The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-08-15
LUMbERMEN BLAMED BY MARSH
FOR failing TO END STRIKE

should SIT with tho statr council.
We have heard much about the
"timidiy OF capital" IL mus, be
true. for when the conference open
cd 4 lobby OF halt hundred lam-
Der operators crowded into tho
email conference chamber. while
the strikers were represented BY
but five eonferwes. Tho lumber
mems lobby vas suiien and resent.
full. and several OF them expressed
that resentment IN open. rratuitona
insults directed a. J. q. Brown, the
spokesman OF the strikers. Som. OF
the iumhsrmcn. while frank tn their
determined opposition to. the dc.
mands OF the men. were courteous
In their treatment and discussion
OF the issues. but the composite at,
tliude Of the lobby VAS contnmptn.
ousiy hostile. Their idea OF fair.
ness may be gathered from the fol.
lowing incident:
The state council Of defense.
thru It's chairman. asked the repre-
renta,lyss of the press TO use III.
utmost discretion In their treatment
offhe conference. In order that the
public mind might not be infiamed
nor conferences PARTED pants embar.
rassed nor irritated while negotia.
lions were pending The prcss re
spectad that admonition 10 the let.
tor thruout the four days session.
Yet during those VERY DAYS the pub.
llcity man employed by the lumber.
men vas using space In all the daily
newspapers 81 Western Washington
in an attempt TO influence and pref.
udlce the minds OF the public and
the strikers. using In their advcr.
tissments the very propositions
which we're under consideration at
the conference.
Make Concession
The operators sought to show tho
granting OF an eighthour day al 10
hours pay would@atteriy ruin the
industry. The men. while no, salts
fled that this was entirely true. new
ertheless countered by offering TO
waive the entire question OF wages.
union recognition and other de-
mands II the el0hthour day by Itself
would be granted. They went fur.
Their. They offered TO work 10
hours withou. additional overtime
pay on all government contracts.
The operators ondeavored tn
show that the men we're unpatriot.
IL In that they were demanding
new condition OF employment"
therefore going contrary TO the
policy Of the national defense
council. which declared for no
change in existing working stand.
ards during the period OF the war
without first having the approval
OF the council TO such change"
This ground was cut from under
their feet when Samuel Gompers,
who may In fairness be said TO
represent the national labor view.
point Of the national council. teie.
graphed that the eight.hour day
In industry WAS a labor standard
and the men entirely right In de-
manding that IL be established
where II had not hitherto OBJ
tanned"
Profits or Fsirness1
To clinch the whole matter, the
secretary OF war. chairman OF the
national council OF defense. tele-
graphed that eight hours a day and
tirDe and one-half for overtime was
the government standard, and
urged the lumbermen in the name
OF patriotism 10 establish that
standard and end the strike, And
still the lnmbermen refused Good
God. would they rather see Ger.
many win than sacrifice their prof.
its. II need be. In this hour OF ma
tional stress?
Behind all the specious argument
against the granting OF an eight.
hour day was a deep seated hostil.
ity toward any form of organiza ton
among the employees which would
give them the real power OF col
lective bargaining. Some OF the
lumbermen voiced paternalistic
sentiment toward their men. They
wanted the men to be contented
and satisfied. oh yes. but they de-
mandod the right to say what was
best for the men. The trouble
with that viewpoint IL that the av.
erage man has HIS own ideas as TO
what constitutes "EatigfactIon" and