The sun., 1918-12-14
WORKERS THREATEN
CHRISTMAS STRIKE
Walters Tell War Board Ex-
ecutive Of Danger of
Tieup.
WOMEN CHALLENGE HIM
One Says Hotel Man Seeks
Foreign Help-"Prob-
ably German"

Threats Of an organized effort by
hotel walters and kindred organiza-
tons which may seriously embarrass
II not to tie up altogether the Christ
mas holiday business we're made last
night TO William Harmon Black. vice.
chairman OF the War Labor Board.
following a meeting Of the Community
Councils of National Defence at the
Engineering Societies Building, 20
West Thirty-ninth street.
Mr.. Black had Just concluded an
address on the general theme Of post
bellum reconstruction. He advocated
that there be no reduction OF wages
until wartime prices of commodities
come down. In the course Of his ad-
dress Mr.. Black said he stood for the
recognition of labor organizations.
As he was leaving the meeting Mr..
Black was met by a group Of women
who challenged him on his announced
policy Of recognition OF organizations
The women said they were the wives
and dependents Of walters, and that
they had tried without result to pre-
sent their case before the War Labor
Board.
Woman Tells of Danger.
One of the women said that unless
some action were taken Immediately
serious results would be certain to fol-
low during the holiday season. The
woman. who did not give her name,
told Mr.. Black that u prominent hotel
manager from New York had gone
abroad ahead OF the peace delegates
for the purpose Of engaging foreign
help-"probably German"-for New
York hotels.
Mr.. Black assured the woman that
he would be very glad to discuss the
entire matter with her at his ONCE
In the Woolworth Building to-day.
John Mitchell, chairman OF the Fed
cral Food Board for New York State,
made an argument for the demobiliza-
ton OF the returning army on indus
trial rather than military lines. He
required that the draftee recruited
from the farm be first relieved from
his military obligations in order that
the production of the country should
be sustained.
Release Food Producers.
After the agricultural worker Mr.
Mitchell commended that the next class
to be relieved should be those who
found their employment in institutions
which produced food. and that next
should come those whose employers
guaranteed their jobs while they were
away.
THE best guarantee" said Mr..
Mitchell, for tn" industrial well be-
ing of the COZ y will lie in the
regular and pro. bic employment Of
the working people.
"If we have any great number OF
our returning soldiers unemployed
these men will regard the fact as n
noor return for their endeavors and
that the war was not such a victory
after all. We must see to 1t that these
men are employed. They expect that
their chances OF livelihood shall be as
favorable now as before they went to
war"
The meeting was presided over by
George Gordon Battle, chairman OF the
Community Council of National De-
fence.
II the popularity and usefulness OF a
peoples organization can be gauged by
the quality OF appeal addressed TO 1t
by politicians and office holders the
Community Councils of National De-
fence should be a bowling success in
their new field. Through more than
400 local neighborhood councils in New
York they have turned their efforts
to aiding in the work of reconstruc-
ton.