The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-09
Worlds Largest Mining Camp
Faces Most Complicated
Labor Crisis in it's
History.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND OUT
/. w. w. Activities Not Responsible
for All Of the Tur-
moil In That
Section.

| limited Press Leased Wire Service.]
BUTTE, Mont, Aug. 9.-The
worlds largest mining camp today
faces the most complicated labor
crisis in it's history.
Fifteen thousand men are out, ac'
cording to union estimates; the out
put of the district which supplies one
fifth of all the copper mined In the
United States is materially reduced,
and still more labor trouble threatens
today, Here are the developments OF
the situation:
Twelve thousand men, members OF
the Metal Mine Workers union
walked out early in June, demanding
| So a day, better and safer working
conditions and the abolish1n ent OF the
rustling card.
The company announced moditi-
cation of the rustling card, system
whereby the operators keep check on
all miners in the camp; anu adopted
wage scale which was raised or
lowered as the price of copper went
UP or down.
The Metal Mine Workers union
rejected the compromise.
The International Mine, Mill and
Smelter Workers union, said to nave
four or five hundred members, is not
aiding the Metal Mine Workers,
union, although both are composed OF
miners. The international union IS
affiliated with the American tedera-
ton of Labor while metal mine work
ers refused to become connected with
the federation. Separate from these
two miners organizations is the l.
w. w. Company officials call the
Metal Mine Workers union an l. w.
w. organization, but the unlonlsts
say they are absolutely free from the
industrialites and many say they
would have nothing to do with the
l. w. w.
The Individual walkout, a variety
of strike imported from Canada, is
said to be growing among the cleo
tricians. The men left the mines not
in a body, but as individuals until
sixty percent of the electricians are
said to be out today.
The lynching of Frank Little
brought the first serious violence IN
the series of strikes and served to
center the interest of the nation on
Butte's troubles.
Charges that German money back
labor leaders, that Frank Little, l. w.
w. leader, was lynched by German
agents, his own companions or COM
pany "gunmen"-take your pick of
theories-that the city will be placed
under the control of troops and that
the authorities refuse to protect the
Metal Wine Workers union headquar-
ters are frequently made.
The Pearce-Connolly club, an or
ganizatien of several hundred Irish
nationalists, who are opposed to the
entry of the United States into the
war on the side of England, puts
turn on the situation which is worry
ing authorities. The club staged an
anti-registration demonstration June
5 and has made clear its stand at
every opportunity. Several hundred
members of the club were arrested
for not registering, K. w. Byrn, agent
of the department of justice here de-
clares.
City, county, state and federal
authorities are watching every move
of both unionists and employers.
Federal intervention because of the
decided decrease in the production of
copper, a war necessity, is expected
by some.
Meanwhile three hundred soldiers
are held near the city, awaiting de-
velopments.