The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-02-09
SHORTAGE OF LABOR DENIED
Not Real Reason for Employment of
Women as Street Car Conduc-
tors, Is Claim.

SiuldTy VI TIC IuleEDOTOuSu, duu Jlts
Brooklyn Rapid Transit company IL
substituting women for men as cal
conductors on the ground of short
age in labor, was made by William
Collins of the American Federation OF
Labor. There is no such scarcity oil
unskilled labor, he declared, Offering
to produce 1000 men willing to, take
employment on the surface car lines OF
the city.
| According to telegram from John
Fitzpatrick, president of the Chicago
Federation of Labor, to Frank Morri-
son, secretary Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, the Chicago labor
officials were responsible for the ar
| bitration agreement made between the
big packers and President Wilson'S
mediation commission. The telegram
is printed in the Chicago Weekly
| News Letter and states: eve sub
mitted an arbitration agreement to the
presidents mediation commission, in
which John e. Williams is named as
arbitrator. The commission accepted
the agreement and the packers agreed
to it."
The new wage scale for anthracite
mine workers authorized by presiden-
tial proclamation, has resulted in UNI
precedented production and the high
est wages in the history Of the kard
| coal region. Miners received their ff.st
| pay under the new scale and, in mapy
instances, it ran as high as $50 for
two weeks work, while some were said
to have earned more than 5000 from
December / to December Is. The
Iaverage throughout the region was
about $40. Laborers, heretofore re-
ceiving from $18 to $2S for two weeks,
are now earning from $25 to $40.
Russian radicals demand the ap-
pointment Of sufficient number of
factory inspectors in every branch Of
national industry and the extension Of
factory inspection to every enterprise
employing hired labor, not excluding
public and domestic labor; the APP
pointment of woman inspectors in
branches where women are employed !;
the participation of elected workmen
and paid state representatives in the
inspection of factories, and also in
matters involving wage lists, the re-
ceipt and the rejection of material and
the valuation Of the output of labor.
Notice that it soon would ask the
governors of Colorado and other states
to set aside for the duration of the
war, laws affecting the hours and con-
ditions of labor of women and chill
dren, was given In letter from the
national council Of defense received by
Gov. Julius G. Gunner. The letter said
the step would be made to apply to
war work only, and that it was to be
staKen ibrrauss tlssags asast stand In
the way Of war;
The children's bureau OF the United
States department of labor announces
its wartime program for child welfare
In the fifth annual report. 1t says
young children and mothers need pub
lie protection. Through public effort
some, at least, of the $4,000 mothers
who die each year from conditions
caused by childbirth and some Of the
100000 children who die under FIVE
years Of age may be saved.
Compulsory labor on farms and in
other industries where 1t is most
needed in New York state was urged
at a conference between Governor
Whitman and delegation of farmers
and representatives Of industrial In
terests from Oneida, Herkimer and
Onondaga counties. 1t was suggested
that such bill should be passed by
the legislature.
One of the most important questions
in Great Britain for several years past,
and one which has assumed political
prominence at many electoral cam
paigns, is that Of the housing Of the
working classes. This subject is now
being taken in hand by a departmental
committee appointed by the govern.
ment.
The telephone operators in Boston.
who get a maximum Of $14 week aft
er they have been employed for six
years, are holding out for $16. The
company has agreed to arbltratc by
paying SIS. But the operators by
great majority have refused to accept.
The Standard Steel Car company,
Hammond, Ind, will build hotel Of
$50 rooms and $50 brick houses to ac-
commodate 5000 additional workmen
who will be employed to fill a $4,000
600 war order for the United States
government.
Wage increases Of 1871 per cent and
shorter working hours have been
granted to telegraphers, station agents
and towermen Of the Chicago & North
western railroad, it was announced.
Two thousand men are affected.
John e. Williams, fuel administra-
tor of Illinois, was appointed referee
in all labor disputes arising in the
packing-house industries Of the United
States during the war.
: Ten thousand members Of the iron
trades council in the San Francisco
bay region In 200 iron foundries and
shops voted to go on strike for 10
per cent increase in wages.
Bartenders' union in Sacramento, i,
CAL, prepared new wage scale to take