New-York tribune., 1919-02-28
Seattle, Wash, February 27.

constitution through it. In 1905 an Aus
trian strike of 100000 workers secured uni
versal suffrage. Half million Belgian men
and women went out in 1913 for the same
object. Only the Paris Commune of 1871
swamped the political issue in industrial
or economic revolution.
The general strike in Seattle was neither
Of these things. Various portions of Seat
tie believed that it aimed at revolution
through the Vaccinations of radical lead
ers; but far as the belief Of the rank
and file of the strikers and the statements
of the leaders go, it was sympathy strike
1t aimed to back up another strike. 1t aimed
to force concessions to other workingmen
very large part of Seattle felt this sym
pathy; and very large part hoped for the
success of both strikes. because the first
strike had grown to be an issue between
West and East, between Seattle people and
the United States government
The strike behind the general strike was
the walkout of $4,000 shipyard workers
against the wage scale set by the Macy
board for the shipbuilding industry of the
whole country.
Ordinarily the disputes Of a strike are
sufficiently complex to defy any straight
judicial decision of right and wrong. The
intrusion of the war, with the government
for over employer, with compulsory arbi-
tration, and with ban on strikes, has made
such an affair as this shipyard strike
mares nest of charges and counter charges
claims and counter claims. The issue of
l. W. W.-ism has not helped to clear the
air.
The employers side-which includes the
bulk OF business opinion in Seattle as we'll
as the government-claims that the local
unions broke an agreement signed by their
international officers 1t claims that only
a small proportion of the men, the radicals
wanted to go on strike. 1t claims to be
ready to make a reasonable increase in
wages, but that the men demand more than
can be given
The men claim that any adjustment with
the yafd owners, who operate for the gov
ernment, has been prevented by Director
General Piez, of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration. They claim that he has gone back
on promise, made later, that a local agree
ment might be reached They claim that
Mr. Piez is holding down Seattle wages to
oH-ASS viz SSOSi u uoI, III OIQcE IOt TO create
a demand in Eastern shpyards for higner
pay. The men claim that the common Ia
borers are receiving less than a living
wage.
Before the great Seattle did no ship
building to amount to anything. In 1915 the
biggest local firm, the Skinner & Eddy
Company controlling half the output, was
started. 1t now employs $4,000 men, 1t has
cut the time for building a ship from one
year to seventy-fve days. 1t was ready to
build five steel ships a month when the
ended
At first the Skinner & Eddy plant was
an open shop, working under wage agree
ments with the unions. On April 8, 1917,
it became a closed shop. Shortly there
after the government requisitioned all
ships building and to be built, and Skinner
O. Eddy became operators making ships
on contract7-not cost plus" contract
Relations with the unions went smoothly
On August 1, 1917, new agreement was
negotiated without much difficulty Trouble
began with the creation of the Macy board
at the end of the year. And even then
1t was not trouble that originated in the
Skinner & Eddy $50 per cent Of the indus
try" yard
The Macy board was created by a memo
randum between the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, the shipyard owners and the in
ternational heads of the various unions 1t
was provided that "when disputes arise
and attempts at mediation or reconcilia-
tion between employers and employees have
failed, the adjustment of such disputes
shall be referred to an adjustment board
Of three persons"
Disputes did arise, though not in the
Skinner Eddy yards. The Macy board
took them in hand and settled them In
August, 1918, the board decided to make
a blanket finding, based on the workers.
living conditions, which should apply to
all yards in all sections. Thus, in the mid
die of 1918, when the Skinner & Eddy
people were ready to sign new agreement
with the $4,000 men of their plant, thew
found that the matter of wages was taken
out of their hands. The men objected
They claimed that the Macy award-when
finally handed down in November-was too
low. They appealed from the decision to
appellate board This board disagreed.
By this time the war was over. and Mr.. Piez
decided that it was no longer necessary to
make the Macy award the maximum He
told the men and the employers to 20 ahead
and reach an agreement Of their own
The men then demanded a scale of Sc a
day for common labor and ST and So for
skilled grades. The mass Of common
laborers-around whom the issue really
centred were getting s4.64 by the Macy
award. The employers were ready to give
them wage above the Macy award but
not SO high the men desired. So thew
struck-on January 81, 1919
Now comes the major difficulty. The
men and the employers might still have
compromised after short test Of strength