The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-08-17

under a false claim of patriotism
have turned a deaf ear to all argu-
ments on behalf of labor and all
entreaties for conciliation, fair deal
ing and humanity made by the State
Council of Defense, and the unmis-
taxable judgment of the public.
The lumber barons quote the Ma
tional Defense Council as urging nc
change Of standards at the present
time"
But the labor world, the general
public, and the government make no
such Interpretation Of the resolutions
passed by the National Council of
Defense as. the lumbermen in the
prase quoted in the above paragraph.
The correct Interpretation is given
in the following telegram from Sam
uel Gompers to j. G. Brown, presi-
dent of the International Shingle
Weavers:
Telegram received. In reply will
say the eight-hour day is not only
the normal, recognized daily work
ing time, but established by law.
Hence. to enforce that practice is
not change Of standards Where
essential war work is to be per-
formed in an extraordinary emer-
gency, more than eight hours may
be worked, but for such work over
time should be paid, at least. AS for
time and one-half, this principle has
been declared by President Wilson in
public proclamation and all should
be willing to conform to it.
trust that you, President Marsh and
others, including employers, will ex-
ert every effort to reach an adjust
ment upon this honorable basis, and
that thus the materials may be sup
piled for our country in this critical
time. Please keep me advised"
A committee of the State Council
of Defense, composed of Chairman
Suzzallo, w. A. Peters and Charles
Hebbard, issued the following state
ment, after the council had failed
to bring about successful peace ne
gotiations Friday afternoon of last
week:
"The conferences of the repre-
sentatives of employers and en-
ployes Of the lumber industry with
a committee of neutral parties and
the State Council of Defense ter
minated this afternoon without eff
fecting any settlement of the exist
ing strike in the lumber industry of
Washington, which had been called
chiefly on the issue of a reduction
of the ten-hour working day to eight
hours, with no diminution of pay.
"The lumber operators presented
figures to show what they could not
grant an eight-hour day at the pres
ent pay, so long as their competitors
operated on ten or eleven-hour
basis.
"Various suggestions of compro-
mise and settlement were considered
by the different parties, frankly and
patiently weighed, with the evident
ly sincere desire on the part of both
lumber operators and employees to
terminate the present difficulty.
Amongst these was a proposal of
the representative of labor for an
eight-hour day at eight hours pay,
the men to return to work at once.
The men asserted that trial of
an eight-hour day would demonstrate
in a reasonably short period that la
Dor could show as much efficiency
in workday of eight hours as in one
of ten. The employers met this
with the statement that they were
satisfied that labor, prefcrring the
larger pay check, would not return
on these terms and reopen the in
dustry.
1.-TWO suggestions which seemed to
offer the greatest promise Of ia
vorable results were then given pro-
longed consideration. The first of
these proposed that the men return
to work at once on the conditions
existing prior to the strike, and that
on January l, 1918, a vote of the
employees be taken under the aus
pices of the State Council Of De-
fense to determine whether after
that date an eight-hour day at an
eight-hour pay should prevail in the
industry. Included in the proposal
was a pledge of cooperative effort
to universalize the eight-hour day in
the lumber industry of the United
States.
"The committee of lumber opera
tors was willing to accept this pro-
posal, but the committee representing
the employees was unwilling to rec