New-York tribune., 1918-07-14

them are working on cartridge belts.
So it goes. Every essential indus
try can claim government media-
tion in its disputes, and nearly every
industry is somehow essential
The packing industry, long one
Of the rawesr spots in the labor
field, is now ir the unions hands.
The Federal mediation commission
last spring made an award grant
ing the workers nearly $4,000, ,000
OF back pay and establishing the
right of collective bargaining. AS
result, large force of union or
ganizers is continually on the
ground and is steadily organizing
the plants, difficult as that task is
in an industry employing the cheap
est immigrant labor.
The Government
and Metal Trades
The powerful metal trades
unions, though inclined to push their
present advantage actively, offer
little danger OF strikes on a large
scale. Disputes will occur, but
there is every: reason to expect that
they will be promptly settled in ac-
cordance with board policies, and
that one after another of the in
dustries in which they are engaged
will be brought into line. These
unions, being closely connected with
government activities, tend to come
under the jurisdiction Of. govern
ment departments. rather than un-
der the War Labor Board. The
labor policies Of these departments
are now in process of standardiza-
tion under the War Policies Board.
To this James O'Connell, president
of the Metal Trades Department of
the American Federation of Labor,
looks fo- most of the effective ac-
ton in his field. Mr.. O'Conneu
writes:
'This board is outlining much
broader policy, entering into con-
ferences with representatives of
labor with view to reaching un-
derstandings that will be national
in scope, affecting wages, hours
of labor and conditions of en-
ployment generally. The action
of this board will be put in force
by the secretaries of various de-
partments and will affect govern
ment contractors, sub-contractors
and subsidiary companies in a
more effective and businesslike
way than can be expected of the
War Labor Board"
At the same time, the prestige
which the War Labor Board has
gained, through the Presidents sup
port, has doubtless been influential
in making feasible the enforcement
Of the policies boards decisions.
There is trouble threatened
among the seamen of the Great
Lakes, which will certainly come to
an explosion unless mediation
grants the men their demands. Dis
satisfaction is noticeable, too, among
the Atlantic seamen, but a strike
here is scarcely thinkable.
The great trouble centre Of the
country at present is the steel IN
dustry, the most powerful opponent
labor has ever met. The long hours
and low wage rates generally IN
force in these mills have figured in
many official and semi official reports.
At present labor is waiting breath
lessly for a decision from the War
Labor Board on the steel industry.
which it has been investigating. II
it proves to be IN line with previ-
Gus findings it expects a virtual
revolution in the industry, as well
as complete surrender by labor's
chief antagonist Moreover, labor
is convinced, a changed labor poll
icy in the steel mills will rever-
berate in the many corporations
closely associated; chiefly, it be-
heseS, the Great Lakes snipplng and
the Minnesota metal mines. If the
boards decision does not favor the
men, there will certainly be trouble
III the mills, for all the unions in
terested are perfecting their plans
for lone gigantic drive" But it is
generally believed that the govern
ment cannot afford to risk such
danger.
Government Has
Labors Confidence
On .hp .yho oiN +bau o.. 4-S--A~sf