The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-05
Forty Million Days Lost

The amiable sfatistcian who has the thing
in charge In England reports that during the
year l912~-he has. of course. been too busy
with that year to keep tab on 19i3-fhere were
no fewer than II 900. 900 working days lost to
the country by of strikes and lock-
outs. This applies only to those people direct
" involved" that is 10 work people employed
in the establishments involved in disputes. IT
takes no account of the large number of work
people outside who must have been affected
For instance, the outstanding industrial struggle
of the year was the strike in coal mining which
threw out of employment about a million men
more than twice the number involved in all
other disputes. The stoppage of work in the
mines meant loss of 10000 900 working days
or II per cent of the whole working year in
the coal industry Fortunately, by dnt of in
creased activity after the strike the
able to make up for their losses in wages, and
the country had It's normal supply of fuel
But the interru ption in the regular output
of coal, and its consequent rise in price, had
it's effect upon employment in other industries
The iron and steel men suffered most of all;
but those engaged in the making of glass. pot
terry and other trades using large quantities
Of coal were likewise disturbed and lost much
working time. In consequence. between Feb
rusry and March the percentage of trade union
men unemployed rose from IS to lib per
cent. The figures speak for themselves.
But the first half OF the year 1919 also
the strike of the cotton weavers and that of the
London transport workers. These added largely
to the total Of working time lost. And. work
ing time means wealth producing time, of course
Till 1912 the year 1913 had seen the most
serious losses and disturbances in British in
dustry, but, coupled with 1911, the year 1912
eaualed in time and money lost in strikes the
total of the twelve previous years of industrial
unrest. The evil is thus on the increase.
The majority of these strikes were for higher
wages Next in strike producing power came
the question of trade union principle, the ques-
ton of recognition of the union. All other
strike causes account for only per cent OF
the total of business disturbances.
The government took hand in the coal
strike and enforced a settlement at the hands
of the employers. minimum wage grant
ed. and the strike is set down successful
although opponents of the government declare
that 1t was allowed to succeed because the gov
eminent needed to curry favor with the labor
vote. The unsuccessful strike amounted to IA
per cent of the whole. The bright spot in
this history of Industrial warfare is the fact
that the great majority of these strikes
settled by arbitration on that account and were
freer from violence than those of preceding
years The year 1912 has then high total
of instances in which led to a swift peace.
If strikes are on the increase Is the resort
to mediation, and violence is correspondingly
the decline.
Perhaps 1t presupposes swift arrival at the
age Of the ideal in human life, but the query
uppermost in the mind of us all must be--why
III HcdFeil maine, Is not IESOfteu TO-
not after strike is on, but before the strike
has begun? Why wait to arbitrate when al
ready valuable working time has been lost
lost to the working himself as much as
to the whole field of industry and to the national
wealth Not long ago. at great meeting Of
labor leaders in England there much dis
cussion to the advsability Of finding some
means to avoid costly strikes. It highly
significant that this question was first raised by
the working men themselves. 1t of
fba f,op av,t jyCt5 cof* da1- Nal
ing but good come from such move. and
progress along such line should be speeded
by any and every man who contribute
mite of force to it--Port,and (Me.) Express