The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-02-10
HIGHEST WAGES EVER PAID
Middle Western Puddiers, Sheet ana
Tin-MiII Workers Are Receiving
Fat Pay Envelopes.

| WAsuhen under Slldlng scale arrange
mem receive highest wages in his
tory OF crafts. French government
railroads seek to buy 10000 American
freight cars of various types, and othe,
foreign nations are buying cars In
cleveland, o. English pig iron again
comes into active competition with
American product ON Euvopean con.
tlnent. Consumers Of samifnished
steel are negotiating actively for addi.
tlonal tonnages, but most rsakers OF
billets and sheet bars are holding
strongly to $65 mill for first quarter,
eastern plate mills have become
swamped with orders through insist
ent foreign demand for ship plates
even at large premiums"
A strike of $50 drivers Of three New
York taxicab companies, which had
been in progress for several days, was
settled. The strike caused much In.
convenience to travellers, as it stopped
taxicab service at railroad stations
and hotels. 1t was announced TINT no
wage increase was granted to the driv-
ers, who had demanded an advance of
cents an hour and ten-hour instead
OF l2-hour day. Minor concessions,
however, were made to them.
Southern Pacific railroad employees
earning less than $500 year, divided
bonus of approximately 100000.
Each OF the employees affected was
PAID IN addition to his salary, per
cent thereof. It was announced that
another 5 per cent bonus would be dis.
tributed July 10.
The number of British women re-
cruited to industrial occupations be-
tween July, 1914, and July, 1916, was
1924 OF this number 100000 d.
rectly replaced men. In commercial
occupations the increase in women
workers in hotels and places of enter
tainment Is only 10000 In agriculture
$4,000 more women are working stead
lily today than in July, 1914.
On October 1, 1914, there were about
2,3OO,O 900 women in Germany registered
at the different employment insurance
companies On August l, 1916, this
number had risen to 100000. The in
crease, though not so great in the
metallurgic industries, is nevertheless
important, there being 100000 women
today instead of the 10000 employed
before the war
Tacoma (Wash.) chamber of COM
merce is firing of its nonunion shop
agitation, and at a recent meeting of
the Central Labor council delegation
from the former body pleaded for unity
and asked the uni0nists to attend a
meeting of the chamber that will be
especially arranged for them.
The creation of a legal department
OF the American federation has AGH n
authorized and the committee on lawl
instructed to devise ways and means
for financing such department. The
expense will probably be met by an
increased per capita tax.
The New Orleans Housewives league
is planning to combat the high prices
of food by augmenting the supply of
products in two curb markets, where |
butter, eggs poultry and vegetables |
can be bought direct from farmers.
The Belgian minister of justice
states that more than 100000 Belgian
wOrkmen have already been thrown
out of their homes and taken into I'M
known places.
Wa iT11o ito hoe a.
Japan an actual shortage of labor and
has given strong impetus to the
trade union movement in the empire.
Compulsory health insurance In
Norway embraces employed wage earn
ers in public and private service, IF
teen years of age and over.
Female workers in Great Britain
munition factories are supervised by
a national welfare department, sup
ported by the government.
The third annual convention of the
Vocational Education association of
the middle West will be held at Chi
cagO Ill.,, January 1920.
The first day nursery reserved es,
pecially for the children of munition
workers is being established by Ac-
ton (England) council.
The population of the Argentine Re-
public has almost doubled during the
last 20 years. Most of the increase Is
due to immigration.
In 1914 there were only 1000 women
employed in British government ar
senals and dockyards, Now there are
over 10000
The pay rolls of industrial workers
in the Pittsburgh (Pa.) district for the
Christmas month exceeded $16,0O00 900.
Armenia has copper mine that has
been operated without interruption
since prehistoric times. Il
1t has been figured out that a sales
woman in a department store walks
ten miles each day.
New York City Electrical Workers
union has raised wages 80 cents a day r.
for all members. Ii
The brewery workers union has
been granted jurisdiction over soft
drink bottlers.
All the steam railways in New Zea-
land are owned md operated by the
government.