Denver labor bulletin., 1916-11-11

pFoduCllNeue-s OF lnest mines mas IN
creased vastly, yet when the miners last
summer asked for increase in wages they
We're refused
I'm accord with the procedure specified
by the Lcmieux act, tn miners applied
TO the minister of labor Tor a Cancellation
board. Mr. Thomas i. Crothers. who
occupies that office, found that the
owners of the five mines could not or
would not agree upon The appointment
of their representative on the board. Be
cause of this condition Mr. Cruthers re-
fused TO appoint a conc.Istiou board but
appointed a royal commission to inves-
tiEute and report to the government.
The commissions award was largely in
accord with the mems conditions, but
the operators refused t. accept it. The
miners then struck.
II was stated on the floor OF the con-
gress that the Dominion government con
~cnted to the release of a number OF
ntcrned aliens from thu detention camp
at Spirit lake to replaee the asbestos
strikers when it became evident that
they were likely to succeed The gov
erument thus went into the strikebreak-
ing business under the Lemieux act for
the purpose OF defeating the asbestos
miners in their demand for restoration
Of their wages which had been reduced
This action on the part OF the Cana
dian government brings to mind a simi-
lar policy followed by the government Of
New South Wales in the case of a strike
among the gas workers. The head of
the government issued proclamation
in which he called upon the citizens of
Sidney to meet the public interest by
aiding the government to keep order. =
and 10 secure the gas supply for the
public The citizens. the so-called disin.
terested third party or the public. re-
-ponded to the call OF the premier and
volunteered as strikebreakers Among
them was the mayor OF the city. a
number OF influential citizens. and stu
dents, who took turns at the work of
stokers.
In discussing the strike OF the ashes,
tos miners in the Dominion Trade and
Labor Congress, Delegate Rigg. OF Win
nipeg. made the following statement:
These miners were told it would be
a criminal offensc to strike This wa.
the attitude towards the men at first,
Then their attitude switched on the
ground that because the five companies
couldn't agree on one man to represent
them, therefore no board could be grant
ed. They call il a criminal offense to
strike and vet when the companies ne
fuse to select one man the department
lies down.
These interned aliens were sent to
take the places of the men to intimidate
them. They were to get 81 a day. but
we are told that some of the envelopes
contained nothing and others bills show
ing the man had eaten up what they
earned, and also that they owed the
company Sd.20 as we'll
Another delegate Mr.. Fred Bancroft,
made the following statement:
My belief is that the act has been
operated to the advantage of the en-
nloyers. 1t was also well known that
the present government has no intention
OF repeating it. The government unhesi-
tatingly told labor that it would not
insert the fair wage clause in munition
contracts. The act is not only faulty in
many ways, but is positively rotten"
The action of the Canadian Trades and
Labor Congress. after an experience of
over nine years with the act, eNpressinr
ITS mature and deliberate judgment thar
the fundamental principles contained
therein are suhversive to the best inter.
ests OF the wage carners, is of great in,
terest TO the wage earners and citizens
of the United States. 1t is of particu-
lar interest and Importance TO the warc
earncrs and citizens of Colorado. Colo.
rado wage earners, after experience with
n similar act within period of little
more than year, have reached an
identical conclusion with that of the
Canadian Trades and Labor Congress.
Wherever any legislation has been en-
acted which establishes compulsory In,
stitutions To abolish strikes and indus.
trial disturbances, the legislation has nj.
ways proved to be failure. Not only
do such laws fail to abolish strikes. but
they encourage and generate spirit
that is not compatible with free inst,-
tutions, and are subversive to the very
spirit of liberty and democracy,
Industrial peace lies in different
direction.
Industrial peace can not be secured by
any superficial agency grated upon