Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-01

comparatively skilled trades. They accustomed
to long hours. So long the employer could draw
upon their ranks had great advantage in the fight
hours
The bitterness with which certain classes of for
eigners were regarded the working people of longer
residence in the United those days is direct
ly traceable this state of affairs AS time went on
however perfected its organization, and won
constantly increasing number of these disputes over
hours The issue is one of those which is still IN
ceasng in Importance, and may look for more dis
putes in the future 1t is of course one of the
principal points in the present railroad situation
Strikes the enforcement of union rules also
increased steadily number and Importance. Union
ism first appeared issue when employers shut
out union men their shops, but the ground soon
changed until the fight is often the question
of whether they shall be allowed to hire else
The rules of union, applied the kind and amount
of work each shall do. have also begun to cause
disputes; but disputes more amenable to
bitration than most others.
Another cause of strikes that has only begun to
take on real Importance the quality of
working conditions Labor is beginning to insist
the best possible surroundings. Not long ago a body
of girl workers York struck because they had
no adequate facilities for liking their hair and pow
dering their This demand for decent working
conditions a part of the whole trend of the times,
and one which labor has the hearty support of the
public.
One other important cause of that likely
to be more problem in the future is the sympa-
thetc strike With the increasing perfection of la
boris organization principle that trade should
tentalities of disaster We have had sympathetic
strikes of than comparatively local scope and
We should to be that never will
have.
Reviewing the chief causes of strikes, they
to disputes wages hours working conditions,
and the question unionism besides sympathetic
strikes Wages still holds the first place, but it is not
frequent a it once was. Credit the ques-
half the strikes today and you will not be
far wrong. Unionism a of decreasing impor-
tance between lOckouts, it is the issue at
the Bottom of about tie-up in every four today.
The question hours is also growing in importance
entitled to a place the first rank sympathy"
cause is important chiefly because of the
pleasant possibilities it holds.
1t is continually difficult get at the real
cause strikes The value of favorable public opin-
ion recognized by both sides, and hence the real
often concealed In recent municipal car
strike the question really of unionism Coun-
the strikers that a strike unionism
unpopular with the general public, who would
have to walk they might sympathize with strike
for higher wages So the strike fought out
ISSUE and actually resulted in an increase in
wages for the employees concerned.
This increasing respect for public opinion is
couraging feature but it is good enough. Public
opinion strikes Better encouragement
lies in study of the causes. The new causes, the
that increasing in Importance, are all of
that il possible settle difficulties ars-
ing them by arbitration. And the veteran
cause, the question be arbitrated, has
been proved again and again. The strike Of the f-
ture must go from settlement without
versng the barren ground of industrial between.