El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-08
Are Masters OF the Labor
Situation and Are Sup
planting Skilled Men.
GET SIS WEEKLY
DURING THE WAR
Labor Leaders Fear When
Sklled Men Return There
VIII Be a Great Clash.

r oNDON. Eng. April S.-Intelligent
British labor leaders are begin
ming 10 speculate Al the prospects
Aof labor after the war.
n Here, as everywhere else, the great
majority Of workers are unslSilied and
partly unorganized. During the war
these unskilled workers have flowed
into shops and factories. and after the
war. when the skilled worlmen, who
offered their services TO their country.
return to their old jobs the unskilled
masses viii wipe out and crush all
rules and regulations Of the labor
unions.
UnskiIIed Worker Is Master
The unskilled worker is master Of
the situation. and the wages he is now
receiving prove It, Can anyone i'm
himself 70 be pushed back into his old
miserable position? And even should
De De weak enough TO do so, who be-
licves that the employers. seeing a
chance TO get cheaper labor. would let
this happen
win moi this mean a clash between
skilled ard unsldlled labor which must
bring forth domestic discomfort and
sirife2
Within very short space OF time
H
great national enterprises necessitating
government control OF nearly 5000 fac
tories and work shops, with nearly
2.OU0,O0O workers. Maximum prices
have been fixed on various articles OF
food. like sugar and flour. In Germany
the state has taken over the distribu-
ton OF bread. potatoes. and butter and
has organized huge national establish
mcnts managed by women and based on
the principle from the manufacturer
direct 20 the consumer"
In France, too Millerand has appealed
10 the women for assistance. and tho
workers are everywhere are under state
control and subject to military law in
ease they refuse TO work. The other
belligeront countries have followed this
example. and an these things have COM
pletelv revOlutiomized the position OF all
the workers in Europe
Here IN Great Britain's drag net Of
organization I'm the form Of national
registration has enmeshed the entire
people
AN tho labor organizations and trade
unions Of Europe have now become so
completely amal gamated with the mill.
tary organizations OF the states. THAI
they have lost their individuality and
identity completely
Make $50 n Week.
The question of the relation between
the cost of living and wages is one OF
the many paradoxes Of the war. Because
or the abnormal circumstances and the
great shortage OF labor. the workers
have become accustomed to very high
wages. Unskilled workers are making
three times as much as they ever did
before. Many munition workers in
Birmingham Tor instance. are making
$40 % week. This fact alone has revo-
lutionized the ideas Of the European
worker. who win never again be salts
fled TO return 10 his Old wages Of from
- 10 $3.50 "a week, and the question
is then. will the employer be able 20
force him TO do so?
on the other side war has forced
mp the prices OF the uecessaries Of liv-
ing and social economists I'm all coun-
tries predict a further increase, Is
fhere any hope for the European worker
that his wages win keep step with the
increased cost Of living
The greatest of all labor problems
engendered by the war Is the problem
OF what TO do with the female war
workers. AS the members Of the labor
unions volunteered for military servica
or We're conscripted into the trenches.
an army Of women numbering millions
filled their places, and now British
labor leaders fear they will. be helpless
against this invasion unless women are
forbidden By law TO do anything which