- Transcription
HARDEN MANUFACTURING CO
O. D. CARPENTER, Proprietor.
Worth, N. C., Oct 16 1919
Hon Govenor Bickett
Raleigh, N.C.
Dear Sir
We notic some few weeks past of the rights only labor unions have had, we are informed they are operating at Gastonia with a few of their mills one or two shut down & at one or two others they have their men watching allowing nothing but union men to work, It seems that the business of the county is getting in bad shape when we are no longer free to operate our own business but has to be operated as directed by idle incompetent people banding together and saying to you ill will or not & those that are not with them being forced by this order & conduct to join with them, We had a strike in our mill about 3 weeks ago 1/3 of the help walked out, We made statement the way was open to all that wanted to work to keep at their jobs, and those that had made demands would go to work or go elsewhere, nearly all went back to work, but feeling that we might be forced to such measures, what is our duty & how to proceed we have only the sheriff to defend us, what protection have we from you, we noticed the trouble they give Charlotte people, It seemed our strongest men & business can be handled & we see no reasons why the labors of a county can band together by leaders and against the interest of the public & individual business as well and all this cry about the H. G. L. could be settled if the idleness that is spent every day by adding one more hour to a days work would only be pursuing the right course, Its been more pay & less work for several years the less hrs worked the higher prices we will have, It seems to me that this should be clear to us, what is the proper thing for us to do, we have decided not to yealed to any of their demands only by force &c
