Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-08
G0MPERS ASKED
TO HELP SETTLE
STRIKE IN OMAHA
Nebraska Council Of Defense
Appeals to Heads Of Federal
Labor Federation and Re-
Ceive Word From Wilson.


Commissioner of Labor Wilson
and President Gompers, Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, have been
asked to aid in settling the Omaha
packing house strike.
T. P. Reynolds, Omaha, chairman
of the committee on labor of the Ne
braska State Council of Defense, tele-
graphed both officials yesterday in
behalf of the council of defense, ask
ing that something be done to adjust
matters in the strike, which Is seri-
ously interfering with the meat pack
ing industry in Omaha. Nearly 5000
men are out on strike from the sew
eral packing plants.
Commissioner Wilson was the first
to reply to the telegram. He wired
Reynolds authorizing him to appoint
a board of mediation to adjust the
difficulty here.
Mr.. Reynolds, as chairman of the
committee on labor of the State
Council of Defense, will have the au-
thority to appoint such a board, and
it is likely that today he will act. Late
last night he was still waiting for
reply from Gompers.
Gompers in West.
The telegram to President Gompers
was sent to Washington, though it
is known that he has been in the mid
die west attending some conferences
during the last few days. 1t was
thought that he would reach Wash
ington today.
Reynolds, besides being on the
State Council of Defense, is president
of the State Federation of Labor, and
president of the Central Labor union.
Beef killing crews in the Armour
plant returned to work voluntarily
Friday morning, accepting the in
crease of 2K cents per hour, The
strikers generally, however, did not
officially accept the increase, but are
holding out for cents increase
Those who returned to work did SC
as individuals and not representing
the sentiment of the main body oi
strikers. ss ,5 .5. a=5.sy
Many Of Swift's Men Out.
At Swift & Co.'s plant 908 men
are out, although the canning butch
ers we're at work yesterday. 'a.,F Il
Strikers Thursday evening appoint.
ed subcommittee of their general
strike committee to arrange tor a
meeting with the managers OF the
packing houses. This committee called
on General Manager R. c. Howe OF
the Armour company, but he refused
to meet with the men. They then
went to the Cudahy plant and asked
for a conference with M. R. Muir
ply, general manager. Murphy sent
out word that he would confer only
with his own men from the Cudahy
plant and would not meet general
committee from the strikers.
The committee also failed to get
any satisfaction at the Morris plant
~ Women Hold Meeting.
Women. strikers to the number ol
about 800 met Friday and were ad,
dressed by number of Omaha talk
ers. Mrs. D. G.. Craighead urged the
women to all register next Wednes.
day and told of the advantages oi
organization. =.
Jerry Howard made patriotic
speech and recited the "Star-Spangled
Banner" He said that it was right
to demand a living wage. y,
Miss Gladys Shamp and her father
c. L. Shamp, labor leader of Omaha
spoke, as did T. P. Reynolds, presi
dent of the Central Labor union ant
president of the State Federation o.
Labor. Mr.. Reynolds urged the
women to enroll in the federation
Mrs. H. c. Sumney spoke of the inn
portance of womens work, especially
in these war times. 4- .
The parade scheduled for yesterday
afternoon was called off. | my be
held today. ..
No disorders of any kind have as
yet been reported in connection with
the strike. ..,.
No Change at Cudahy's.
| HC SuudHy dthiHB toHil ah }
states that there is no change in
working conditions compared with
Thursdays closing hours. A few
men are drifting back tc the various
! departments, but not enough to run
them in full. Beef butchers reported
for work at 9 o'clock, but owing to
the lack of laborers and crowded con-
ditions of the chill rooms they W I
unable to start to work, They left
with the assurance that they would
report for work in the morning.
With the assistance of foremen and
office help and about 800 workmer
who remained on the job the Cudahy
company was enabled to take. care oi
government orders for the present
consisting mostly of fresh meat for
the soldiers. They have contracts to
supply FIVE camps with meat. Re.
quirements for these camps are given
preference. over all other contracts
held by this company,