limited by "intelligence tests,"
according to Supreme Court Justice
Alphonse T. Clearwater in an address
before the state bar association.
Justice Clearwater admonished his
audience of lawyers and judges
against extending citizenship rights
to immigrants unless they can come
up to certain intelligence tests elab
orated by the judicial mind. He refer
red to immigrants from southeastern
Europe as "a mongrel proletariat that
has shunted America from its former
ideals." The judge sees "anarchy"
in universal suffrage.
EYEGLASS TRUST
New York.—The United States dis
trict attorney has filed a complaint
charging an illegal trust in the manu
facture of bifocal eyeglass lenses.
Combination and conspiracy to
maintain prices to jobbers and distrib
utors and to discriminate against
distributors not on the preferred lists
are included in the charge.
Talk union labels.
$13.75
$29.75
$29.75
$39.75
$74.50