Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-07-05

recent occurrence In this city. An
employe of a local sash and door
company demanded an increase OF
wages, was refused and the claim
put forward that the government
had fixed the wages and hours and
the company was bound. The en-
ploye then asked for his time and
the amount due him. This was de-
MED and the worker told that he
could neither quit nor secure in
creased pay. To clinch this public
official was sent for and interviewed
the man, using the arguments of the
company with a show of authority.
The worker refused to be intimi-
dated, however, insisted upon pay
ment of wages due and f1outed the
attempt at coercion. The program
of the Loyal Legion is working to
advantage in localities where union
labor has no foothold and the work
ers are accustomed to bowling abso-
lutely to the dictum of the employer,
There are many workers. however,
who do not relish the autocratic
methods that appear to be in vogue
and a certain amount of friction is
the result. and the assumption of the
director of authority to set the max
imum wage will continue to be chal-
lenged.
Young Warns WOrkingmen.
Mr.. Young impressed the dele
gates with the terrible earnestness OF
the message he was declaring to
them of the possible success of un-
scrupulous employers in using the
power of the United States govern
ment to prevent the organization
of the workers, in defiance of the
declaration of the president of the
United States that the right to or
ganize and bargain collectively was
sacred.
Carl E. Lunn of Seattle presented
to the convention the cooperative
work that is going on in the state.
His optimistic view of the situation.
while quite familiar to the many del
egates present from Seattle, was lis
tened to by those representing other
cities with keen interest.
w Ill. DOuChs " oohiu6toh oNNSN
Grange master. was greeted with
great deal of applause throughout
his address, in which he handled
without gloves the agents of big bus
mess in this state who are attempt
ing to hide a vicious program by v1o-
lent waving of the Stars and Stripes.
George Hampton of the National
10 IN, nrncCinn
Bruce Short, majority stakeholder
in the Motorship yards in Aberdeen,
surprised his audience by the pro-
gressive trend of his talk. Short
said that the shorter workday and
collective bargaining in the last few
months have established themselves
as being indispensable to efficiency
in the shipbuilding industry and as
serted that those employers who re-
fused to accept these principles were
standing in their own light. Short
has been representing the employers
on the labor adjustment committee
of the shipbuilding industry IN TINS
district and his experience gained IN
this work had completely changed
his view regarding organized labor.
He had discovered that the repre-
sentatives of the unions we're falr
and reasonable and were men OF the
highest intelligence. The shorter
workday and increased wages had
worked to the advantage of the en-
ployers as we'll as the employe. The
speaker impressed the delegates with
his sincerely but from information
cleaned from the inside 1t was
learned that there was considerable
friction on tap at all times in the
Motorship yard due to failure or the
officials Of that yard to carry out
in good faith the principles when
Short declared were necessary to the
highest efficiency.
Fred Chamberlain of the state
Grange executive committee gave IN
detail the experiences OF the Grange
in Walla Walla. He said the attack
on the grange was damnable po-
litical conspiracy and that it would
prove boomerang, that 1t would
more closely cement the farmers and
the labor union men and women and
would help In the WoTh vi Sio""'"e
up the state politically.
Mrs. Ina P. Williams, member or
the legislature from Yakima in the
last legislature, made a most favor
able impression upon the delegates
Her recital of the ward heeling prac-
tees of members of the legislature
and the subserviency to the sinister
interests of legislative leaders struck
a sympathetic chord in the hearts OF
the labor men apparently, as the
striking portions of the address were
greeted with much clapping.
Just because we are doing
little war work is no reason why
we should not use our bralns'
said Mrs. Williams. THE speclai
interests would like to have you Tor
get there is anything else to 40 put
knit socks for the soldiers, but there
is going to be legislature this year
war or no war. and the old gang IS
leaving no stone unturned to insure
their control of that body. Never
in the history OF the state have the
reactionary forces been so busy plan