University of South Carolina Libraries
(The County fiterori)' W. F. Tolley & L. H. Cromer, Jr. Publishers. Entered at the postoffiee at Kingstree, S. C. as second class matter. THURSDAY. MAY 27. 1920. TIME FOR A REACTION Along with what seems to be a nation-wide tendency to cut prices on all commodities and a tightening up on the money situation by the national banks of the country, there must inevitably follow a falling off in the demands for all classes of labor, skilled and unskilled, and a consequent decline in the present high rate de manded in salary. We believe that the average salaries the past three years have been excessively high and are still out of propotion to the increased values on commodities and material.-. When the hurried work of the go\ ernment construction, building and excavating of all kinds at the great cantonment sites was begun, an unusual demand was at once created for labor. The federal government needed the work and the great undertakings must of necessity be rushed to completion regardless of cost in dollars and waste in material. The work was turned over to contractors on a percentage basis?we'll say ten per cent, of the total cost of all work performed at Camp Jackson was paid to contractors. The federal government is alone responsible for the situation today, the high cost 01 living ana tne fabulous salaries exacted by jack-leg mechanics of every description and vocation. The government created an incentive, and the contractors took advantage of it by paying big prices and running total costs into fabulous sums, ten per cent, of which was their pay. In the first place a scarcity in all branches of labor was caused by the drafting of men out of their several lines of occupation, and the supply was soon unequal to the demand. Work at the big government cantonments was under way and must be rushed to completion. Then the contractors began to advertise for workmen, offering unheard of salaries per diem. In a short time it was known far and wide that a day laborer could Hfl Ia OH fnv crht-Vimiv day; a jack-leg carpenter $8.00 to | $15.00 for the same eight-hour day. It was not long then before every community was losing the small per centage of labor the draft act had not already taken. Farm hands left j their employers to work for government contractors, because $5.00 per day was better than $1.50. Drivers of delivery wagons who could use a saw and hammer to the extent of making a box or chicken coop quit, his job (that for which he was best; suited) and became a high priced carperter on government work. Meantime the men?the real workers of the country?weie d) awing the meas-1 ly sum of $1.00 per, in addition to j clothes and rations. They underwent hardships, many were killed and died, many more were maimed, injured, incapacitated for life. The ranks in the i field of labor were depleted and they j have not and will not soon be roplen-. ished. The cantonments have been j completed, served their purpose and ! many of them demolished. Those who worked on them have returned to find employment as carpenters, plumbers, etc., and realizing' the necessity of the work to be done, they are de-1 manding from contractors and pri-! vate builders a daily wage that is j little short of the scale paid by the government contractors when Uncle Sam was footing the bill and "paying the butcher" ten per cert. This sort of thing cannot last much longer. It is intolerable. The principle is wrong and therefore must sooner or later collapse. More pay, shorter hours and less work has been the cry of labor for the past two years. In most instances their demands have been unreasonable, but acceeded to because of the importance of the work in hand. There has been a good deal of building going on in this community the past eight or twelve months and it is estimated that the labor used in carrying on the work has been at a price equal to two-thirds of the total cost, making the price of the material /vwa f Ui??/ J or\i 1 neiiollt? tUn mon U?CU WUCVimU) aiiu uouuu V Vtiv man j who furnished the latter must wait 30 to 60 days for his money, while the workman has been paid every Saturday and frequently oftener. The advice being handed out most generally is to "increase production." To do this labor is required, and with the unreasonable demands, and the income assessed by the federal govern-, ment to add to the tiials and tribulations of the producer, where is there any incentive for him to increase production. Recently many large manufacturing plants have reduced their force or suspended. Among these we might mention the Ford Motor Co., one of the largest automobile manufactur ing plants on this continent. At the Ford works, thirty thousand men have been laid off. I The idea has been advanced, and perhaps properly so. that when the laboring class become so persistent and unreasonable in their demands is for the employer-manufacturer to suspend operations until they (the workmen) come to their senses or be made to see the injustice of their demands. The coal miners took advantage of the already critical situation the country was in for coal when they put up their demands last winter and ordered a strike which caused untold suffering and death for lack of fuel to keep warmth in defenseless homes. The public and large employers are becoming disgusted with the situation. It is felt that a climax has been reached and the time for action has arrived. Heme building is almost prohibitive, farmers are handicapped and many of them, rather than face the demands of labor, have sold or rented out their farms: production is being curtailed to an alarming extent on account of the constant and unjust demands of labor, in short, the whole country is beginning to feel asi never before, the unreasonable, wanton demands of labor. o News From Rome. Rome. May 25.?Messrs James and Clyde Barr of Leesville visited their uncle, Prof. 0. M. Mitchell last weekend. Mr. J. 13. Hemingway is visiting his cousin, Dr. J. F. Munnerlyn, in Columbia. ? Misses Annie Wilson and Jean Hollis of the Union High School faculty spent the week-end at Hemingway with Miss Carrie Baker. Miss Nanna Bush of Columbia spent the week-end with friends in the community. Mr. J. M. Clyde visited Sumter, Dovesville and Kingstree last week, v Mrs. A. B. Hemingway, Jr., and little daughter, Margaret, from Ridgeland are visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Hemingway, Sr. Mrs. N. G. Gonzales of Columbia is visiting her cousin, Mrs. Beulah Dinkins. Mrs. Fannie Munnerlyn has returned from an extended visit at the home of her son, Dr. J. F. Munnerlyn of Columbia. Miss Lucile Turbeville entertained Saturday night in honor of Miss Nanna Bush of Columbia. About forty of the young people were there and spent a delightful evening. The guests were entertained with games, music and contests. A delightful ice course was served. Miss Florence Hemingway has returned from a visit to relatives in Kingstree. Messrs. W. C. Snowden, Bill Smith and 0. M. Mitchell went to McColl last week. The home of Mr. and Mrs. II. H. DuRant. known as "The Domitorv," a large twelve room house, was destroyed by fire last Tuesday. The nre siai'ieu lrum me siutc nuc auwuv noon. Owing to the dry weather and stiff wind the fire spread so rapidly that nothing could be done to save the house. The two buildings of the Union High school were saved only by the heroic efforts of those present. Mr. DuRant expects to rebuild as soon as possible. Prof. 0. M. Mitchell left Tuesday for an extended tour across the continent. On the trip he will visit the Grand Cannon in Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, Chicago and other points of interest. 1 117. IV J I we via FOR THE PRESENT PRICES. OUR PRICES H CEEDINGLY MODERATE. WITH THE BEGINNIJ INAUGURATED A SYST] THAT HAS PROVEN A < CUSTOMERS. OUR IDEA IS TO DO SMALLER MARGIN OF PI CREASED VOLUME TAK g| BEEN A BIG SUCCESS. CALL OR SEND US ^ THE BEST OF CLOTHING, Bentschner. Corner King i CHARLESTON, 4-l-3m Florence to Vote on Bond Issue. ^ The question of issuing $450,000 worth of bonds to build good roads will be submitted to the voters of Florence couitty Tuesday, June 22, by the board of county commissioners. An election for this purpose was ordered Tuesday and arrangements authorized to place the matter squarely before and up to the voters as to whether or not they want more and better roads. Last Friday afternoon J. W. Touchberry, a mill operative at Columbia, was seriously stabbed by his fatherin-law, G. W. McManus. o Get your Paris Green and Bam Flues from KINGSTREE HARDWARE CO. 5-27-4te. i o Andrews citizens, in conjunction with the chamber of commerce of that growing municipality, are discussing olans for installing city waterworks and sewerage system. o j 666 quickly relieves Constipation, Billiousness, Loss of Appetite and Headaches, due to Torpid Liver. | D. Nov. 25-20. i ???? i BEAUTY IS REFLEOED HEALTH "Good-Looking" Means the Opposite of Sick-Looking IT'S A MATTER OF RED BLOOD CELLS Pepto-Mangan Makes Rich, Red Blood ?Builds Up Young People Who Lack Vitality. If your body is sound and your blood is rich and red, your acts and thoughts will be quick and strong. Let your blood get weak, and your food won't nourish you nor your sleep refresh you. Too much hard work, an illness, or a mental strain can thin down your I blood, and Pepto-Mangan is needed to i bring it back to healthy, normal con! dition. Knowing this, doctors for years .have recommended Gude's Pepto-Man* * - t-i 1 j gan oecause 01 us Diuuu-uuuumg auu i (tonic properties. i Pepto-Mangan is .such a simple and i harmless tonic, yet such a prompt builder of red blood, that its reputation has spread all over the country. ; Today every 'druggist .sells it and thousands of men and women use it as a restorative whenever they or their children seem to feel below par. Pepto-Mangan agrees with the most j delicate stomach, and is obtainable in (either liquid or tablet form. Be sure the name "Gude's" is on the i package when you buy Pepto-Mangan. Ask the druggist for "Gude's." If "Gude's" is not on the package, it is not Pepto-Mangan.?Advertisement. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. All persons having claims against the Estate of T. J. 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