Evening star., 1901-11-16

1t will be seen that although the largest
number of disputes took place in Germany
the greatest number of work people in
volved was In France. Neither of these
factors, however, is very satisfactory as
measure of the extent of strikes and lock-
outs. What it is necessary to know before
one country can be compared with another
Is the aggregate number Of working days
lost in consequence of disputes. This In
formation can be given in the case Of all
the countries mentioned above with the ex
ception of Germany. Official statistics OF
strikes and lockoutS were not published in
Berlin before 1899. Previous to that year
the only particulars available with regard
to strikes were those collected by the
Gewerkschaften "a federation Of social
democratic unions). Unfortunately the fig
ures issued by the imperial statistical Of
flee in Berlin are not very satisfactory.
They not only fail to show the aggregate
duration of trade disputes, but, unlike most
other countries they give figures only with
reference to the disputes terminated in any
given year.
Days of Labor Lost.
AS regards the other countries it appears
that the time lost by reason of trade dis
putes in the last year for which statistics
are available amounted to 3,153 600 days in
the United Kingdom, 3,761,0 days in
France, 2S7 900 days in Italy, 332, 600 days
in Sweden, 1.136OO0 days in Austria, and
2s2S,OOO days in Denmark. Measured by
the number of working days lost in single
year it appears that France was the great
est sufferer from strikes and lockoutS. 1t
is stated, however, in the official report
that the disputes of 1900 surpassed those
of any other year for which the French
labor department has collected statistics.
In England, however, 1900 was a year of
comparative industrial peace. The figures
for Denmark, which relate to the year 1S9J
are also of an altogether exceptional char
acter. During that year a dispute took
place which shook the Industrial life of
that little kingdom to it's center. 1t COM
menced in the building trades, and ulti-
mately was followed by general lockout
of the work people employed not only in
the building trades, but in many other in
duStrieS In several respects it resembles
the engineering dispute in England, the
employers contending that they were fight
ing, for the right to manage their own
business in the way they thought fit with
out dictatiOn by the workmen's unions.
The lengthy treaty which concluded this
important dispute, a translation Of which
appears in the Labor Gazette for October
ested in this matter with the terms of set
tlement Of the engineering dispute, which
are printed in the issue of the same pubii-
cation for February of 1893.
1t Is clear, from the foregoing, that the
question, What country Is most disturbed
by trade disputes? cannot be answered from
an examination Of one years figures only
We have to take a longer period. 1t Is pos
sible from the statistics. now available to
give for number of European countries
the average amount of time lost per annum
by trade disputes based upon the figures
for five years. Dividing this average by
the total population of each country
comparative figure, viz, the average loss of
time per head Of the population, is ascer-
tanned