The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-02
There Is No Disturbance of
Consequence Among the
Labor Interests.
INDUSTRIES SHOW GROWTH
THERE HAVE BEEN BUT TWO
STRIKES PRESENTED TO THE
INDIANA, LABOR COMMISSION
THIS SUMMER.

Indianapolis, sept. Labor DAY IN
Indiana. is,ushered in with peace hav-
ing prevailed since the first of the year.
Voluntary advances In wages on the
part of employers has had much to do,
It is reported, with warding off labor
demonstrations.
Industries show a marked increase,
both in Improvement and establish
ment. Many of the Hoosier cities
have added new factories and plants to
their lists, which have introduced hun
nreds into their population.
Celebrations which have heretofore
marked the festivities of the holiday
have in the majority of cases been
abandoned by Indiana communities
Rnd In most cities the day was spent
Auietly.
According to the members of the In
hiana Labor Commission, there are no
labor troubles of any consequence in
Indiana at the present time. The lock-
Dut at Tell City is still on and the COM
missioners are making an effort to set
lie the difficulty there.
But two strikes have had our atten-
fion this summer" said Commissioners
George w. Purcell. "One of these, the
Evansville street car strike. was set
tied by compromise, practically result
ing in a victory for the strikers The
men gained an increase of Q cents per
hour and shorter hours. At Elkhart a
number Of boiler makers, employed by
the Lake Shore, struck because of their
objection to the introduction of piece
work. The management promised, to
remove piece work from the shops and
the men returned to work.
Report Of Commission.
"a gratifying phase of the industrial
situation in Indiana is the infrequency
with which demands for wage reduc-
tions have been a controlling motive
in disputes. Where demands for re-
auctions have been a chief incentive
it has been found to be almost entirely
among the unorganized and the I'M
skilled workmen. In view of the fact
that in towns and cities Especially
where different craftsmen are found in
considerable numbers) skilled work
men are organized, the terms "unor-
Eanized" and "unskilled" are practi-
cally synonymous ones. With the
skilled workmen, annual contracts as
to wages and working conditions are
the almost fnvariable substitute for
the strike and lockout. But with the
unorganized and unskilled the condi-
ton is different Without the protec-
ton which organization gives, resort
must be had to individual bargaining
or force, either in the attainment of
advanced wages or resistance against
reductions. But il can be safely esti !
mated that of the two classes, those |
who secure favorable wage conditions
through private bargaining, as COM
pared with the underpaid. the ratio
stands at about 1 to 100. Hence it can |
be readily seen why the strike is re-
sorted to. There is abundant evil |
dence to prove that where employers |
and employees meet on anything like |
equal terms settlements are speedily |
made.
1.-The clamor for the open shop has |
not figured largely in labor disputes |
during the last two years: occasionally |
however. it has been found one of the |
factors entering into settlements. To |
what extent the idea has taken hold of /
employers can not be safely approx |
mated from the viewpoint OF this COM
mission, nor does the question con-
Germ il, except only in so far as it be-
comes a controversial matter requir- .
ing official interposition.
The Indiana Labor Commission was /
created in 1897. The present commits |
sioners are George w. Purcell of Terre |
Haute, who succeeded L. p. NcCor- /
mack May 9 last, and Charles F. |
woerner, who is serving his second |
term.