Evening journal., 1920-10-28

The families OF over 100000 workers
in Detroit had an Unexpectedly
gloomy Christmas because over 10000
workers suddenly lost most OF several
weeks wages because OF a strike Of
other workers hundreds Of miles
away.
The 20OO mine laborers In the Illi-
nols coal fields who struck during
July forced 1900 miners 70 stop
work and lose their wages.
Probably a million New York la
bOrers in scores OF fields lost a very
considerable part OF their wages for
weeks within the past year because OF
streetcar strikes In which a majority
OF the operatives were forced on a
strike against their own will.
over 100000 workers, large part
of them in New York had their
wages seriously cut for nearly three
months recently because 2OOO printers
Insisted on striking in breach Of their
own contract and in defiance OF the
orders OF official leaders.
One thousand men on a strike In
one place almost invariably means
many other workers often 10000
10000. 100000 other WOrkers-viially
and directly effected. vet often in
such utterly different fields and often
so many hundreds OF thousands OF
miles away that even the affected
workers themselves have no idea
what it was that affected them.
or the 1922 major strikes Of last
year. there was probably not one that
did not throw out of employment or
otherwise reduce the wages Of from 9
times TO 700 times as many other
workers as the strike itself directly
involved. Yet ii is dou btful II any
OF these other workers ever stopped
90 realize that the direct and only
cause OF their loss OF wages was the
other strike.
In raising the cost OF food anc
clothing and other necessities-in de
ranging manufacturing and transpOr-
tation and not only keeping industry
from going ahead but pulling ii back
strikes and lessened production ar'
raising general prices 10 the laborinl
man and hurting him just as much
as the rest Of the public.
But beyond this, in peculiar wa!
strikes hit more closely home anC
much harder at the laboring class It.
self than at any other class in Amer
lean life. For a strike that cuts OF
or limits for a time the production o
any commOdity-coal or iron OF cot
| ton cloth or transportation service
means that thousands, and often ten
Of thousands Of other laborers Wit
/ depend on that product for thei
work are through that shortage o
supply not able to work, at least no
able TO work regularly. and for tina
| length Of time lose a part OF, II no
all OF, their wages.
The steel strike, by raising tn
price of steel. not only raised tn
price Of all steel products - knIve
and sewing machines and every Othe
steel producl-io the laboring publ
as well as to the rest Of the public
hut the shortage OF steel also shu
down or partly shut down hundred
Of plants which couldn't get steel &
keep going. The stockholders in sucl
plants may have lost some OF thai
ldividends-but that is only a part O
the stockholders income; manager
land Office help may have lost som
lraises i'm nav they otherwise 5Xpecte
but their salaries went on Just IN
same: but TO the laboring man sue
a shutdown or partial shutdown
due TO the steel strike In which h
had no direct interest or voice. NEAR
! that he lost all his pay for all tn
time ne lost because Of that strike..
The nrst week Of the coal strik
100000 workers In Detroit alone WEI
dle-9O per cent Of an factory worl
crs i'm fndlananol. dronned to ma