The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-08-09

dierS ana the peasants. Inc sTedteS'
power at present in Russia is the
Council of Workmen's and Soldiers
Deputies. The army has the actual
power. however, and needs only a
great leader to control the whole stu
alton. But this leader is not forth
coming. At first it was thought Bru-
siloff would be the man, but he, al
though a great tactician, evidently
lacked the will or ambition to be a
dictator, or perhaps conditions at the
front were not favorable for such ac-
ton on his part; instead, he resigned
his position, and leader does not
gain prestige by such procedure. Ker-
ensky was a great surprise, dark
horse SO to speak; in the first burst
OF enthusiasm he had nearly the whole
country with him. Then, partly
through German influence, and partly
through the anarchists-and there are
many Of this following in Russia-he
lost some of his strength, which he
now appears to have regained.
Labor.
The situation before the war was
becoming serious, that is, there was a
shortage Of labor at the mines, and
the importation of Mongolians and
Koreans was advocated by engineers.
Now the shortage is more acute. Aus
Wi
the permission of the former govern
ment to some extent; at one mine
known to me 1000 of them are mploy-
ed, These men are we'll treated and
fairly paid, so that they are much
more contented with their lot than
those not so occupied. On the rail-
road women are generally employed
for section work, and one rarely sees
men in the fields, unless it be soldiers
on leave or old men. The women and
children pillow the land The wages
throughout the country are much
higher than formerly, and further
increase may be expected. Labor in
general Is asking for shorter hours,
higher pay, and participation in pro-
fit. In places the workmen have made
extravagant and outrageous demands.
The S-hour day is general now except
where the workman has been strong
enough to force 6-hour day. At
many properties the managers have
been displaced, mostly without vio-
lence, and committee elected from
among the men to take charge. AT
some mining properties not only the
workrnen but the staff are demanding
increased pay and shorter hours, and,
in addition, arrears for the period
since the war began. At other mines
the management has deemed 1t wise
to turn over all the profit to the
workmen in order to preserve their
plant, as the men have threatened to
burn the buildings If their demands
are not granted. In some instances 1t
is reported that even this is not sat
isfactory to the workmen; they de-
mand a portion of the invested cap
ital. The cost of labor in general may
be figured now at nearly double what
1t was before the revolution and this
even in districts where moderation
prevails. With the increase in pay
the efficiency of the individual has
greatly diminished. In some cases
industrial plants are closed down, as
it is impossible to operate them at a
profit.-A complete collapse of indus
try was threatened shortly after the
revolution by the exorbitant demands
Of labor. The workmen were in COM
mand Of the situation and all business
had to be submitted to their commit
tees for approval.
Soldiers.
While the attitude of the soldiers
for the most part was more favorable
to the welfare of the new republic
there. have been exceptions. Among
the soldiers there were agitators sim
liar to those in the workmen's parties
and some companies Of soldiers parad.
ed the streets with banners advocating
peace in opposition to the policy of thu
provisional government. There was
general lack of discipline among the
different regiments; number of de-
sertions occurred from the armies al
the front and from troops on theil
way to the front. The streets II
Petrograd were crowded with soldiers
some marching to the front singing
the Marseillaise, others returning
from the trenches without leave Man!
sold what clothes they could spare II
the Jews. These deserters were OF
their way home to "get their share
of the land. Those to whom I talked
said: while we are fighting at tn
front, our brothers are getting all tn
best land" A few would add: IF I
is necessary we will fight after w
get the land, but why should we fight
we do not want indemnities or lam
from Germany" At the railway sta
tions these returning soldiers woul
crowd into the cars, occasionally put
ting civilian passengers off, an
throwing their baggage out of tn
windows after them. The newspaper
Of April IA contained the fOllowin
appeal:
1.-THE government has issued an ap
peal to the soldiers asking them