The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-08
LABOR SITUATION Is
CAUSING CONCERN
DisafTection Believed by President %
be Caused by Food
situation.
BY G. NJ. EDWARDS.

Washington, Aug. 7.-Presideu
Wilson today made extended visits 70
the federal trade commission and
the department Of justice. Boths:ac-
cording to the strongest indications,
show the presidents deep interest In
one matter which is causing concern
in the country's mobilization for war.
That is the labor situation. = Ia
Here and there, on the face OK. the
Industrial world, clouds OF labor dis
content are appearing. BY contrast
with the smoothness with which the
nations. new military machine 10, be-
ing forged and finished these clouds
are somewhat portentious. -
The president has taken the matter
directly into his own hands =
He believes that the high cost OF
living is the real basis for lahor's spas
modc discomfort. He was told so.
some weeks ago. by q delegation of
la Dor men headed by Samuel Gor1pers.
president of the American Federation
of Labor. These men had an. in-
terview with the president at. the
White House When they went away
they left word that the cost of food
adj been advanced to such an unreal
sonable figure that they would not be
held TO blame for what occurred un-
less the government found a way to
cut the high cost
Make Ready to Strike. :
President Wilson went to the trade
commission to make sure that that
body will be ready TO strike at all high
costs through fxing~the price of coal
as soon as the food bin with its broad
powers TO this end is made a law.
He received encouraging reports.
70 Ia
nartment of Justice to assure activity
there on both ends of the labor ten
sion. There is evidence that certain
employers are taking advantage OF the
war conditions to strike at organized
Ia Dor. The president determined, that
this shall not continue Immediately
after the president left Attorney-Gen-
eral Gregory called into conference
his assistant in charge of antitrust
prosecutions. This was taken to mean
that the department is considering the
possibility of proceeding against er1-
ployers who may unite for a drive
against organized labor at this time.
This purpose is believed TO be superior
in the mind OF the president to in
designations of the possible alien In
nuences behind the discomfort of en-
ployees But the latter phase of the
question also lis being closely scru-
tinted by the department of Justice.
Assistant Attorney~GeneraI Warren In
charge of neutrality cases, was called
into conference with Mr. Gregory i'm
n ediately after the presidents visit.
Such strikes as have been called or
threatened have been largely In trades
without the control of the American
Federation of Labor. Trouble hassbeen
persistent among certain unions whose
leadership is considered here to be
of a less reliable character than might
be desired. There is suspicion that
7. ". ". influences are az work in cer-
tain quarters and that Teuton SYM
pathizers may be taking advantage of
tbs lack of connection between these
unions and organized Ia Dor in general
II should not be understood. high
Official said here today. that the coun-
try ia ar the moment actually threat
ened by serious labor trouble
They have so far been only spas
node. But labor trouble is freauent-
~ infectious, The president is deter
mined that every precaution he taken
against its spread The trouble IN
the shphuilding industry about the
port of New York Is admittedw the
one which most seriously worries the
administration In this instance the
general opinion is here that the em-
ployers are TO blame. -