Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-19
FEVER
SPREADS; IDLE
TOTAL 10000
Chicago Faces One of Most
Serious Situations in
History.
FIREMEN AND "L"
MEN QUIT WORK
Leave Jobs When Refused Increases
in Wases-Many Dispetes Due to
Demand of Men For Closed Shop
Others Originated With Wage Dc.
mads-SettIemen of Building Trades
Strike in Prospect.

SIlCaSO, July lS-CnlcaSO To-Day ap-
peared to be confronted by one Of the
most serious industrial situations in it's
history becouse of labor strikes and
lockouts. 1t Is estimated that more
! than 10000 men are idle and the num-
ber appears to be growing. Efforts Of
employers to settle the disputes have
thus far been unsatisfactory. In many
Of the disputes the only demand OF the
men Is for a closed shop. In other
instances they ask for increased pay
and a forty -four hour week with time
and a half for overtime. Several Of the
strikes were unauthorized by the
union. according to labor leaders, the
men walking out in groups.
Every engineer and his assistant in
the Chicago fire department walked out
at s o'clock this morning in accord
ance with a decision reached yesterday
after the city had declined to meet
the demands Of the men for higher
wages. Two hundred and fifty Of the
city employees were affected by the
walkout.
Employees Of the Chicago elevated
railways voted overwhelmingly yester-
day to go on strike if their demands
for increased wages and better work
ing conditions are not met.
Dislike for policemen is given for
the reason that 10000 workers in the
The men declare they will not return
to work until the officers are with
drawn.
Strike Settlement Probable.
Hope Of ending the building trade
strike was seen today when 1t was an
bounced that a delegation of mem,
bers of the building trades council
will seek an audience with the con-
tractors who locked the men out in an
effort to bring about an agreement
Simon O'Donnell, their president. was
authorized to appoint five members
from disintereSted trades to act on the
committee. The committee will be ap-
pointed today. When the motion was
put at meeting last night, the carp
enters failed to make any protest.
More than 10000 men are idle and
this number will be greatly increased
when the various supply companies
Join the builders and cease delivery OF
building material.
The order to stop came when 10000
building trades unionists, including
16, 900 carpenters, greeted with de-
fiance the ultimatum of the associa-
ton.
Spirit of Labor Unrest.
Labor leaders declared that members
Of the union have been seized by a
spirit Of restlessness and dissatisfac-
ton with existing conditions. They. de-
mand change, but in some instances.
when asked to formulate their terms,
they either refused or postponed de-
cision
Employers accuse unions Of violating
the wage scales Of joint trade agree
ments and declare it IS impossible, TO-
deal with their men under the condi-
tions.5 >. ~
Among the men out on strike are:
Building trades, lockout, 100000.
International Harvester Company,
$1,000.
Stock yards workers, 10000.
Crane Company, 1000.
Mayor William Hale Thompson be-
lieves that the unrest among labor is
due to the high cost Of living and he
criticizes the national administration
for its failure to take drastic steps to
curb the profiteers.
Seized With "Strfke Fever"
! John J. Mitchell, president. of the IL
linois Trust and Savings Bank, In !. q
public statement, declares that work
men appear to have been seized with \
strike fever" and that unless the
movement is Immediately curbed in
dustry will be paralyzed in the near fu-
ture.
He describes the situation as exceed
ingly grave and asks officials and EN-.
ployers Of labor to give the subjetA
their earnest attention.