The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-24
Crisis in East

Labor Crisis in East
Labor throughout the East is plain
ly in a fighting mood and is showing
daily that the organized workers, who
alone have the power Of effective re-
sistance, will no longer tolerate con-
ditions which w err accepted under
protest during the a
j Very serious strikes are now threat
ened in two great industries, shipping
and steel. In the former, trouble al
ready has started. Last week several
thousand seamen refused to man yes
sells about to sail on q number Of
coastwise shipping routes along the
Atlantic seaboard and extension of
the strike to include longshoremen
and stevedores in every Atlantic port
is anticipated if the demands Of the
me III not granted.
These demands provide for q small
wage increase, but the principal point
at issue is recognition. Of the seamen's
union. The sailors ask that in giving
employment, ship owners give prefer
ence first to American citizens and
second to union men. It is q matter
Of common knowledge that ship own
ers have been using foreign sailors,
particularly Orientals, to beat down
wages. The United States shipping
board is attempting to mediate the
dispute, and pending the outcome no
ships owned or operated by the ship
ping. board will be affected.
The right to organize in trade
unions is also the point at issue be-
hind the pending trouble in the steel
industry. Following the decision Of
the American Federation Of Labor at
its recent Atlantic City convention to
press organization work among the
10000 unorganized steel workers,
hostility to union men in the steel
mills is said to have increased. A
letter from President Gompers of the
federation to Judge Gary, president Of
the Iron and Steel Institute, asking
Tor q statement on. his attitude toward
the organization work has been ig-
nored by the steel baron.
As a result representatives Of "a
unions engaged in the steel industry
met in Washington and q resolution
adopted on the subject Of launching q
strike throughout the entire industry
TO settle once and for all the right Of
union organization, long ago accepted
Us q basic principle by the war labor
board. The result Of the vote will be
known in 80 days.
Richard Spillane, a New York
banker, who has been writing for the
city press on general conditions, dis
covers q great trend toward the ma
tiOnalization Of natural wealth. For q
man Of his connections to- make such
! discovery" means that this step
h much nearer than many Of Us had
AIRED to hope.
Banker Spillane takes his cue from
England, where British labor has driv-
en- the government to examine titles
whereby noble families have claimed
rights to great incomes from coal
iron and other mineral deposits. It il
i matter Of lond standing common law
that no one an pass on q better title
than he himself had, and . great many
Of these royal titles either do not exist
81 are OF doubtful character. He de-
clares Naturalization Of coal is CON
,sidered as certain" ]
But let as not rejoice too much over
the speed Of things il England.
There's J very shady reason. Seeing
the inevitable coming, the English
Tories low controlling the government
are unloading their coal, iron and bic
estates - the government Of fancy
prices and putting the proceeds away
where they think there is more safety.
We viii face the same thing IS M let
old-line Republicans or DemocEets cor
~ ont our nationalxation -.
There il no way o beating TIE speciiGll
interests while they have the power.
i. N. and Fred Peat LETT Monday
Va anto Tor Walhalla, whsres they
went onbusiness.
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