The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1917-03-31
|. W. W. STRIKE
LOOKS PROBABLE
PRESENT INDICATIONS SHOW
MICHIGAN RANGES MENAcED
ORGANIZERS ARE AT WORK
Crystal Falls Has Two Agitators
Laboring Among the Men and
Other Places the Same


From present indications the Michi-
gan iron ranges are pretty sure TO see
a strike this coming season. Reports
are that the strike will be called as
soon as the shipping season opens.
The Gogebic range is the one where
the most effort is being made but on
every other range and at the shipping
ports OF Eseanaba and Marquette ac-
tivity Is in evidence.
IL is understood that the organizers
are working in Escansba and Mar
quette this week and that they eX-
pect TO have sufficient number OF the
dock workers attached to the l. W. w.
cause TO necessitate the closing OF the
docks II they should succeed in get
ting the dockmen out the mines will
have to close down or stock ore even
IL the men in them refuse to strike.
Crystal Falls Organized.
A meeting was held in Crystal Falls
last Sunday for the purpose of get
ting the organization in shape. Two
organizers have been here of and on
in the interests OF the /. w. W. and
they claim 10 have sufficient number
OF workmen allied with the |. W. w.
cause TO stop work in the mines OF
this district A. the same time or
ganizing is being carried on vigorous
ly and they hope 10 have a much
larger following later ON.
In Iron River there has been
nucleus OF an organization all the
time and with the addition of a few
organizers they hope to be able to
make a big inroad into the ranks OF
the mine workmen in that district.
The Gogebic range seems TO be an
especial object OF attention just now
for the reason that they have so far
been unable 10 make much headway
with the men OF that section. With
the rush that is on for Gogebic range
ore they hope to be able TO cause
enough commotion TO cripple the
mines OF that section.
What They Seek 10 Get
Those who claim TO know the OBJ
jects for which the l. W. w. Is striv-
ing on the Michigan ranges at the
present time say that IL is $500 per
day and the abolition OF contract
work.
Miners are getting $3.50 per day
now for eight hours work and tram
mers are getting 1926 in dry places
and 1896 in wet places. Ia some
mines the workmen are getting more
than those figures, the conditions that
exist at different places being the
factor which regulates the pay. II
mine is unduly wet or II any work Is
undertaken wherein the conditions are
seyerer than in the regular run of
work, the company invariably pays
more for that kind OF work
The only contract labor employed
in this district Is an occasional shaft
wherein the men have to work under
difficulties and where contract Is
given them II they wish TO work that
way Invariably these occasional con
tracts yield much better wages than
when the men work company account
Claim They viii Fail.
Those who know about conditions
in this section claim that the I. w.
WIS have no ghost OF a show OF get
ting the men TO join in any material
number A few OF the more discon-
tented may afiliate with the organiza-
tIon but that any serious proportion
will do 80 is secuted
The reason given for the failure OF
TIE effort is the fact that the men are
all perfectly satisfied with their work
and with conditions that exist In
quiries al tie several mines bring
out the information that there Is not
a murmur OF any kind heard ard II IL
inconceivable that a strike should oc-
cur when those conditions exist
The mine managers IN this section
AT least. are very democratic and the
men have an opportunity 10 30 right
10 headquarters With any grievance
they may have. In fact the men in the
Crystal Falls district arc encouraged
70 do so and Il seems but reasonable