The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-21
MANY "FL0ATERsv I'M WEST
Government Report Says That IN Cali.
fornia Alone There Are 10000 Work
ers With No Fixed Residence.

place to place, declares a report on
labor laws and their administration I'D
the Pacific states, just issued by th$
bureau of labor statistics. Irregula{
employment is emphasized In the ret
port as the most striking labor charJ
acteristic of Washington, Oregon and
California.
Operators Of the eastern Ohio coal
fields will be asked voluntarily to In
crease the wages Of the miners, 1t was
announced following the closing OF the
annual convention Of subdistrict No.
D Of district No. 6 Of the United Mine
Workers of America, comprising locals
In eastern Ohio, with membership
of $4,000 miners. The present wage
scale does not expire until April. 1918,
and the miners cannot, therefore, de-
mand a new scale.
Through settlement with the car
penters' district council work was re-
sumed on the new $50OO0,0O0 Union
station at Chicago. The first unit
to be finished will be the freight
depot and the passenger station
will be started about October
l. Work had been delayed since
last July. The first unit will involve
the employment Of about 5000 men
and u pay roll of about 81 100000.
AS first result of government con-
troll of the coal mines, miners in Eng
land and North Wales are to receive
substantial increase In the war bonus
paid them. The bonus, which has here
tofore stood at 1873 per cent, will here
after be Is per cent. The increase af-
fects $4,000 workmen and means an
increase of $10,00000O a year to the
wage bill.
After investigating laundries in the
principal cities Of Kansas, a subc0m-
mittee of the state industrial welfare
commission reports that, Of 564 woman
workers checked up, ITO are receiving
less than So week, SIS less than So,
and some are receiving $3.50. Out Of
the entire number but IL are paid more
than $40 Il week.
Minnesota state supreme court has
rendered two decisions that accord
workers the right to refuse to work
for nonunion employers, to ask others
to assist them to carry on boycott
and to carry a banner advertising an
unfair place of business.
Washington ID. c. Street Car Mems
union has asked the two street car
companies III the nations capital to
raise wages to IS cents an hour for
motormen and conductors and 40
cents for work done on Sundays and
holidays.
| Standardization of teachers certiha
Gates for the IA western provinces Of
Canada is one of the questions tbg
representatives Of the educational III
bartinefft~ or Man1t6ba, SsfsKatche EVAN
Alberta and British Columbia are now,
considering.
The new scale of ST day for brick
layers goes into effect this spring. 9th
err crafts in the building trades have
also advanced their scales, due to tho
high cost of living and the prospect
of revival Of building, the New York
Sun says.
The New Jersey legislature passed a
bill designed to amend the full crew
railroad law by permitting the rail-
roads to file complaints with the public
utility commissioners to show trains
are Overmanned,
| The new vocational education bill
provides federal cooperation with the
states in establishing industrial
schools for the teaching of trade, home
economies. industrial and agricultural
subjects.
The Hershey Chocolate company
voted an increase of 10 per cent to
all it's employees. About 1900 work
ers are affected. This is the third in
crease in Is months at the Hershey
factory.
Cottage homes for married teachers
are being provided by the school au-
thorities of Washington state. with
the hope Of making the life of the
rural teacher more attractive.
Officers of the Commercial Tefe-
graphers' union have issued a call for
voluntary contributions to fund to
aid members discharged for union
membership or union activity.
Cottage homes for married teachers
are being provided by the school au-
thorities Of Washington state. with the
hope Of making the life Of the rural
teacher more attractive
Galveston (Tex) fire fighters have
organized and affiliated with the Amerf
can Federation of Labor This or
ganization, it IS stated, IS the first Of
It's kind in the South.
Rope netting, similar to that used
: by circus performers, Is now being
adopted to protect structural steel and
iron workers from falling from peril
Gus, heights.
Belleyille Qll.) Retail Clerks union
has asked store managers to raise
, wages 90 per cent and grant nine
hour day to their woman workers.
East Liverpool, O., organized potters
have decided to cease using the term
} CLOSED shop" and have voted to here.
after use the term "union shop"
Peoria Ql) Steam Filters union
has secured a two-year agreement with