The Sunday Oregonian., October 21, 1917, Section One, Page 4, Image 4

4 :: v THE SUXDAY OREGOXTAy, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 21, 1917.
RUSSIA FACES DOOM
AS WORKERS LOAF
Owners of Factories Deprived
. of Any Voice in Manage
. ment of Own Affairs.
DIRE WANT IS APPROACHING
tengl!sl Tlrnis, TTnable to Cope Witn
Conditions, Give T7p and Iiet Em-
ployes Take Absolute as Well
v as Practical Control.
f . ST HHETA CHILDE DORR.
V'Fourteenfh of a series of articles telling
the, inside, story of Russia's revolt. Copy
right, lt17, by the New York Evening Mail.
Published by arrangement.)
"When I got on the train to leave
Russia for the United States the first
familiar face I saw was that of Daniel
heshire, mill owner and operator, of
Petrograd. "I'm going home to Eng
land to enlist," he said as we shook
hands.
'What have you dons with your
mills?" I asked.
"I have left" them to the Tavarishi,"
replied Mr. Cheshire. "I thought I
might as well."
Daniel Cheshire is not the only large
manufacturer who has abandoned his
business after a vain struggle to cope
with the situation created by the Rus
sian revolution, and the taking over by
the working people of the control of
Industry. Others have given up the
struggle, and many more will probably
follow their example. But Air. Chesh
ire's story I know at first hand. His
abandonment of his mills is full of
significance, partly because of the im
portance of his branch. of manufactur
ing, and partly because his act may
hasten the day when, through sheer
Jack of the necessities of life, the Rus
sian people will cease pursuing their
Utopian dream and will content them
selves with a government which, al
though still capitalistic, will rescue
them from starvation and ruin.
! Textile Mill Employ Many.
Those who think of Russia as a land
of snow and ice will be. interested to
learn that in Turkestan and Transcau
casia as well as in other provinces of
the south and east they raise millions
of pounds of very good cotton, the
seeds of which originally came from
America. Those who think that every
Russian peasant does nothing but farm
will be surprised to hear that nearly a
million Russians work in textile mills,
principally cotton textiles.
When cotton spinning and weaving
began in Russia the mill owners. In
ynost cases, sent to England for their
foremen and managers, and the de
scendants of some of these English
men still live and still manage cotton
mills In Russia. The Cheshire family
is a case in point. The original Chesh
ire came out from Manchester in the
1840 to manage a small cotton spinning
factory in Petrograd.
Ho saved money, bought a partner
ship and enlarged the business. Mis
pons enlarged it still more, and today
his grandchildren own and operate 10
large cotton mills in and around Petro-'
criad. Daniel Cheshire, a keen young
man of 30-something, is head of the
family and chief owner of the mills.
That is. he was up to F"ebruary. 1917.
After that he wasn't. The Tavarishi,
or "comrades." whose wages he paid,
became the virtual owners then, and
on August 30, 1917 they became, tem
porarily at least, the sole owners.
It was in one of the Cheshire cotton
mills that I got the most intimate view
of what becomes of industry when the
workers own their tools. Perhaps it
would be fairer to say, when the work
ers seize their tools. JSome day, per
haps, they will find out how to own
them honestly and then they will use
theux wisely and for the common good.
Workers Sleep on Duty.
It was a happy accident that first led
me into a Cheshire cotton mill. After
being refused permission to inspect the
big munition works to which I applied
refused by the workers' committee,
not by the proprietors T wandered
through the Viborg district of Petro
frrad until I found another large fac
tory. This time the permit given me
by the Minister of Labor worked bet
ter, end I was shown into the general
office of the plant. It was a big, mod
ern, .up-to-date office furnished with
the usual desks, files, safes and the
like, .but to remind me that I was in
revolutionary Russia, the walls were
decorated with many red flags and
banner incribed with white-lettered
ttiottoes and declarations.
The head of the workmen's commit
tee, who came forward to meet me.
looked a little doubtful about letting
me go through the mill, but Just then
the door opened and a strapping young
KneUshman came in.
"See the works?" said he. "Of course
you may. I'd like nothing better than
to show my mills just now to news
paper people. I call them my mills yet,
but only for a joke."
lie said something in Russian to the
Workman, who shrugged bis shoulders
and stood aside, and Mr. Cheshire and
1 went into the nearest mill room. It
was a storeroom, as a matter of fact,
the receiving room for the huge bales
of coarse yarn spun in another mill.
The bales were soft and made excellent
beds, a fact that was not overlooked
for two tired Russian mill workers re
posed blissfully on a pile of bales as
we passed through, sleeping the sleep
of the just.
Kmployer Hntt No Power.
One woman was displaying a - new
pair of shoes to a group of other wom
en, who left their machines to look.
Shoes are so expensive in Russia at
present that a new pair is worth look
ing at. 1 admit, but they might have
postponed the exhibition until closing
time. These women stood and discussed
the shoes, from every point of view,
apparently, nor did they go back to
their machines when we stopped and
discussed the women.
"Do you mean to tell me that 'you
cannot order them back to their work?"
1 asked.
"Oh. I can order them." was the re
ply. "But if they choose not to go that
would make me look rather foolish,
wouldn't it?"
"l'ou could discharge them, couldn't
you?" I countered.
"I certainly could not." declared Mr.
Cheshire. "Nobody can discharge an em
ploye until the shop committee has 6at
on the case and decided that it does
not want the man or woman in the mill.
All I can do is to make my complaints
to the committee and ask it to act."
Mr. Cheshire Was born in Russia and
has lived there all his life except for
a few years spent in an Kngllsh school.
"Vet he speaks the English of his grand
father, the same unmistakable little
Lancashire burr. He has the Lanca
shireman's sense of humor, also, and"
he laughed even when he told me of
the demoraliaation and ruin in which
the fantasies of the revolution had
plunged his business. The utter ab
surdity of it Was as present in his mind j
as the disaster.
Men Paid for Loaf in. I
"We passed into a printroom still die- !
cussing the committee. I asked Mr.
Cheshire if it was true that these work- ,
men's commigees were highly paid men i
who performed no service to their em
ployers and still received their regular
pay.
"It is true," he replied. Then he
went on to tell me the following
story:
"The work we do in this room is
something a little nnusual in Russia
Few mills have these machines as yet,
and our product, is almost the only
cotton goods of 'the kind possible to
buy in Russian markets since the war.
Before that a great deal of it was im
ported from. England and Germany.
Naturally it ia setirce at present, and
not long ago one of onr men com
plained that he covfidn't buy it at all.
" "Of course you cannot,' I told him,
"because these milV? are turning out
very little of it. Go into the print
room and see for ytorself how many
machines are idle for lack of workers.'
And then I made him this offer, for he
was? a member of the committee: 'Let
me have four men off your committee
back to work on the Be, machines and
I will guarantee that you will s6on be
able to buy the goods ;rou want.'.
"Well, he agreed, end he got the
rest of the- committee- to agree, and I
got the men back. Bi tt what do you
think those four men demanded? They
said that they had been doing hard
mental work on the committee for two
months and they thougr.Bt, before they
went back to the machines, they ought
to have a month's vacatidtn with pay.
"1 did draw the line there. I told
them I'd close the worlis first. But
since then I understand that the com
mittee has begun to distcuss the two
months on and one moath off as a
future policy. They say that mental
work (they call committee meetings
mental work) i much harder than
physical labor.'
In Moscow is the largest and finest
department store In Russia. It is an
English concern Muir & Mirrlles
managed and largely owned by A. J.
Cazalet. The committee in Muir &
Mirriles voted that they found it in
convenient to have clerks and other
employes go home for lunch at dif
ferent hours. They therefore ordered
the store closed every day from -12 to
2 o'clock. The store was accordingly
closed.
"I don't mind," said Mr. Cazalet
cheerfully. "My stocks are running
low, the transportation system la on
the verge of collapse and I can't get
any more goods. As each line of goods
is exhausted I shall close the depart
ment. When the time comes I shall
close the store and go home to England
for a vacation."
He will go, as Daniel Cheshire went;
others will follow, and the workers
will own their tools. They won't own
anything else.
CO-OPERATION IS BIG AID
Activities of 542 4 Farmers' Organi
zations Reported in Survey.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15. Farmers'
creameries and cheese factories and
farmers' elevators are the leading types
of co-operative purchasing and market
ing enterprises among farmers m the
United States, according to a careful
survey by the office of markets and
rural organization, reported in Bulletin
647. "Co-operative Purchasing and Mar
keting Organizations Among Farmers
in the United States," Just issued by
the United States Department of Agri
culture.
The ntlmber of farmers" purchasing
and marketing organizations in the
United States is placed at about 12,000.
Of these, 6424 gave reports of their ac
tivities. The creameries and cheese
factories reporting numbered 1708.
They'do an annual business of 333,
20O.64S, and have an average member
ship of 83 farmers. The 1637 farmers'
grain elevators and warehouses re
porting were lorated in 3 states, doing
a total annual business of $234,529,716.
They have an average membership of
102 farmers. The 871 fruit and pro
duce organizations do an annual busi
ness of $140,629,018 The annual volume
of busLness of 213 cotton organizations
is $34,392,258; of 275 co-operative stores.
$1 4.5:i2. 1 2a; of 43 tobacco organizations,
$6,746,270; of 96 livestock associations,
$St.4S2,5,j2 The gross volume of busi
ness for all organizations reporting
was $62.".940,448.
Minnesota leads the states in the
number of purchasing and marketing
organizations among farmers. Of the
total number reporting. 18 per cent
were located in that state. Iowa stood
second, Wisconsin and North Dakota
next in order. Farmers elevators,
creameries and cheese factories and
livestock shipping associations are the
principal types of co-operative effort
in these states.
Fruit and produce associations are
the chief forms of co-operative activity
in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Mon
tana. The farmers' grain companies
are next in rank. In California 60 per
cent of the organizations handle fruit
and produce. Cotton associations lead
in Texas, North Carolina, South Caro
lina, and Georgia, fruit and produce
organizations second. Tobacco associa
tions are found chiefly in Kentucky.
Creameries form the larger share of
farmers' co-operative enterprises of the
New England states.
The new bulletin contains much valu
able information concerning the fi
nancing and business practices of vari
ous types of co-operative associations.
It includes a summary of state laws
relating to the formation of co-operative
organizations. It discusses the
bearing which Section 6 of the Clay
ton amendment to the United States
anti-trust laws has. on farmers co-operative
associations.
THIRD WIFE GIVEN DIVORCE
Frank Uranwood, Accused or being
Fond of Liquor.
LOS ANGELES. Oct. 16. The matri
monial ventures of Frank I Green
wood, a veteran of the Civil War. have
numbered four. In Judge Wood's
court his third wife was the defend
ant in his suit for divorce, and al
though not present In court she op
posed the suit through an . attorney.
He testified that he married her 17
years ago, and that they lived to
gether three months and then sepa
rated. She told him, he alleged, that
if he gave her $50 she could retain a
lawyer and procure a divorce.
Mr. Greenwood compromised on half
that sum, according to his testimony,
and discovered that she never put up
her half, "but gave his $25 to a drunk
en bum."
The third wife, it seems, did not
know until seven years after she sep
arated from Mr. Greenwood that she
was entitled to a portion of his pen
sion. She Immediately went after It.
In her allegations she asserts that
once when Mr. Greenwood was intox
icated he attempted to get into a clean
bed. She would not permit him. The
next day he started to pack up, changed
his mind and when he toid her to
unpack his things she said that inas
much as he had packed them he could
unpack them himseir.
Mr. Greenwood told the court that
he had written endearing letters to
nis wife, who Is in the North. The
letters were submitted in evidence.
One of them stated, "Look out for
me: l am sure getting mean."
Judge Wood denied the decree.
An effnrt 1 Vi e i n o- mo(t- . .v.
horse chestnut to the human dietary.
The nuts are more than half starch
and sugar, with some proteid and fat,
And A tA n II t i-i Hrot Tlial. I . , . 1. 1 - i
- - - . "v i . u.uc vuirii;
depends on the elimination of the bit-
ieius un we irritating sajwnlrt
like glucosides.
COAST TELEPHONE
STRIKE POSTPONED
Bay City Intercedes and Walk
out Is Deferred Until
October 27.
ELECTRICAL WORKERS FIRM
Brotherhood President Says Com
pany Mast Recognize Girl Opera
tors' Union; "Women Well
Organized.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20. Meetings
or unions connected, with the Pacific
Telephone & Telegraph Company were
to take place in manv noints along the
Coast tonight to ratify tha action of
their representatives here in postpon
ing their proposed strike from mid
night tonight until Saturday, October
27. The- postponement was brought
about by the intercession of Mortimer
Fleishhacker, a capitalist of this city,
who was asked by the Government to
act as a temporary mediator.
John Morganthaler, president of the
Pacific district of the Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers, and W. F. Delaney,
of Seattle, who was a delegate to the
strike conference here, stated that the
telephone company must recognize the
girl operators unions before any other
proposals would be considered. Com
pany officials stated that they had
offered a flat increase of 50 cents a
day to the men and Indicated that no
further offers or concessions would
be made.
The girls are 100 per cent organized
throughout the stats of Washington
and in Los Angeles, it-was said. Else
where they have applied for charters
for their unions.
Conference Called for Monday
Delaney stated! that there would be
a general conference of all concerned
Monday, at which time ah effort would
be made to settle permanently all dif
ferences. Company officials would not
confirm this.
The situation became Involved today
when company officials indicated that
no further conferences would be held,
pending the acceptance or rejection of
their counter-proposal offering a 50
cent per day increase to electrical
Workers, an eight-hour day and other
betterments. This proposal had been
submitted to the unions for referendum
vote by representatles of the electrical
brotherhood.
The letter of union leaders to Fleish
hacker agreeing to postpone the threat
ened strike follows:
"The attitude of the telephone com
pany in absolutely refusing to come to
any understanding under which the
operators shall work by agreement is
responsible for the discontinuance of
the negotiations covering the proposed
agreement of the male workers.
Company la Criticised.
"Had the telephone company shown
any disposition to treat with the op-
erators at a later date the action
planned for tonight would not have
been considered. It is only, through
the prospects that may be accom
plished through your good offices in
our behalf and our keen desire not to
hinder you or the Government in the
pale of the liberty bonds, which are
so essential at this time, and in view
of our understanding that the Govern
ment enibarrassment relative "to these
bonds will cease October 27, we there
fore will use every means in our power
to prevent a strike prior to the above
date.
"The above conclusion has been
reached with the distinct understand
ing that no coercion or Intimidation
will be used against any of our mem
bers. We trust before the stipulated
time has elapsed a satisfactory adpust
ment of uor difficulties with our em-
ployeru will be reached.
"JOHN MOROKNTHALER,
"W. F. DELANEY
"JAMES SUTTON.
"R. E. SWAIN.
"P. B. MORGAN
NEXT VOTE TAKEN WEDNESDAY
Strike by Portland Plione Girls Not to
Be This Week, Anyhow.
Liberty bonds postponed the tele
phone strike until 24 hours after the
close of the campaign, according to
official announcement last night by
W. D. Qumn, chairman of the strike
committee of the Electricians' local,
No. 125, last night.
"Upon telegraphic word from our
San Francisco committee, said Mr
Quinn, "we have postponed action until
Wednesday night, when we shall meet
and act upon the situation. We will
not strike, however, until after the
close of the liberty bond campaign."
Request that there be no strike of
electrical workers or of operators until
'Til Show You How
Corns Peel Off!"
Ever Peel a Banana Skin? That's It!
I should worry about those corns
I just put some 'Gets-It" on." Corns
used to pester the world into a frenzy,
enduring pain, digging, slicing toes.
tinkering with plasters and tape, trying
"G--It" r-Tlt Tonr Feet In Clover
It Ends Corns Unlckly.
to fix a corn so it wouldn't hurt,
but now no one in the world
"should worry," because the moment
you put "Gets-It" on it means the
end of a corn. There is nothing in th
world like "Gets-It" nothing as sure
ana certain nothing that you can
count on to take off a corn or callus
every time, and without danger. The
corn never grew that "Gets-It" will
not get. It never irritates the flesh,
never makes your toe sore. Just two
drops of "Gets-It" and presto! the corn
pain vanishes. Shortly you can peel
the corn right orf with your finger
and there you are corn-free and hap
py with the toe as smooth and corn
free as your palm. Never happened be
fore, did it? Guess not.
Get a bottle of "Gets-It" today from
any drug store, you need pay no more
than iac, or Bent on receipt of price by
B. Lawrence & Co., Chicago, 111.
Sold In Portland and recommended as
the world's best corn remedy by The
Owl Drug Co. Adv.
after the close of the liberty bond
campaign was made to the strikers'
coiuimii.ee in San Krancisco by Morti
mer Fleishhacker. chairman of the Cal
ifornia Council of Defense, and imme
diately wires were dispatched to every
local on the Coast, ordering continu
ance of work as asked, purely In the
interests of patriotism, said Mr. Quinn.
The Pacific Telephone Sc Telegraph
Company, which has been presented
with a demand for 25 per cent increase
for linemen and women operators and
recognition of the newlv formed union
of the operators, has submitted a
counter proposal, offering half the sal
ary increase. So far as known, the
company has not, however, offered, to
recognize the operators.
FILM ACTRESS . FILES SUIT
Mary McLaren Wants to Stop Pro
duction In Eastern States.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. IB. Mary Mc
Lean, the 17-year-old moving-picture
actress, who is suing the Universal
Film Company in injunction proceed
ings, reclined in a wheel chair in
Judge Work's courtroom the other day,
having recently been Injured in an
automobile accident. She objected to
the contract with the Universal, which
she says was a mortgage on her youth.
In a previous action, the contract was
alleged to be unreasonable, and fol
lowing this she complained that the
corporation had .interfered with her
employment by other moving-picture
concerns.
Suits, she - claims, were begun - In
other states to prevent films in
which she starred, being exhibited.
The defendant declared that no at
tempt would be made to influence
other companies against her. but that
she would Insist on its- right to sue
in New York to prevent he, films be
ing exhibited.
William 8. S. Douglas, of the Friars
Club, testified that he considered Miss
McLean an emotional- drama star, in
a class by herself,- and one who is de
manded by the public. . Ha spoke also
of her personality.
David Horsley, by whom she Is now
employed, referring to her acting, said;
"It Is real personality that can be
photographed."
The life of a successful film, he said.
Is about two years. A film actress to
make a success on the screen must
have 20 per cent ability. Judge Works
took the case under submission.
WOMAN HELD FOR ASSAULT
i .
Miss Marie Plnzon Arraigned In Log
Angeles Court.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16. Miss Marl
Plnzon, also khown as Marie Edwards,
was formally placed under arrest yes
terday morning in her cell at Central
Police Station on a warrant charging
her with "assault with Intent to com
mit murder." following the shooting
and seriously wounding of State Sen
ator Henry Lyon.
iliss Plnzon was outwardly the least
perturbed person In the courtroom
when arraigned before Justice Palmer.
In a clear voice,-unshaken by emotion,
she answered the few questions pro-
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pounded to her. It was with a smile
that she left the Courthouse for the
short walk to the County Jail, where a
more commodious and better-lighted
cell than she bad just left awaited her.
DEALINGS MADE PUBLIC
Germany's Method of Dealing With
Swiss Told by Commissioner.
CHICAGO. Oct. l4.Very extreme
methods are being employed by the
German government to secure food
stuff from Switzerland and as a re
Hi
' , " nuvw-r L s . - .'..
s"i r t(f ? ;
ijri v-WiV yMj i - , ct-ve ,t-
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WHO IS "NUMBER ONE?? is a melodramatic masterpiece, a soul
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in mimm 1 am in mill
jCLMOl TEETA7 UTEST
Always S. '& H."
sult the Alpine republic Is more than
ever dependent upon food imported
from the United States and the allied
countries, according to Colonel "William
Staempfll, who is In this country to
appeal to the American Government to
modify its embargo on food exports.
Colonel Staempfli, together with Pro
fessor William Rapparp, formerly an
instructor at Harvard, and John Syz,
who are the other members of the food
commission, arrived here last night.
They will remain in Chicago for sev
eral days, and after a short visit to
Philadelphia and Washington will re
turn to their country.
"We produce only 20 per cent of the
food consumed In our country," paid
rf"
. J-cj-: v-':" ......
'' a..,. -
" '
it .,i"CV.'.
WMMt MABSHAU. 700-HOMr A 6171 ot
SUmps First Three Floors.
Colonel Steampfll today. "We are en
tirely at the mercy of the alies and
the United States, so far as food ia
concerned, and we would be without
coal and iron if Germany should de
cide to shut off its exports to Swit
zerland. "Germany well realizes this, and
forces us to give her part of our prod
ucts butter, cheese, milk and other
commodities which she is lacking, ia
return for her coal and iron.
"But at the same time the allies un-
derstand just what position we are in.
An allied control board has been ap
pointed to supervise; our exports of
commodities imported from their coun
tries." ,..-
. ..
.1