The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-05
CHICAGO AVERTS
SERIOUS STRIKE
CRISIS IN CITY
End of Walkout of City En-
ployes Brings Relief to Seri-
Gus Situation.
BY WILLIAM r. SANBORN.

BY WILLIAM r. SANBoRN.
CHICAGO, July 5.-The most dan
gerous crisis facing an American city
has just been experienced by Chicago.
That 1t has terminated without dis
aster or great inconvenience to more
than two million people is entirely
owing to the diplomacy Of the city
officials, and to a compromise by
mutual concessions.
Imagine great city without water
or electricity, and without police or
fire protection, with the entire health
department on vacation and the
street cleaners and garbage handlers
suppose you should go to the city hall
and find no one to whom you could
pay taxes, or could obtain information
from because the 1900 clerks had
walked out. City hall clerks work"
but 38 hours a week, be it noted,
Well, just that situation has con-
fronted Chicago during the past two
weeks. The firemen signed their re-
slgnatlon In a body, to be effective as
soon as 1t was known that the board
OF control, part of the city council,
refused their demands for a minimum
OF $4,000 per year. The engineers at
the various water works stations, the
city electricians, and the inspectors in
the health department, the clerks in
the municipal offices, the street clean
ing and sewer department laborers;
every man indeed, except the duly
elected officials, all at one discovered
that they couldn't live decently on
their old-time wages, and thus the
strike fever spread.
Loss Of Saloon Revenue.
You know, Of course, what has hap
pened to the Chicago saloon man, and
the consequent loss Of city revenue.
About 1000 saloons, paying $1,000 q
year license tax, special cigarette taxes
and SO forth, gave the city an income
exceeding S7.000,000 from that single
source. Seven million doesn't go very
far in Chicago, for there is horde OF
hungry officials and henchmen, many
of whom work hardest on pay days.
AS some OF the aldermen no doubt
truthfully stated. strike Of City Hall
employees might prove a blessing in
disguise. An investigation might dis
close that about 500 of the 1900 who
were standing about in each others
way might then be dispensed with;
while those remaining could then be
better paid.
This kind Of an argument had some
effect, doubtless, on the political job
holders, and also on the officials who
have so literally damned their offices
with friends who are known as vote
getters, and whose names, therefore,
clutter the pay rolls. The political ma
chine dominating Cook county Is SO
vast that it takes thousands Of men
to man 1t, as the result at the spring
election amply proved.
Good Reasons for Striking.
That there really were a number Of
good reasons advanced for striking on
the part Of numerous employees was
frankly conceded by the fiscal author
tiles. Among the men entitled to more
pay, and who had had but one raise Of
10 percent in ten years, are the city
engineers, in charge Of the water
works machinery, etc. These have
been drawing $50 every two weeks,
while some of the mechanics to whom
they give orders draw more money,
thanks to the manipulation of their
unions. Then consider the street
cleaners. busy In storm and sun. They
were idle for more than a week, dur
ing which the litter and garbage &C
cumulated and flushing of the streets,
even in the Loop district, was neglect
ed These asked an increase of 81
per day and will. at the compromise
basis, be paid s3.65 to $3.50 per day,
admittedly little enough in present cir
cumstances.
Fire and Police Salaries.
The city firemen were voted a raise
Of from 81 1900 to $500. which was
accepted on the plea of the poverty of
the municipality, and this sum was
also voted as the minimum for police
men. The firemen had issued an ul
timatum of $4,000, but when the loyal
police force, approaching the gravity
Of conditions refused to Join them in
the walk out the ardor of the fire
fighters cooled considerably. AS the
matter now stands the Chicago police
men and firemen are the highest paid
men Of their class in the United
States The City Hall employees. the
3S-hour week clerks. are now to have
a minimum wage OF 81 500 per year
raft Of them have always been get
ting more and these also came in or
the advance.
Taking the pay roll in its entirety
the increases voted amount to about
IS per cent of the demands made by
the various departments. In every
instance the City pleaded loss of reve
nue. and the inability to pay the full
increases asked There will be a fur
hearing OF the matter before the City
Council on next Monday night, al
which time a vote to sustain the
awards Of the finance committee is
the city engineers, and the electrical
c1t