The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-02-03
Interesting items For and About
the Toilers Of the
Nation.
BOOST IN WAGES FOR MANY
Navy Department Gives Increase for
All Glasses of Workers in the Navy
Yards--Notes From Other
Countries.

classes of labor corresponding to the
increased wages of similar employees
In private establishments.
Metal workers of all trades draw the
greatest increase, Wages of yard en-
pl0yees are revised annually on the
basis of current wages In the district
In which yard is located.
Contributions aggregating $4,000
or $4,000 are expected from labor
unions throughout the country toward
the expenses of the defense of Thomas
J. Mooney, his wife, Rena, Israel Vein
berg and Edward Nolan, charged with
murder in connection with the pre-
paredness day bomb explosion in San
Francisco last July, when 10 were
killed and 40 injured, according to a
statement by Robert Miner, treasurer
Of the International Workers Defense
league, which is financing their de-
| Tense.
The California State Federation of
Labor convention unanimously in
| dorsed the proposition to have free
text books issued to the students of
the high schools of California, and will
work with the State Typographical
| conference in trying to secure the nee
essary legislation at the coming ses-
| sion of the state legislature.
The Colorado State Federation Of
Labor urges Colorado trade unionists
to prepare for the coming session of
the state legislature and demand the
repeal of the industrial commission
law, which denies workers in any in
dustry the right to strike before the
commission investigates the dispute.
Members of the trades union move
ment in Canada will follow the lead
of the members of the British trades
union movement and urge a better
care of the returned soldiers. They
will urge upon the government by Pc
tition and conference the necessity of
providing for their future.
An eight-hour workday in the wood
pulp and paper industry of Sweden,
Norway, Denmark and Russia may
| possibly ire the result of an investiga-
ton into conditions in the industry
which are about to be begun by COM
missions representing the four coun-
tries.
New Haven (Conn.) Stereotypers'
| union has signed a two year agree
ment with newspapers in that city.
Foremen shall be paid not less than
S25 week and 1ourneymen not less
tkan $40 until November 1 next year,
when the rate shall be 500.
The combined farmers organza-
lions of all Canada, representing co.
| 600 affiliated farmers, known as the
| Council of Agriculture, has adopted a
political platform for the purpose of
| bringing about economic, political and
| social reforms.
| The Ohio state industrial commits
sion reports that pick miners en-
ployed in Ohio coal mines averaged
| 1853 working days each during 1916
| The average rate of wage per day was
| S2.72 or a total of $45696 for the en-
| tire year.
The penitentiary and prison popula-
| ton of the Dominion of Canada is now
smaller than 1t has been for years.
Prohibition, employment conditions
and the enlistment of the "adventur-
Gus spirits" are cOntributory causes.
Denver (Col.) carpenters have been
| given another 2h cents an hour in
crease In wages as a result of the
agreement concluded last spring. The
scale in this district is now SIN cents
an hour.
The first year and a half of the Wyo-
ming compensation law shows a sur
plus of over 100000. The expense Of
enforcing the law was LA per cent
against 45 per cent cost to private COM
panies.
| A move Is expected in the next SEES
sion of the Kansas legislature to an
null the eight-hour law on state,
county, township and city public build
ings.
Because of the increasing price of
milk, Liverpool (England) city coun-
ell is to be asked by the labor repre-
sentatives to establish a municipal sup
| ply.
More than 95 per cent of the men
employed in the different city depart
ments in Portsmouth, O., have been
picked from labor unions.
Two million children between the
ages of ten and fifteen are employed
for wages in the United States.
John w. Hays, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
the I. T. u, has been elected president
of the label trades department of the
A. #. Of i.
Pipe filters employed on Canadian
government railroads are paid mini
mum of AZ cents an hour.
The Carpenters International Union
comprises $50 locals, with a combined
membership of 10000.
More than 25 per cent of the SO, 233
factory workers In New South Wales,
| Australia, are females.
Organized labor is in favor of uni
yersal old-age pensions by the United
States government.