The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-09-26
TIMBERW0RKERS OF
CENTRAL STATES
FOR EIGHT-H0UR DAY
Much Interest i'm Lumber Industry
of Northwest: Ills Fight
Increase
(By John NJ. Norland.)

The heretofore most poorly or
ganized group of workers in the
Pacific Northwest, the Timberwork-
ers, are now coming to the front so
apidly as to be almost unbeliev-
able, and are meeting with that
kind of opposition from the employ
ers that plainly shows them that
their efforts in this direction are
not at all pleasing to the mill own
ers.
In Bellingham, Wash, where the
operators are so domineering as to
discharge men for joining the
union, strike is on in the mills,
which has SO completely tied up the
mills as to cause the employers
great uneasiness. The mill operat-
ors thought to put their company
organization, the Ais, against the
union and break the timberWorkers
organization. This method does
not seem to be working out accord
ing to schedule, owing to the few
numbers of men who are willing to
Jlay the bosses game, by becoming
a part of the Ais organization.
The poorly paid workers in the
White Pine district are beginning
to wonder where they are to come
o1n 70 n
high cost of living. At Bend, Ore,
which is the home of the largest
mills in that district, demands were
made of the local companies for the
minimum now being paid in most of
the mills in Washington fir district.
The companies refused the unions
demands and the Oregon State Con-
ciliation Board was asked to make
an adjustment and investigation.
This Board has for the past month
been investigating the business of
the unions demands and is now
making their report of conditions
as they have found them.
The rate of wage now received
by the men working in the lumber
industry at Bend is much higher
than is the rest of the district, ow-
ing to their having had a union
there for the past two years. 1t is
thought that the Cancellation
Boards decision will affect all the
White Pine district, as the workers
in the remaining part of the dis
trict will no doubt demand living
wage when it becomes known by
organizing into real union this
can be obtained.
One weapon used by the operat
ors of Bend to show the men there
were satisfied was to call Ais men
in to testify that the $4.25 they re-
ceived at this time is more than
sufficient to live on That, in fact,
they can save money-more money
than ever before. These men also
testified under oath that the men
were all satisfied as far as they
knew, except a few agitators. This
proves the assertion made by union
men at all times, that the bosses
union of suckers were only organ
lied to keep down wages and keep
up bad working conditions.
1t might be well to mention that
this rganization-the Loyal Le-
gion of Loggers and Lumbermen-
organized by the once mistakenly
famous Colonel Disque, but now No
torious Disque. the squanderer of
Government funds, at time when
mems lives were at stake and the
materials supposed to be produced
by his guiding hand were needed
for their protection against the en-
emy. The man who asked $1,000
per week as President of the Com
pany organization, the Ais, but
this was even too much for the
company representatives and COM
pany suckers to stand, as they we'll
knew that their actions were being
closely watched by union men who
would make much of "princely sal
aries" which the workers had to
pay out of their meager wage.
In District No. 2