The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-10-09
METAL TRADES
TELL BOARD OF
HIGH FOOD COST

Members OF the Metal Trades
council submitted statistics
showing the increased cost Of
living during the last year a.
evidence supporting their de-
mands for an Increase In wages
at the Tuesday morning session
OF the wage adjustment board
meeting In the New Washing
ton.
Dan McKillop. president OF the
Metal Trades council. and A. =.
Miller, secretary OF the same organ
ization. were the only two witnesses
called. owing 10 a meeting OF the
board earlier in the morning. What
took place nj this meeting was not
made known.
Miller In compliance with a re-
quest made OF the Metal Trades
council by the board. submitted a
statement showing just why the
striking shipbuilders considered a
raise In wages was necessary.
lie said: Previous to August
Of this year a compromise wage
scale was presented 10 one OF the
largest shlpyards. The officials OF
that yard agreed that the demands
were Just. but insisted. because OF
governmental communicating OF
contracts. they were unable to com
ply with the demands. This result
ed in a deadlock.
Files Wage Demands
later committee OF unionists
went 10 Washington. u. c.. at which
time a wage adjustment board was
established. and promise OF n
speedy settlement OF the Seattle
difficulties was made.
"on September 5 a strike was de-
cidcd upon. and the board was ask
Ell TO come 10 Seattle. After pa
tientiy awaiting IT'S arrival for
weeks. the men walked out"
lie filed copies o, the wage de-
mands. including the various condi-
tons OF labor insisted upon by the
Is allied unions.
The clause pertaining TO work in
which unfair materials are used
Was ihoroly discussed
Judge Boyle. the board member
representing the steel yard employ
ers. asked N II wasn't upon this
clause that the men walked out on
the present strike.
Miller said that II was not.
Food Goes Up 100 Per Cent
"The carpenters struck because
OF the iO.hour lumber. Members
OF the Boilermakers', Shiphullders'
and Helpers union did not say a
word about the lumber. and had no
power 20 insis, that the carpenters
remain NJ work. The steel men
were automatically forced 20
strike"
Dan Mckillop. who was next
called 20 the stand, presented data
gained from governmental labor
statistics. several startling ac-
counts. in which II was shown that
many food products had increased
in cost as much as 100 per cent and
more.
Between January ! and June I. OF
1915. McKillop said. food stuffs In
tfthNfu - lfN 'this h' ihNittAst
for tho following year amounted 10
80 per cent Potatoes took the
highest Jump. the increase being
i49 per cent. while flour scared
122 per cent.
McKillop further pointed out
that overalls that cost 81 In 1915
cost $3.50. and gloves had increased
more than 100 per cent.
A price list gotten out by the
Seattle Caterers association, show
ed that prices had increased rs per
cent.
Chairman v. Everit Macy. follow
ing Mlller's testimony. said he
wished 10 correct two apparent
mistakes in the latter's evidence.
One was to the effect that the del
egation OF Seattle labor leaders,
which went TO Washington. had ap.
peared before the wage adjustment
board only once.
He also said that the people OF
Seattle must realize that the two
months time consumed since,
while II seemed long TO the strik.
ers. was In reality short time.
considering the fact that this strike
is only one of many.
Seattle Is only one OF 1000
cities where ships are being built"
he said.
People must not forget that we