Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-09-07

The newcomers invaded even the COM
paratively skilled trades. They were
accustomed to long hours. So long as
the employer could draw upon their
ranks, he had great advantage in the
fight over hours.
The bitterness with which certain
classes of foreigners were regarded by
the working people Of longer residence
In the United States In those days IA
directly traceable to this state of az
fairs. As time went on however, Ia
Dor perfected its organization, and
won constantly increasing number Of
these disputes over hours. The issue
Is one of those which Is still increasing
In importance and we may look for
more disputes over it in the future. 1t
Is of course, one Of the principal points
In the present railroad situation.
Strikes over the enforcement Of
union rules also increased steadily in
number and importance. ,Unionism
first appeared as an issue when en-
ployers shut out union men from their
shops, but the ground soon changed
until now the fight is often over the
question of whether they shall be al
| lowed to hire any one else. The rules
of the union, applied to, the kind and
amount Of work each man shall do,
have also begun to cause disputes; but
| these disputes are more amenable to
arbitration than most others.
Another cause of strikes that has
only begun to take on real importance
OF late years is the quality OF working
conditions. Labor is beginning to in
sist on the best possible surroundings.
Not Ion 3 ago'a body of girl workers in
New York struck because they had no
adequate facilities for fixing their
hair and powdering their noses. This
demand for decent working conditions
Is part Of the whole trend Of the
times, and one in which labor has the
hearty support of the public. -
One other important cause of strikes
that is likely to be more Of a problem
In the future Is the sympathetic strike.
With the increasing perfection of Ia
boris organization, the principle that
one trade should strike out Of sym.
pathy for another holds immense po-
tentialities Of disaster. We have had
no sympathetic strikes OF more than
comparatively local scope; and we
should take measures to be sure that
we never will have @
strikes. they are seen to be disputes
over wages, hours, working conditions
and the questions of unionism; besides
sympathetic strikes Wages still holds
the first place, but it is not so fire.
quent cause as 1t once was. Credit
the question with half the strikes to-
day and you will not be far wrong
Unionism, is a cause of increasing i'm
| h1k~ It'll ~ IL
outs, 1t Is the issue at the bottom of
about one tie-up in every four today.
! The question Of hours IS also growing
in Importance. Conditions of labor is
the newest of the causes that is en-
titled to place in the first rank,
Sympathy as cause OF strikes is
important chiefly because of the un-
pleasant possib' lities it holds. ~
1t Is continually more difficult to get
at the real cause of strikes. The
value OF a favorable public opinion Is
recognized by both Sides and hence
the real causes are often concealed. In
a recent municipal car strike, the
question was really one of unionism.
Counsel for the strikers saw that a
strike over unionism would re unpcp-
ular with the general public, who
would have to walk, but they might
sympathize with strike for higher
wages. So the strike was fought out
on the wage issue and actually resulted
in an Increase in wages for the en-
plOves concerned. r..
This increasing respect for public
opinion is an encouraging feature. but
IT. is not good enough. Public opinion
/ doe, not avert strikes. Better encour-
agment lies in the study of the causes.
The new causes. the ones that are in
creasing in importance, are all Of a
nature that makes it possible to settle
difficulties arising out Of them by ar
bitration. And even the veteran cause
the wage question, can be arbitrated,
as has been proved again and again.
, The Strike" of the future must go
from cause to settlement without ira.
versing the barren ground of Industrial
war between. H.. -,
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