Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-11-23
SOLDIERS VEXEO BY
INDUSTRIAL DELAYS
NATIONAL ARMY MEN IMPA-
TENT OVER STRIKES AND
DISORDERS.

When will everybody get to work
and give US something to fight with?
That is the question the National
Army men at Camp Lewis are ask
ing. While they are ready and eager
to give their lives for democracy,
civilians are impeding work in the
mines, in the forests, in the ship
yards, every place where their efforts
should be bent towards furthering
the cause of the United States.
But the men at camp see change
coming.
They expect the government to
take a hand shortly and force the
issue.
Accustomed as they have become
to military discipline, they believe
that the government will step in and
see that they have something to fight
with; that traitors to the country will
be punished and that every industry
will be speeded up to meet war con-
ditions.
! visit to the camp and few con-
versations with the men will quickly
reveal their viewpoint. They want
action and they're getting impatient.
Men who worked in the copper
mines of the Occur d'Alene district
of Idaho and in Butte have watched
the mining game closely. Those from
the seacoast have kept their eye on
the shipbuilding plants and the for
ests from wherefthe Douglas fir for
the bottoms is cut.
They want to know why some men
can stay off the job, practice sabot-
age and pursue a policy of hindrance
and destruction while they train at
Camp Lewis to go over the top. They
feel that they have an explanation
coming. They want action, not
words, but if the action is not forth
coming they are DESTROYS Of knowing
the reason why.
Mind you, these men are all work.
ers, union men for the most part,
who have no particular sympathy
with the employer. No men would
detest doing strike duty like they. In
fact, many of them believe that large
corporations have given the working
men the worst of the deal. They are
strong for the point that eight hours
shall constitute days work. and
most of them are for the closed shop.
But they are dead set against the
crowd they know as the Wobblfes.
Many of them bristled when the 10
hour day in the lumber mills was
mentioned. They thought that 1t
was an effort to grind the working
men. What they want is a square
deal for every man, employer and
employee alike. They are certain of
one thing, however, they want every
worker to step back in the harness
and give the National Army support.
Way Out Seen.
They do see a way out. 1t is gov
eminent direction of industries. The
telephone strike has demonstrated
the advisability Of that action to
them more clearly than anything
else. Especially is this true when
they have been unable to get points
away from the camp because of in
adequate service. Service in camp,
where the lines are under army con-
troll, is perfect.
"Old Uncle Sam will stand the
gait about just so long and then he
will hop in and run the game him
SELF" remarked a non-com. "He can
stand little of that kind of thing
and is long suffering. but he will
sicken of the whole business and then
will handle the job all by his lone
some"
Many of the soldiers believe that
is the only solution Of the vexatious
labor problem. They urge action. for
they are peevish over delays. They
believe that many workingmen will
not be satisfied until the government
does take bit Of direct action on it's
own hook. At the same time they
feel that the men who are holding
out are not the workingmen of the
country who honestly want to better
their condition, but the crowd of dis
satisfied idlers who make a living by
making trouble.