Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-11-08
STRIKES AND THE PUBLIC


The world is short about 81 900,
600 tons of coal, according to the
statement of the United States Ship
ping Board. The World, as usual, is
looking to the United States 10 make
up the shortage. In the coal industry
where there is collective bargaining,
the labor situation has long been
ominous. At the moment when collect
i've baraining was being debated by
the Industrial Conference at Washing
ton, as a means to end the steel strike,
the principle was found to be in poor
working order in the coal fields.
The public has to watch these great
industrial disturbances, mindful Of the
fact that strike of coal mine op-
orators will add to the discomfort and
increase the cost Of coal to the con-
sumers billion dollars this Winter.
The methods for measuring the burden.
that will fall upon the public because
of the steel strike, is not so simple;
but it is certain that the public will
eventually pay the tax. Then again, up
in New York, conditions in Shipping ap-
pear to have gone to pot, and the big
harbor has been in the throes of strikes
half of the present season. Sugar goes
up-and in some cases sails clear out
of sight largely because of labor
troubles in shipping. Again, the public
pays the tax. The national Adjustment
Commission, which has been trying to
settle the Longshoremen's grievances,
makes the statement that as wages
have gone up, productiveness has gone
down, with the result that "the direct
labor cost of turning ship round at
Atlantic ports is at least three times
what it was in 1914" In railroading
it is much the same, and Brigadier
General w. W. Atterbury. who gained
distinction in France in the operation
of American railroads in wartime,
told the employees in one Of the shops
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad that
fprior to our entrance into the war
you were on piece work basis, as
well as working on a l0-hour day.
When the Government took over our
railroad, piecework was stopped. The
output per man per hour fell Is per
cent. The shops were put On an 6-hour
basis. This cut the output an addition
al IS per cent, so that the output pei
man per day in our shops is but 90
per cent of what it was before the
war.
Thus there is conclusive proof that
in the New York harbor and in the
Pennsylvania shops. production has
fallen off in a manner that is alarming
1t is fair to assume that this is a gem
eral conition.
1t is possible that the United States,
flushed with the joys of victory, may
still be able to learn a few things from
the vanqished Germans. who in setting
about to readjust the affairs of their
country, have seriously taken up the
proposal of the Vorwarts, the socialist
organ, that workmen must be paid
according to the actual work done by
Athem; that workmen must be made to
understand that good pay is only OBJ
tainable in return for good work, and
THAT capable workers must have the
opportunity to earn by greater applica-
ltion to work. more than the amount
Represented by fixed scale" This re-
port. thru the Associated Press, comes
,Salong with the news that our coal
miners seek SIX hour day.
i A speaker in the Industrial Confer
i.ence at Washington, referred to the
;,fact that 100000 American workmen
are 'on strike-and unfortunately the
humber is growing-but he did not
point out way to solve the industrial
TROUBLES. The public as a party to the
Sills and evils of industry. does not APP
pear to be given much consideration.
\ But if the aforesaid public" is to
'remain out Of the psychopathic ward,
lriches and poverty, employers and en-
l|ployes, and everybody else concerned.
wilI have to get back to work in dead
Earnest.
\ RAILROAD ADMINISTRATORS
GETTING ANXIOUS
For the first time during Govern
ment tenure of the railroads the Direct