THE Lll~E .:-\1\D ,,roHK OF ,,:-ILLI.A~I L. HUTCHESON

JuH:"i R. 5TE\·E~~(J~~ 1~ice-Presidetit

l:11ited Brot11erl1ood ◄lf Ca-r11enters elnd Joiners

of -~111eric.·a

Ii1 n1~- lifeti111e 1 ha,·e dra~\·n man)· assig11rne11ts. Each of them I have tried to fulfill to tl1e ,·er}· best of m}· abi1ity. Some \\'ere ~atisf)·ing and others ,\·ere cl1ores. The task I ha,·e l>efore me toda} .. tra11scends in personal l)leasure a 11d pride a11~·tl1i11g ,\·l1ich has bef alle11 me to date.

l\-lan 11e,·er. ~ta11d~ c1t1ite ~o near to God as ,,·he11 he sta11ds in the woods, for i11 the ,,·oods tl1e handi,,·ork of God is e,·ery,\·here. It is in the surge and reju,·enatio11 of s1>ri11g. It is i11 tl1e hun1 and the sp1endor of summer. It is i11 tl1e m~·sterious a11d a ,,·e~ome tra11sformation of autum11, '""hich turns sumn1er· s glor~- bro,,·n and sere. as a prelude to ,\'inter's long sleep. Eve11•· ,,·here iI1 tl1e ,,·oods the dra1na of creation is bei11g enacted o,·er and o,·er agai11-l)irtl1! life, death, and reju,·enatio11.

The drama hei11g pla)·ed out to(l~)- is exactl}· as it ,\·as i11 the begin• 11i11g of tin1e. Here i11 thi.s ti11~- ~,atch of ,voods the ebb and flo,\° of creation l1a,·e go11e 011 u111nolested for eo11s be)·o11d number. They ,vere at \\"Ork ,,·lien Tl1race a11d :\Iacedo11ia ,,·e-re in their 1,rime. On this spot Indian eyes ma}· ha\·e ,\"atcht"d tl1em u11folding lo11g before the ,vhite man dreamed of tl1e 11e,,· ,,·orld~ ·

And no,,· ,,·e are here toda~- to i11sure that they ''°ill continue as long as ci,·ilizatio11 e11dure~. Here in tl1is tin}· island of unsJloiled nature the cycle of exi~te11ce ,,·ii} be re1Jeated o,·er and o,·er again long after those of us ,\·ithi11 tl1e ~ou11d of m~- ,·oice are go11e and forgotten. I cannot help but feel that ,,·e are here and no,,· ~tai1ding as close to immortality as it is pos. sihle for n1ortal man to stand~

Before I do an~·thing ~lse. I ,\·a11t to express my profound admiration for al} the ::\1ettler heirs ,,·ho~ through )·ears of "·ar}·ing fortu11es, resisted all economic J>ressures to sacrifice these ,,·oods for personal gain. There must ha,·e hee11 ma11~- times , .. ·hen the tem1ltation ,vas real and pressing.

'\'\" e also express our deep appi:eciation _of the ,vork perf armed h}· the Citizen~· Scie11tific and Historical Committee for tl1e Pres-er\·atio11 of l\1et• tier's u·ood~ a11d to all grou1ls a11d indi\·iduals participating in tl1is ,.,·orth)·

. project~ a11d to our colleague. Raleigh Rajoppi, for his splendid co• 011eratio11 i11 bringing this undertaki11g to the attention of- the General Executi,·e Board of our United Brotherhood, ,vhich resulted i11 011r being here toda)· to participate in thi$ program.

. Indi\·iduall)· a11d eollecti,·el~-~ ma11)· sincere and dedicated people ,\-01·ked lo11g and hard on this project. 011t of busy li\·es the)· allocated time to campaign for the J-lresen·ation of tl1ese fe,-.· acres. of u11spoiled nature. To al} of then1 ,,·e sav. •~\\-ell do11e.~~ a11d '·Thanks.:,

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Xo,'° it is the Jlri,·ilege of a11 orga11ization ,,-J1ose l1istoric roots are em­!1edded deerll~- i11 tl1e forest la11ds of .~merica to }llace the ca1)~to11e on this ~tlJler~tru~turf' of con1mon effort.

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It is Jlartict1larJy fitti1lg t11at tl1ese ,,·oods sliould l)c de<licatc(I tls a n1c~ 111orial to a ma11 wl1ose origi11s a11d accomplishn1ents are Ii11ked closely ,,vitlt the \\·il'-ler11ess areas of tJ1e nation. Tl1roughout l1is lifetime l1t! worked unccasi11gly for cor1ser\·ation and , .. ·isc rna11agen1ent of all our 11at11ral re­sources-particularly tl1ose of a rene,ral)le nature.

'''illian1 L. Hutcl1eso11 ,vas hor11 in the <lee1) ,-voods of 1\,1icl1igan 011 February 7, 1874. Hegre,,· up in the ,roods. liefore lie cotJld read or ,vrite he cot1ld tra11slate i1111umerable signs tl1al forests ur1fold to the 11rac;ticed eye. To hin1 a broke11 t,rig meant a bear had passed this ,vay; or a muddy stream mea11t a deer l1ad slaked its tl1ir:;t here. In all the years of a rich and fruitful life, \Villian1 L. Hutcl1e$on 11e,·er Jost the deep love and respect for unspoiled 11ature lie de,,eloped as a boy in l\:fichiga11. .

As a boy l\Jr. Hutcheson hega11 ,\·orki11g in the woods. He started by cutti1)g a11d fra111ing timbers for sl1i1)s. TJ1erein he foil owed J1is fatl1er's foot­steps. He \,·as apprenticed to the carpe11ter trade, became a jour11e)'ma11, re­ceiving 20 ce11ts a11 l1our and ,,·orking ten hours a day, 60 hours a week.

J11 tl1ose days tl1e lot of tl1e ,vorker ,,·as hard. Tl1c hours were long a11d the pay 111eager. Tl1ere ,,·ere no protections against tl1e ,...,.oes of illness~ acci­dents, or tJnen1ployme11t. The evil slings of n1isfortt111e rai11ed heavily 011 those ,-vho had to work ,,·itl1 tl1eir hands for their daily bread.

Again~t these n1a11)· i11justices the soul of young \Vi)Jiam L. Hutc11eson rebelled. 111 1\fa)', 1902, he helped orga11ize a local 11nion at 1\1idla11d~ Michiga11, a11d l\'as iinmediately e]ected its first president. Sl1ortly there­after J1e trar1sferred lo Local U11io11 3~~4 at Sagina,v. For the r1ext half cen- · t11ry l1e <le\·oted alJ of l1is time a11d his ta le11ls to tl1e UJ)buildi11g of tl1e U11ited 13rotl1erhood of CarJJenters a11d Joi11ers of America and tl1e per1Jetu­ation of tl1e American ,vay of life.

Gradually l1e rose through the ranks of his orga11ization u11til, in 1915, he assumed the Jlresidenc)· of the U11ited Brother11ood of CarJ.le'nters anll Joiners of An1erica.

U11der his inspired leadership the U11ited Brotherl1ood gre\v and 11ros• per(~d. From a member8lli}) of 2001000 l1e built l1is orga11ization to o,,er 800,000 me111IJers ir1 ll1e 36 )"ears lie ,,·as at the hel1n. He stabilized its fi11an• cial ~trucll1re a11d spearlieaded tl1e 1no,'e ,,·hich cultl'\inated in the erectio11 of the SJJler1did Home for Aged l\ft>n1JJers at Lake)a11d, Florida~ "'·l1ere car• 1Je11ters 65 )·ears of age a11d ,.._·itl1 30 ~-ears' continuous membershiJJ catl spe11d tl1e remai11der of tl1eir lives i11 con1fort a•1d security.

I do 1,ot l)elieve it is a11y exaggeratio11 to say that tl1is Home for aged n1en1hers, built a.11cl n1ai11tai11e'-l b}'- tl1e U11ited Brotherhood of Car1)enter.s . and J<~111er$ of America~ is 011e of tl1e ~110,\"1)\aces of Florida. Situated on tl1e sJ1ores of beautif11l Lake (;ihso11~ a fe\r miles out of l .. akela11d, it is ,11>· J)roacl1ed l)y })a,·ed dri,·es ,,,I,ich 1nea11der tl1rough \iistas of lawns, flowers, and ,·e11erable moss-draJ}ed live oaks. ,.\ thousa11d acres of prime citr11s groves ~t1rrou11d tl1e Home. 111 additio11 to pro,·idi11g fresh citrus fruits for tl1e table$ of tl1e Honie~ tl1eEe gr<>,·e~ go a long ,ray to,,·ard n1akir1g the flome ~elf-~\1}1J)orting for they make tJ1e lT111ted Brotherhood of Carpe11ters a11d J<)j11er~ of . .\111erica 011e of tl1e large~t ~ir1glc J)rod1Jcers of citrus fruits in ~ .. lorida. :\ l .. trge herd of bloodeti dai1·~· co,\'S i11sures a })lentif 11l suppl}·

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of milk and milk products for the occupants of this I-lome. The Home is an empire of its o,vn. Every conceivable form of recreation, including a11 18-hole golf course, is provided for the enjoy.ment of Home occupants \\."ithout cost. A complete hospital is mai11tai11ecl to gu~trd the health of retired members li"·ing there.

And the moving spirit behind all this ,.;as \Villiam L. llutcheson. He s1..1earheaded the drive ,vl:ich established the Ho1ne. He drove tl1e first sur­vey stake ,~hen the la11d ,vas a ,vilderness. He st1pervised the actual Jlla11• ning and erectiort of the Home. In additio11 to being General Preside11t, he servecl as manager of the Home from its inception ir1 1928 11ntil he pas$ecl a\\'a)r in 1953.

1'ht1s ,\.'e find that Mr. H 11tcheso11's duties and tale11ts \\-ere 11ot co11fi11ed to labor matters. As manager of the Home, he becan1e an authorit}· 011 tl1e raising arld marketing of citrus fruits. Ile st1ccessf11lly cornbined tl1e occu• 1>ations of luxury hotel mat1ager, <lairyrnan, truck farmer, and hospital supervisor. But the Hon1e for aged members is 011ly one of the mont1• ments he left behind him. The United Brotherhood's pe11sion plan is large•

. ly his brainchild. He manned the laboring oar in the drive ,vhich estal)­li5hed the Unio11's pension plan. As of today, some 20,000 old-ti1ne 1ne111• hers of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America are receivi11g J)ensions from the union. .

The Horne and the pension plan have been i11 effect for over 30 }-ears. They are truly dreams brot1ght to reality by the initiative and i11spiratio11 provided by William L. Hutcheson. I need not d,vell on ,,·hat cl boon tl1e~-l1a,·e been to thousands of old-time members. .

In his Jifetime~ lVIr. H11tcheso11 sa,v the organization l1e headed for ~o 1na11y years elevate wages from dollars J>er ,veek to dollars }>er J1our. l{e sa,v it c11t hours from 60 and 70 per week to 4-0 and 37. Ile ,vit11essed an imJ>rovement in the ,velf are of the fa mi lies of cnrper,ters ,rho became better fed, ,vore better and more appropriate clothing in ,vi11ter a11d sum111er. Ile sa,v their children grow up and go to college and become leaders ir1 tl1e scie11ces, arts, a11d professions. He had the satisf actio11 of k11owing that all these things ,vere made possible by the efforts of tl1e organization l1e h("aded.

1'he contributio11s Mr. Hutcheson made to bu1nan ,\-elfare ,vere 11ot confined to tl1e United Brotherhood of Carpe11ters. For )·ears he ser,·ed a~ a vice-president of the American Federation of Labor. On ma11}- occasions lie attended conferences in Canada, Europe, and Sot1th America. O,·er the years l1is friends and a~mirers throughout tl1e \rorlcl becan1e legion. \\.}1e11 deatl1 ended his long and fruitful career, there ,,·as mot1rning in teemi11g cities and ti11y hamlets in many climates and la11ds.

In a message of condolence at the passing of this disti11guished citize11, (>resident Eisenho,ver concluded his telegram ,vith the sentence, ~'He , ... as a trt1e American.'' No ,vords could more aptly ~um UJJ the life of \\;illiam IJ. Ht1lcheson. He ,vas indeed a tr11e American.

Year in and year ot1t, for over a half century, lVIr. !l1Jtcheson ,,·aged 1111relenting ,rar agai11st tl1e radicals and comm1111ists ,,·lto tried to tise tl1e ,-ery freedoms g11ara11tef'cl lJ). the Co11stit11tion to destroy l1otl1 the Constitu•

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tio11 it~elf a11d tl1e go,·er11mer1t n1air1tair1e<l tinder it. :-\s earl~- a~ 1926 h<-' a1td tl1c n1e111bers of 1lis Ge11eral F~xec11ti,·c }3oard i~~11ed a circular letter \,·ar,t• i11g all members tl1at C<)n1n1u11is1n a11d trL1c t1·ade u11io11ism l1ad 11<JtJ1itlg. in con1111011 a11d lhaL 110 n1an could practice IJotJ1 at the 8an1e tjmc.

In a)l the )'ears si11ce the11 there has 11e,·cr })een a k110,\· r1 1r1en1l,er of tl1e Con1m11nist Party· in tl1e United Ilrotl1erJ1ood of CarJ)enler~ anrl J<)iner~ of :\rr1erica. Willian1 l.,. H utcl1eson ,,·as figl1ti11g co111n1t1r1ism ski]lf u ll)r nnd doggedl)r '"he11 it ,vas only anotJ1er ,vord in tl1e dictio11ary to ma11y An1eri­ca11~. I $hudder to t}1il1k \\·hat the situation migl1t })e toda}· if 1Vlr. llutche• so11 a11d fearless me11 like him i11 tl1e Amerjca11 lalJor mo\·en1er1t J1ad 11ot stood Ul) to the commur1ist threat )'ears ago.

For tl1eir efforts \~7i)liam L. Hutcheso11 a11d I1is colleagues in . .\.meri­car1 lal--ior \vere ,:ilified a,1d sla11dered by tl1e co1n1nt111i~ts a11d tl1eir f ello,r tra,-elers. Particularl}'- ,vas this tr11e of 1\,-f r. Hutche~on. Becat1se he fought them so effective}}· tlte}· l1eaped ridic11le and a}Juse on his l1cad. All the techr1iqt1es of cJ1aracter assassi11ation and smear '"·l1icl1 they use(l so skilf­full~- ,\-ere brought to bear against him. But 11ot 011ce did he t•,·er take a step l)ack,v-ard i11 l1is personal fight to keep America free a11d stror1g. No 1nore 1111}·ieldi11g foe lived in 011r time.

Tl1e kind of America \Vi11iam I.,. Hutcheso11 ,·isuaJized 811<1 f<>ugf1t for ,ras a free America-free hotl1 f ro1n comm11nism a11d fron1 stro11g},- ce11--- , tralized gover11111e11t. Ile looked a~ka11ce at tl1e gradual eJ1croacl1ment of go,-er11111ental age11cies i11 lal-,or relatio11s a11d many other fields. In his career as General Presillent of the U11ited I~rotl1erl1ood of Car1)e1tter5 a11d Joiners of America, }1e stood tlJ) to n1any attemJ)ts to 111ake A111erican lal)or ~ulJserYierit to 811 arI11 of go,,er11111er1t. Ofte11 l1e did so at co11sideralJle })er-sonal peril. ·

I11 tl1e 1920's J1e refused to k1111ckle 1111der to the so-called An1erica11 Plal1~ ,,·l1icl1 sought to reduce u11io11s to glorified del>ali11g societies. Againi;t all !:-orts of J)ressure lie ref used lo cc>1n1>ron1ise sot111d 1111ioJ1 r,ri11ciJlles. !11 tl1e er1d. the American lllan ,-ras discarded a11(l or~anized lal-ior remai11e<l .1:1 . ...., .

free a11d indeJ)e11de11t force dedicated to the com111011 good. T,re11ty )'ears later, ,,·ith his o,vn J)ersor1al lillerty at stakf•. lie defie(l

tl1e effort of the Attor11e}' Ge11eral's oflice to in1J)OSP. dictati<J11 011 labor u11ior1s. He fought tl1c 1natter tl1rougl1 one C(>Urt after a11otl1er, clear ur> to the SuJ)ren1e Co11rt. Tl1ere he acl1ieved victor}' for hin1self and for orgar1-ited labor. While less courageous labor leaders '""e.1·e pleadi11g nol<J l'Ort­

tendere l1e \vas figl1ti11g for the rigl1t of 1111ions to re111ai11 free a11d u11tram-111eled b}· directio11 f ron1 ,,i asl1ington. l.,ega l labor histor)· ,,·as thereb)' n1ade.

Ho,\·ever. tl1e ser\·ice5 of \\,-i) J ia1n L. H utcl1e~o11 \\·er<~ r1ot co11fined to ,

labor 111atters a1011e. TJ1ree Presidents of the United States drafted him for }>tll)lic service. In all tl1ree in~tances l1e acquitlell him~elf ,rith distinctio11 a11d hor1or. ·

Duri11g World War I~ Pre!-ident ~, oodro,\· '1-ilson named I1i111 to $er,·c 011 the ~ 7ar Labor Board. U11der the joint cl1airma11sl1ip of former Presi­de11t ,,.illia.1n Ho,rar(l Taft a11d the Ho11orahle Fra11k ~-al~l,~ tl1e \"<'ar Lal)or B<>ard re11dered 011lsta11di11g servi~e to tl1e natio11 during tl1e tr1·i11g

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days of Wor]d War I. As a member of the Board~ l\fr. Hutcheson deserves a full measure of credit for l1~s ,visdom and experience ,fhich helped to guide the Board over many rough hurdles. .

In 1935 !'resident Roosevelt appointed :\Ir. l-lutche~on a labor ad­,·iser to tl1e Sa11tiago: Cl1ile, 1nt-eticig of the II ... O~ tlie agf.'r1cJ· t-reated by the League of Nations to ,vork for the betterment of li,-ing sta11dards througl1-out tf1e ,vorld. Amorig the hundreds of deJegates there re1)resenting gov­ernment, industr}'·, and labor, !\fr. Hutcheson ,vas 011e of the most eloquent spoke:-rne11 for a free enterprise system to iricrease pro!luction and a free labor 111ovement to insure a fair distribution of that production.

President Truman too saw fit to caJl on the ser\'·ices of -u·illiam L. flutcl1t>so11. For t,vo )·ears 1\.1r. Hutcheson ser\·ed ,\."ith di~tinction 011 the LaI>or ~ia11ageme11t Panel set up by President Trurnart to a(li.·ise him 011 labor n1i1tters .

• ..\11 arclent Reptthlicatl all his adult life, l\Ir. Hutcheso11 ga,·e mt1ch of his time. a11d talents to the party. In the Hoover and Lando11 can11)aigr1s he serYecl as director of the Labor Di\·i~io11 of the Repuhlica11 Part~·. !11 the ] 951 cor1,.,ention of tl1e llepublica11 Party· he ,ras a delegate from l11diana. HP. ,vas 011e of the t,vo delegates from India11a ,rl10 ,·oted for D,,·ight D. F.:iser1ho,ver f roin the first ballot until l1is nomination ,\·as achie,·ecl.

In the brief time allotted to me it is impossible to tot1ch 011 the breadth Ullcl $Cope of l\".Ir. llutcheson's activities at1d i11terests. He ,r.:1~ first and lnst a great Jal>or lea<ler. Bttt }1e ,vas also a l)usi11essman, ari adn1i11istrator, and a J>atriot. . ·

It ,vas only natural then that the t\venty-seventh General Con,0ention of the Lnited Brotherhoo<l of Carpenters and Joi11ers of America. held in Cin­cin11ati last Noveml>~r, $hould at1thorize the establisf1me11t of a ~t1itable me~ n1orial to this able leader ,vhose contributions encon1pass n111ch of the ,,·or I r.l.

I 11 searching for an appropriate memorial, the Ge11eral Executive Boa.rd considered and discarded many ideas. Nothing seen1ed :::t1itable. But lvhen tlie plight of this tiny island of primitive America ,,·as called to the attentic.11 of the Board, tl1ere ,vas unanimous agree111ent that this ,,·as a fit­ting memorial. No ma11 lo·ved tl1e ,\·oods more. No mat1 did more for the peo1)le \vho ear11 their livi11g through the l1arvest of the ,\·oods. .

In a real se11se, William L. Hutcheson ,ras a product of the ,voods. Like a forest giant he ,veathered the ,vinds and gales ,vitl1ol1t flinching or yielding. Until my· dJ'i11g clay I ,vill ne.,.·er thi11k of Wi})iam L. flutcheso11 ,,, itho.tlt recalling a i.>oem ,vl1ose at1thorsf1 ip I ha\·e never bee11 ab lt" to estab-1 ish. It is called '~Good Timber'' and reads as foJJo,vs:

The tree that ne,rer had to fight }'or stin and sky, and air and light, Tl1.1t stood .out in the open plain And al,va}'·s got its share of rain Ne,·er became a forest king, . But lived and died a scr11l)by thi11g.

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TJ1e man ,vl10 nt,·er had to toil, ~ 7110 never had to ,rin his sl1are Of sun and sky, and ligl1t and air Ne,·er became a manly ma11, Bt1l li,·ed and died as he began.

Good timber does 11ot gro,-v in ease. The stronger the ,vind~ the tougl1er the trees; Tl1e farther the sky, the greater the length; Tl1e more the storm, the more tl1e strength; B)- e-u11 and cold, h}· rai11 and sno,vs, In tree or rnai1, good timber gro,vs.

~ihere thickest sta11ds the forest growth ~'e find the patriarcl1s of both, :\11d they hold conver~e ,vith the stars ~'hose broken brancl1es sho,v the scars Of n1a11y winds and mucl1 of strife. Tl1is is tl1e commo11 la,...- of life.

1'o the man)· students ,vl1erever they may be ,vl10 have studied 11aturc wonders in tl1e ,voods, to tl1e n1any ,,-ho will receive instruction here in tb }·ears that ,vill follo,\.', to the teaching staff a11d officials of Rutgers Un versity, and to all of you prese11t here today the U11ited Brotherl1ood c Carpe11ters and Joiners of America Eays, ''We ,-.·ish you ,veil." J\.iay Divin Providence take care of you.

JO