Bisbee daily review., 1918-06-06

work, as a rule, because they are free from the disturbance and worry, on and off shift, of pro-German and radi- cal agitators who a year ago were oc- cupying their time and keeping them in a state of uneasiness with unceas- ing arguments, threats and forecasts of disturbance; and because among all loyal employers and employees there is greater realization of the ne- cessity made by the war period for their maximum endeavors, and be- cause of the fact that shoulder to shoulder they have bought Liberty bonds and on common footing worked in the ranks of Liberty Loan, Red
 Copper Costing More
 Despite smaller employment of men in most of the districts, copper is cost ing more in every district in the state than a year ago. Cost will be material ly added to by the increased freight raates which will shortly become eff. fective, to the extent of 25@t above present rates. Although few Arizona producers have reduced their rates of dividends to the 75,000 or more own CTS of their properties, it is probably a matter of but a short time before all of them will have co make some re- duction. Payments have been kept up at the high rates which came in dur ing the high price of the metal only by drawing upon surplus accounts which were built up on high metal.
 Dividencs Not Earned
 In other words, current dividends paid by the copper companies are in very few, if any, instances being paid from current earnings. The same truth applies to the wages of 212 cents more on the pound of copper that the men of the mines and plants are re- ceiving above the selling price of the copper Mine operators realize that the costs of the men have gone up too, and that they cannot bear any cut in disbursements does come about will have to be at the expense of the owners, the shareholders in the mines.
 For Higher Wages
 Among these shareholders there are probably ten thousand mine, mill and shelter employees in Arizona The po- sition of the mine operators as to wages, however, is unchanged from that which they took when the price of copper and the rate of wages was, fixed by the governmens a year ago. At that time the Arizona operators de- manded that although the copper price be lowered to 251k cents the rate of wages be put not lower than Recent copper price schedule. They said then that their employees in Ari- zona could not earn a profit on their labor under a Recent rate of wage, and the operators have since declared themselves for a higher price for the metal in order that higher wages might be established.
 Wobbly Removal Did 1t
 Reviewing the general situation. it is plain that harmony and closer un- derstsnding exist in greater degree between employers and employees in Arizona than in many years and that removal of the WObblies and Ndebar- ment of their sympathizers is largely responsible. They were the thorn making the trouble, regardless of what their champions through either mis- information, ignorance or wilful pur- pose to aid the enemy may say May production of 76,711,5O7 pounds of copper in Arizona is the best prool of it. It is copper for guns and shells needed in unchecked flow to combat the Hun tide; nearly half of all the available copper at that, and a re- source that the kaiser has spent a great deal of money to cripple