The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-13
ADJUSTED MANY
LABOR DISPUTES
Good Showing Made by Depart
inent in First II Months
of War.
STRIKES HAVE BEEN FEWER
Statistics Show Industrial Disturb.
ances Lessened Since the Entry of
the United States Into Conflict
General Labor News.

General Labor News.
During the first eleven months of
the war ended March the department
Of labor has handled S07 industrial
controversies, affecting directly 1900
0D0 workers, the department announce
nient said. OF these $50 were adjust
ed by the department alone. while 100
were settled by state and local boards
of mediation, with the assistance Of
the department. Efforts failed only In
"a cases, involving mostly small con-
Germs employing less than 1iW men.
The department is now handling "A
disputes, only IL Of which involve men
actually on strike. Strikes have not
been as numerous since the war start.
Nd as in normal times, the depart.
Hlent's records show.
"A reduction of two hours week in
the working schedule with an increase
DC 10 per cent in wages was announced
Nv the Otis Elevator company at its
general works in Yonkers, N. Y, where
YG00 men and women are employed.
General Manager Edward Fitch said
plat hereafter the plant will work 48
instead of 80 hours week, which
$ives employees the l0ng-sought eight
Hour day. In addition to making ele-
gators the company is working on mu-
billions for the government.
+ Demanding their old schedule of
double time for overtime work instead
of the new schedule of time and half,
Between 1000 and 5000 shipbullders
pit the Hog Island plant of the Aneri-
Fan International Shipbuilding corpo-
ration struck. The walkout, it was
Itated, was the result of a misunder-
gtanding and was quickly adjusted.
II Leon Jouhaux, secretary of the
French Federation Of Labor; J. S.
Thomas, representing the National
Onion Of Railwaymen of Great Brit
min, and Belgium representatives will
form, 1t is said, delegation to visit
the United States to discuss the pro-
ject of an international labor confer
.Mce with Samuel Gompers.
QThe Industrial Council of Passaic
Wool "Reminiscences voted 10 grant a
wage increase Of %5Ga0Q0 to employ
Is in the, various mills. Iris b. the
4 s i,lle6sl1sa- nl.lfz.- since
|lDecemh or. 1916. aux iils cMEi6F NJ,
1850 perauns 9hc FINS granting the
alncrease nave u0 Geruan connection.
L Union dremen pup'Jye in cotton
mills in Fall River, Mass, voted to
strike unless their demands for closed
Iashop conditions were granted. The
union asked for shorter working hours
and an agreement for the employment
OF none but union firemen.
Official announcement will shortly
be made regarding scheme for large,
ly Increasing the cultivation of flax in
Ireland, the proposal being to secure
lands In the midlands and south and
subsidize the farmers to the extent OF
s10000,000.
In his annual report, Louis L. Allen
Tennessee's state factory inspector
says the average weekly wages Of male
adults in Tennessee for the last five
years were: 1913, $12.6S; 1914, $12.17;
1915, $12.40; 1916, $12.15; 1917, $12.S3.
More than 100000 mechanics have
enrolled as shipyards volunteers, the
labor department said Illinois, which
reached its quota of 23,662 some time
ago, Is still registering men who volun.
teered
Mobilization of 100000 workers for
agriculture, shipbuilding and war CON
tract plants has been intrusted to the
United States employment service by
the department Of labor.
In certain cities of Pennsylvania O
recent investigation showed that more
than 2 per cent of the white wage
workers Were disabled by sickness of
serious nature.
Creation of a volunteer reserve of
100000 shipyard workers is planned by
the shipping board. The men will be
recruited with the assistance of state
defense councils.
Agitation by the Transfers and
Chauffeurs' union for wage increases
resulted in the Team Owners associa-
tion voluntarily raising wages in Ta-
coma, Wash.
Women factory workers in France
threaten to strike unless they have
holidays at the same time their hus-
bands are home on leave from the war
front.
Canada will create committee of
representative labor men who during
the war, will advise with the govern
ment ON all questions of labor.
A record production of Portland ce.
ment was established last year, the
production being 9544,000 barrels.
The superintendent of New York
state prisons suggests the utilization
of convict labor In munitions making
by enlarging prison shops.
The British parliament proposes to
apply supplemental sum of about
$250,000 for the purpose of interlnedi-
ate education FOR Ireland.
England has issued a call for wom-
en- in the navy, not as fighting sailors,
but to replace men doing clerical and
repair work on land.