The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-30

see that his union takes action on this
matter at the earliest opportunity.
Resolutions:
Whereas, Great coal strikes are threat
ened for the first of April and the loss
and suffering from such strikes is beyond
calculation; and
Whereas, The coal deposits are and OF
right ought to be the property OF the
whole people and should not be in the
private possession Of a few, to monop-
ollie and practice eXtortion upon the
consumer, while underpaying and over
working the miners,
Resolved, That we appeal to Congress-
for a comprehensive and thorough inves-
tigation of the production, transporta-
tion and sale of coal, including wages,
cost, price and profits, to whom the prof
its are distributed, and whether or not
there is any criminal restraint of trade
in conducting the coal business.
Resolved, That if any strikes occur
in the coal regions, we demand that
Congress take immediate possession and
continue the mines and coal roads in
operation, in order to protect the inter-
ests of the public; and that claims for
damages be settled by due process OF
the law.
In a cable dispatch from London, it
is stated that G. H. Knibbs, statistician
of the Australian government, has pre-
pared an article dealing with the cost
OF living in Australia and other eoun-
tries. While it is difficult to obtain
or secure accurate data on this subject,
in a worldwide investigation, yet it Is
claimed that the facts are approximately
correct The summary is favorable to
Australia, in that it shows that the
cost of living in that country is cheaper
than in most parts OF Europe In a com
parison with Germany, the United States
and Australia, it is shown that in the
average Australian household, when
housing, fuel, food, lighting and clothing
are provided for, 40S2 per cent of the
family income il available for other ex-
penditures, as against 3676 per cent. IN
Germany and 25.4l per cent, in the
United States. This margin is desig-
mated as the margin of comfort.
Firemen working for the gas and cleo
trio company of Lynn, Mass, have se-
cured reduction in hours from twelve
to eight.
After about II years of non-unionism,
charter has been issued to the employees
of the Toledo Traction company by the
Amalgamated association. The com
pany has bitterly fought the reorganiza-
ton of its men, and Rein Orr, the treas
urer of the Amalgamated association,
was badly beaten up by thugs employed
by the traction company, while form
ing the organization.
The gas workers employed by the
Stockport corporation, England, num-
boring about 500, have won their battle
for an advance in wages and fixed min
imum of 25s. in certain departments
This is the third municipal strike which
has taken place recently, all having been
satisfactorily adjusted.
Senator Simmons is advocating read
ing and writing test for immigrants as
an amendment to the Dillingham; immi-
grafton bill. The senator asserted that
the opposition to this test came chiefly
from the steamship and railroad COM
panies and interests which seek cheaper
labor than the American standard of liv-
ing will allow and ascribing the recent
strike in Lawrence, Mass, as a result
of our immigration laws, the manufac-
turers taking advantage of foreign work
men by paying a starvation wage.
The members of the painters union OF
Hamilton, Ont, have secured an increase
of 21s cents per hour. Negotiations have