The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-12-19

Oll lGi0.
The following appeared in the Sc
attic Daily Times Wednesday and
written by c. d. Stratton:
If organized labor in the Pacific
Northwest really desires to solve the
problem of caring for the unemployed
who are now flocking to Seattle and
other centers of population, it must
give more than moral support to the
demand for an eight-hour day, instead
of one of ten hours or more, in the
lumber and shingle mills and logging
camps and must strive intelligently to
abolish the winter shut-downs that
have long been accepted as a neces.
sary evil of the lumber industry.
This is the declaration of J. G.
Brown, president of the International
Union of Shingle Weavers, Sawmill
Workers and Woodsmen, whose head
quarters are in Seattle and who has
given years to the study of the sub
ject, both as worker in the ranks
and as a labor leader. Holding this
opinion, Brown has begun an aggres-
sive campaign for a reform in the
lumber industry and after carrying
the matter before the annual conven-
tion of his own international, which
meets in Aberdeen, Wash, January II,
will bring the subject up the follow
ing week before the Washington State
Federation of Labor, meeting in an
nual convention at Raymond, Janu-
ary 19.
Seattle is one of the Pacific coast
cities where men who are out of work
congregate," says Mr.. Brown in an edi-
torial written for the Timberworker
the official organ of his union. at
may be that they do not come to Seat
tie to look for work, but are attracted
to the city while they still have money.
This spent, they become unit in the
growing army of the unemployed.
There are now in Seattle probably 49,
900 jobless men-men who want work
but who can find no work to do. A
thousand of these men are entirely
without funds. What is true of Seat
tie is probably true of Tacoma, Port
land, San Francisco, Los Angeles and
Vancouver, B. c.
Seattle and King county have ap-
propriated $4,000 with which to pro-
vide work for this army of unemploy-
ed This will help relieve the crush
ing pressure, but if this is the condi-
ton now, what may be expected by
the middle of February or the first of
March? This condition is caused by
the closing down Of many of the log
ging camps, sawmills and shingle mills
of the state They are closed because
the supply of these several commodi-
ties has exceeded the demand. There
is a glut in the market.
Looks Like Lack of Plan.
"Part of the time during the past
season the sawmills were operating
double shifts time and a quarter-all
were working at the highest pressure
Now most of them are either closed
or are working part time five days
week or eight hours day. Does this
not prove the lack of plan that obtains
in the lumber industry? For be it
known that most of the idle men in Sc
attic and other Sound cities are men
dependent for their livelihood on the
lumber industry.
"The city of Seattle is doing the
best it can to relieve the situation, but
nobody pretends it will cure, or even
affect the cause of unemployment. To
find a remedy we must go deeper than
that. Some account must be taken of
the amount of forest products neces-
sary to supply the yearly demands of
the country. Then the work day ought
to be regulated so that there will be
steady employment the year around to
meet this demand. There is no other
remedy. The employers cannot fur
nish the remedy. They are too greedy,
too busy keeping their heads above
the water in the fierce competitive
struggle.
"If the timber workers, through
their organization, could come to see
that upon them rests the responsible
ity of meeting the situation and ap-
plying the only remedy, they could
then unite on an eight-hour day. Make
rigid provisions for the payment of
time and half for overtime, thus dis
courgaing in the most effective way
the working of more than eight hours
in any one day. With such day the
demands of the market could be easily
met. Work would be evenly distri-
buted over the entire wear We would