The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1915-02-11
Statute FoTbidding DiSCrimina-
ton Against Organizations
Unconstitutional.
SUPREME COURT so DECIDES
Eleven States Affected by the Ruling,
Which Has Been AnxlousIy Await
ed-Many Steel Companies
Planning to Start UP Plants
With Full Forces.

Washington.-Statutes now opera
tive in New York, New Jersey, Penn
s%ylvania and eight other states, pro
viding criminal liability for discrim
ination against any union workman
because he is a member Of such an or
ganization, are invalidated by the de
cision Of the United States Supreme
court in the Coppage VS.. Kansas GO
ercion statute" case. The decision
holding the coercion statute unconsti
t%utional was rendered by Justice Pit
ney, the chief Justice; Justices Nc
Kenna, Vandevanter and McReynolds
concurring, Two strong dissenting
opinions were filed by Justice Day and
Justice Holmes, Justice Hughes con
curing with them. The decision over
turns the conviction Of T. b. Coppage,
superintendent of the Frisco lines, on
charges that he dismissed a switch
man named Hedges at Fort Scott,
Kan, in July, 1911, because the man
refused to agree to withdraw from his
union.
Pittsburgh, Pa.-Every man in the
employ of the Pittsburgh Steel COM
pany at Charleroi and Monessen was
ordered to report for work. Every de-
partment in the company's big plants
has been placed in full operation and,
according to a statement made by an
official, will be kept at work for months
to come. Probably 1000 employees who
have been on half time resumed in
full, in addition to which those work
ers who had been laid off returned to
their old positions.
Youngstown, O.-One hundred and
fourteen men employed in the wire
drawing department of the Youngs-
town Sheet and Tube company struck
because their wages had been reduced
nine per cent. A reduction Of nine
per cent has been made in the tube
mill department and a reduction of IA
per centain the sheet mill department.
The company claims that the instaIla-
ton of improved machinery has made
the earnings of the employees in
crease to a greater extent than antici-
pated.
New London, Conn.-The Brainard
& Armstrong company, silk manufac-
turers, employing 500 hands, nnoun
that the plant will resume a full time
schedule for an indefinite period.
Since the declaration of war this COM
pany has been running on short time,
but by this means 1t has retained the
most of its help. The company states
that it now has encouraging orders
and that they are almost wholly do.
nestle.
Pittsburgh, Pa.-Some of the or
ders received by the Pittsburgh SteeI
company come from abroad-from the
war zone-but the major part Of the
material demanded is intended for use
in the United States. There has beer
a steady increase in the volume O
orders and, from appearances, the re
turning prosperity wave is making it,
presence felt in the Monongahela val
ley.
Chicago.-At the present time stl
Illinois state institutions are organ
ized-Dunning, Elgin, Jacksonville, Pc
oria, Kankakee and Watertown. Thesr
include nurses and attendants, who's,
working conditions have been i'm
proved because of their afiliation will
the trade union movement.
New York.-The joint board Of tn,
Cloakmakers' union and the execu
tive board of that organization hav,
submitted to a referendum vote amont
the rs, 200 members in New York cit,
the question of establishing a com
m~issariat for the 10000 unemploye,
members in the trade.
Vancouver, B. C.-Wages are no
high in this city. Mattresses in man,
cases are working on short pay, WON
an stenographers have been reduce,
25 to 80 per cent, and in som
branches of the lumber industry wage
have been reduced from Is TO 20 pc
cent.
Olympia, Wash.-At a conference
held here II was agreed to recommenI
70 the state industrial welfare con
mission that the minimum wage 70
mattresses be 81 per week, and tina
of other female hotel or restauran
employees be So.
Notwithstanding an en-
ployees' welfare plan along lines nev
to the city, e, r. Atkinson & CC
have notified their staff of $50 en-
ployees that the life of each has bee
insured for an amount equal to on
years salary.