The labor standard., 1918-04-15
GENERAL LABOR NEWS

Fear that their present wages of from $40 to $50 week would be re- duced by changes in specifications for army raincoats led to threats of a strike by members of the International Waterproof Garment Workers union, which resulted in a hearing given at New York by an arbitration board ap- pointed by the war department to set tie the dispute. Representatives of the manufacturers indicated that an adjustment which they were willing to make would enable skilled piece work CTS to average more than $oO week. The workers seek an advance of more than 100 per cent.
 Settlement of two labor disputes in- yolving war contracts was announced by the department of labor. One in- volved 2,O00 cotton duck weavers in the Mount Vernon -Woodberry cotton mills of Baltimore, who are given a nine-hour day and an increase of 12k per cent in wages. The other agree ment concerned men at the plant of the American Graphophone company at Bridgeport, Conn. The terms of the agreement were not reported to the department.
 All the cotton mills in Fall River, Mass, are operating under normal con- ditions, firemen who had been on strike for two days returning under an agreement by which the differences with the owners were adjusted. The settlement was reached at confer ence between representatives of the Manufacturers association and Tim othy Healy, national president of the Firemen's union, and was ratified by the union.
 Disputing the claim of a labor shortage in Illinois. Robert s. Jones, chief factory inspector, has compiled statistics showing 100000 men can be obtained for war work. He also brings out the fact that women are not talk ing the places of men to any great ex- tent. One hundred and forty varied industries in the state were investi- gated.
 Ten thousand cane-f1eld laborers in the eastern end of the island of Porto Rico went on strike, causing the clos ing down of three sugar centrals. The men declared they were tired of wait- ing for action by the labor officials at Washington which would determine whether general strike would be called.
 WoOlen manufacturers throughout Great Britain have been ordered to al- ter their looms to produce stand ard'' cloth, of which over 2,OOO,O 900 yards have been ordered for June de livery in order to provide summer suits for British men and women.
 A threatened strike of walters in hotels and restaurants of Washington was averted by the department of la- bor's intervention and the workers won increased pay, shorter hours, over time pay and recognition of their union.
 Six men and one woman will form the advisory council that will assist in the administration of a war labor pro- gram intrusted to the United States department of labor. John Lind, for mer governor of Minnesota, is chair man.
 The Women's Trade Union league declares that no shortage of man pow. CT exists as yet in the states, and that the substitution of female help bN manufacturers is in most cases actu- ated by desire for cheap labor.
 Three thousand garment workers of five manufacturing concerns in St. Louis presented demands for union recognition and an eight-hour day, threatening to strike unless the firm fo1x Sio a%c r
 There are million and half labor CTS in the United States now unem- ployed, according to Samuel Gompers, in an answer to what he called, ga hap hazard claim of labor shortage" before the senate commerce committee.
 Bankers, plutocrats, stock brokers and lawyers of New York were com pelled to act as their own walters in some of the clubs in the financial dis trict. The walters struck and demand ed 25 per cent raise in wages.
 Members of the Scranton (Pa.) city fire department are now affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. They have organized local and have obtained charter from the interna- tional organization,
 Figures issued by the bureau of Ia. bor statistics show that the greatest increase from October to November in the total amount paid to employees in any industry was 1928 per cent in cot ton manufacturing.
 Every woman working around ma chinery in New York state factories must wear overalls, according to rul. ing by the state industrial commission. In addition her hair must be protected by cap or net.
 No alien in England may be engaged in any form of auxiliary war work without the express permission of the army council.
 1t is predicted that at the close of the war women will replace men as stewards on the large ocean liners.
 Hindus in the Cowichan district of Canada are proving themselves to be successful lumber mill operators.