Evening star., 1918-04-07
SOLVING WARTIME
LABOR PROBLEMS
How England Has Kept Her
Artisans at Work to De-
feat Germany.
WHAT AMERICA MUST DO

WHAT AMERICA MUST Do
Fyom the Sacramento Bee, March q.
One night this week the senate cham
Der at Sacramento was crowded by an
audience which listened with absorbed
attention to the official message brought
from over the seas by British labor
to American labor and the American
people.
Two high representatives OF the
trades unions of Great Britain, one
member of parliament and the other
connected with the munitions service
of the government, told how the Ger
man beast has been so far held at bay
by the efficiency secured by co-opera-
tion of all classes in Great Britain and
France, and pointed out the necessity
for maintenance of that efficiency II
the war is to be won.
They portrayed the wonderful part
which British labor has played in Sc
curing this result, and, while they ab-
stained from direct advice, 1t was pat
ent that they realized that American
efficiency could be secured only through
similar action on the part of American
labor, and that they confidently ex-
pected their American comrades would
emulate the example set them
What British Labor Has Done.
1t was shown how. at the call Of the
government, the trades unions OF Great
Britain had given up unhesitatingiy
and unanimously, for the period of the
war, vital union principles and safe-
guards which, while designed for pro-
lection and benefit of the workingman;
were calculated to limit production ana
interfere with efficiency.
They have accepted the enforcement
of compulsory arbitration, surrendered
the right to strike. accepted piecework,
relinQuished demarcation of work ana
jurisdictional authority between unions;
they permit any union man to work in
any trade other than his own when
ever necessity arises; there are no
longer restrictions as TO apprentices,
and men and women may be fitted by
and to receive at once the wage Whicn
their competency calls for.
In short, the organized British work
man has patriotically abandoned Tor
the period OF the war every trade ad-
vantage which he has gained through
n hundred years Of warfare and tribu-
lation, in order that national pfoduc-
tion may be speeded up to the absolute
limit and the nation thereby saved from
Hun conquest.
No Strikes Since 1915.
This arrangement was made in 1915,
and there have been no strikes since
then in industries connected with the
war.
women have been trained to the
number of 100000 and have taken
their places In shop and faeteRy. ana
production has been 50 multiplied that
the English now manufacture In two
weeks more shells than were turned
their monthly output of big guns-
six Inch and over-has been multi
Piled four hundred and twenty times.
One of these British Representatives,.
tern Makers Union of Great Rritafn,
who had been through innumerable
strikes in thirty-three years OF unien
leaderahip. declared that the present
advantage to the worhnen, thsm-
selvea. that they can gainsvery much
more BY eonciliatien and by arhitsa-
as last resort. and that 1t should
remain sheathed until II becomes rusty
from age and dtsuse.
American Wartime Strikes.
While the English labor repre-
Oentatives were delivering this vital
message to their American comrades
there was coming over the Associated
Press wire the story of the strike Of
900 workmen at the Baltimore ship
S.ildiag yards Tying s,a1s Up Work & on Amer.
because tho strikers demanded q
further increase in wages. which had
been raised under agreement only .
few weeks back.
sample of the recorded acts Of Ameri-
can workmen every few days since we
entered the war nearly a year ago,
each act injuring efficiency, decreas-
delay in offensive at the front which
must cause the sacrifice Of many addi-
tional American lives. even Il 1t does
not eventually lose US the war.
through nl-considered strikes. insti-
rated frequently. without doubt. by
enemy aliens and disloyal agitators.
has h been appalling. During the first
six sha,1 months tns o after we entered the war
this country, some for q day or two,
some for six months or more. Sixty
hve OF these strikes were analysed,
and In these aleae there was involved
Patriotic Appeals Unheeded.
And that appalling Ioss ha, continual
Notwithstanding the patriotic appeals OF
samuel Gompers. president Of the Amer
ican Federation Of Labor; the efrorts Of
the President Of the United States and his
Secretary of Labor to prevent strikes by
friendly conciliation, and the solemn
warnings of British government heads and
British labor leaders that we profit hy
their blunders. and save ourselves and
the world the catastrophes that must re-
suit from continuance by US of similar
mistakes
Our shipbuildfng program is far behind,
as is our airplane program. Gen. Pershing
complains that he has not yet an Ameri-
can airplane, and must rely for defense on
the French planes.
Notwithstanding the roseate assurances
from the Secretary Of War, the fact is
published that the docks of the Atlantic
seaboard arc crowded with supplies aad
munitions which cannot be shipped aeroas
to France until September
The comparison thus made between the
conduct of British labor and American
labor In connection with the work Of OBJ
posing the common enemy docs not speak
well on its face for the patriotism or the
good sense Of American labor.
American Labor Loyal.
And yet American labor 10 loyal; the
message now being delivered to Ameri-
can workmen throughout this country
by official representatives, Of their Brit
Ism comrades and allies comes at the
suggestion of Samuel Gompers, presi.
dent Of the American Federation OF
travels with the Englishmen and intro
dnceS than nd bo