The Washington herald., 1919-02-07
10000 Strike in Seattle;
100000 Additional Idle;
British Workers Win Out
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

are determined to maintain order
and to protect life and property.
The general strike. called by the
Central Labor Council at the request
of the Metal Workers Council, was a
success, labor leaders declared.
An attempt by Charles Piez, of the
United States Shipping Board to pre-
vent the scheduled walk-out failed.
Labor leaders asserted this would be
the first strike in Americas history
in which labor, representing practic-
ally all forms of activity, walked out
Ell masse.
The strike grew out of the demands
of 1000 shipyard workers.
Practically all industry was at a
standstill.
Street cars ceased running Electric
power was cut off and there was no
gas service except 20 hospitals.
Distribution of food was curtailed,
allowance being maGe TO supply milk
to hospitals and for babies.
The unisns plan to run fifteen public
eating halls, where the general public
as well as the strikers, will be given
meals at stated hours at small cost
Practically all restaurants closed this
morning, even before the strike hour
Mayor Hanson is prepared TO swear
in 10000 policemen to maintain order,
il necessary, he declared today. Extra
details of police have been called on
duty. and it is reported that details
from the army cantonment at Camu
Lewis and from the Bremerton Navy
Yard and the University Training Sta
tion are prepared TO take a hand
should the emergency arise.
wnrLers Have n~o DnIi,,
The strike committee has issued a.
statement that it will maintain its
own police. but will not furnish them
with guns. Moral sussion' will be
used to disperse crowds
No trouble has developed during the
two weeks of the shipbuiIders' strike,
but no attempt has been made by
the shipyard owners to open their
yards.
The Daily Seattle Union-Record, Of
ficial organ of the unions of this city,
today made the following statement OF
the position of the organized workers:
The strike of Se.O0O miscellaneous
workers in sympathy with the 5000
ship workers already out comes as a
last resort to break down the auto
cratic opposition of General Manager
Piez. of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, to a local settlement of the
trouble. Piez has assumed an abso-
lutely indefensible position and, by
virtue of his control of Hources OF
publicity, has succeeded in misleading
large part of the nation into a COM
plete understanding of affairs.
THE Macy Board has Jurisdiction
only in case of failure of local work
ers and employers to reach agreement,
Piez has prevented negotiations for
local agreement by declaring he would
stop shipments of steel to local plants.
Contrary to reports seditiously cir
culated, there is no revolutionary sig
nificance to the strike, though II
agreement is not soon reached, it has
revolutionary possibilities. The entire
matter is one of ADEQUATE wages for
the men who made the success of the
American forces i'm Europe possible by
furnishing them ships"
Thus far Seattle labor leaders have
attempted to obtain general walk-outs
at Tacoma. cortland and San Fran
cisco. The ship workers at Portland
and San Fran nisco have remained at
work. Those at Tacoma are strik-
ing.
The Street Ca- Mems Union voted
early today to go out at 10 o'clock
with the other union men.
Famine is Feared.
Citizens and merchants. fearing a
complete tio-up and possible famine
have fors several days been collect