[Newspaper]
Publication: The Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, IN, United States
vol. 31, no. 19, p. 6, col. 2
NEWS OF INDIANA.
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NO REMOVAL OF PLANTS
BRANCHES WILL BE AT
CINCINNATI AND COVINGTON.
The Boy Labor Problem More
Vexatious Than the Fuel Question —
Girl Labor Not Profitable.
[Special to The Indianapolis News]
Muncie, Ind., December, 28. — Within the past week a report reached wide circulation that two of Muncie’s principal industries, the Hemingray and Muncie glass factories intended to remove to Cincinnati on account of a scarcity of gas. The companies directly concerned now deny the story officially. They intend to establish two new factories, one in Covington and one in Cincinnati, but do not desire to alter their Muncie plants’ location as long as fuel can be obtained. It is not the fuel scarcity that has caused the talk of removing many Indiana factories to other States, but it is the scarcity of boys for labor in the glass factories.
All companies acknowledge freely that It would be a decided advantage to them to be outside the State, and well located in another State, whore truant officers and compulsory education statutes do not exist. The farther advanced the season the greater is the scarcity of small help. Manufacturers believe the fuel problem will solve itself finally, but they despair on the question of small help. Wages have been doubled in the case of boys, but the positions go begging just the same.
As was stated in The News, an overwhelming popular sentiment kept manufacturers from employing girls to do the work of the boys. In this manner the hope of a solution of the help question by means of girls was taken from the manufacturers. The one solitary factory in Bellaire, O., which had the hardihood to continue to employ girls in the face of popular opposition has desisted. The Bellaire firm says the girls themselves solved the girl problem by proving themselves incompetent for the hard manual labor that was required.
Although manufacturing firms will admit that they do not know how to get along much longer unless the boy question is settled, they contradict with emphasis the numerous removal stories. The gas during the cold period of the last few days has been holding up better than expected. In nearly all cases, ample provision has been made in the way of fuel for the winter. One Muncie industry, however, the architectural ironworks, has discarded the use of gas entirely, owing to a failure of its well, and is using coal. All other plants use gas, as foremerly.
