A peak into the past with the 1919 issues of Furniture World Magazine
Furniture Union Agitators Annoy High Point Manufacturers
The labor trouble at High Point, which tied up industry for six weeks and created an idle army of approximately 4,000 people, ended September 14, when articles of agreement were sighted by a committee representing the union and the manufacturers. The articles of agreement provide briefly for the five essential points including admission on the part of manufacturers that union labor has a right to work without discrimination; adoption of the piece work system and compulsory arbitration.
A statement by High Point Manufacturers read, "Until 'this affair' the relations existing by and between the employers and the employees here were of such mutual and reciprocal interest and good feeling as to approach a status of positive affection.
"To be sure, the happy and contented employees would d not of their own accord do anything to upset those wonderfully harmonious conditions
Every citizen of High Point as known for years that the manufacturers of this city have never declined nor refused to deal justly and fairly with their employees and it is just a s well known by all that we have not the slightest intention of changing our attitude in this respect in the least degree in the future.
"Every sane and sensible business man in North Carolina know that the industrial growth and the fast industrial development of this great common wealth is being dynamited and shot to pieces by the professional outside mischief-making organizer and radical labor-disturbing agitator."
Trooper Not Guilty of Killing Furniture Man
"Louis Berger, the furniture
dealer, who operates a retail store
at 5243 Market Street, was proceeding
along the boulevard in his
own truck, which was being driven
by a chauffeur. It seems that the
truck was being driven at a fast
rate of speed and after very nearly
upsetting a passenger automobile
was pursued by the State trooper.
The driver of the truck refused to
stop and the constable drew his
revolver and jumped on the step
of the truck. The evidence showed
that the chauffeur threatened the
trooper with a hatchet and Berger
kicked at the hand holding the gun.
"The trooper was thrown from
the truck and the gun discharged,
the bullet striking the furniture
dealer in the arm. The verdict
returned by the jury stated that
death was due to apoplexy caused
by the fright from the wound."
What's Can Make America Great Again?
"When we get back to the practice of giving an honest day's work for an honest day's pay all such theoretical questions as the high cost of living will automatically disappear," said Charles M. Schwab in a speech before the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Workers.
"Great as are the resources of America, and the energy and integrity of our people, there is one problem of our engineering that I term human engineering. Of what value is the skilfully devised machinery, the complex processes, unless maned by people whose heart and soul is in sympathy with work which they are doing, and who have before them the giving of a full day's work for a day's pay?
Furniture World is the oldest, continuously published trade publication in the United States. It is published for the benefit of furniture retail executives. Print circulation of 20,000 is directed primarily to furniture retailers in the US and Canada. In 1970, the magazine established and endowed the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library (www.furniturelibrary.com) in High Point, NC, now a public foundation containing more than 5,000 books on furniture and design dating from 1620. For more information contact editor@furninfo.com.