The Lamar register., 1920-12-29
LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL

mediately following the war, became
even more marked during the year
l1.u Radical activities were involved
in some of the labor disputes In this
country, but this was true to a much
larger extent in the labor troubles that
besel most of the countries of Europe
during the greater part Of the year
The first month of the year was
marked In the United States, by the
abandonment of the steel workers.
strike which had been begun on Sep
tcmber ~.
railroad traffic was tied up in
France February 27, by general
strike OF rail workers. The premier
called all the strikers into the army,
and two davs later the strike was set
lied 10y compromise.
Peace was declared between the
bituminous coal operators and miners
March 81, when they signed two
year agreement based on an award
made by the coal commission named
by President Wilson.
An outlaw" strike of railroad
switchmen began In Chicago April Is
and spread rapidly to other parts Of
the country. Federal officers arrested
% leaders Of the strike In Chica,o,
April 10. on charges Of interfering with
the mails and violation OF the Lever
act on April 10 the Joint railroad
wage board created by the Cummlns-
Esch bill. announced that II would not
hear cases Of men who were on strike.
new coal strike was lnaugurated
IL, QIIuni. auh kaus,s Anrfl n
nve thousand men going out because
Of dissatisfaction with the wage
awards made by the coal commission.
The tirst OF a long series of strikes
involving Bolshevik activities took
place In Italy March %, when work
men and peasants In Naples and tho
provinces OF Novra. Alexandra. Brex-
cia and Treviso. attempted to establish
sovlets. Troops restored order and
the strike ended within two days.
on May there were riots in Paris.
and railway workers struck for ma
tionalization OF the railroads. French
dock workers. and coal miners Joined
the strike on May s. The French gov
ernment took vigorous steps to end
the strike. moving to dissolve the Gem
eral Federation of Labor and char
acterizing the strike leaders as Bolshe-
visits. The strikes were called OF by
the General Federation of Labor on
May 2l.
The Railway Labor board announced
its decision on wage Increases on July
20, awarding Increases OF from 20 TO
n per cent to nearly 100000 employ
ees. the total Increase amounting to .
about 5000, 900 coo d year, about half
the raise that employees had asked.
The award was accepted by the rail-
road unions.
During the latter part OF July coal
miners again struck In Illinois, lndi-
ana and Kansas, but on July 81 they
were ordered back to work. after an
appeal had been made by President
Wilson.
Serious riots occurred at Denver Au-
gust 0 In connection with a street car
strike, many being killed and injured.
Federal troops were ordered TO Denver
TO stop the disorders.
The Railway Labor board made an
other award August TO- granting an
increase amounting to s30.0O0.0OO a
year to 5000 railway express workers.
On August 80 President Wilson ap-
proved the majority report of the an
thracite wage commission, awarding
wage Increases of from II to 20 per
cent. ON September 1 anthracite Op-
orators and miners signed a two-Year
contract based on the award, but thou
sands OF men remained on what they
termed vacation" ir protest against
the award.
Industrial conditions grew more Sc
riOus in Italy during the late summer
and fall. An obstructioiiist campaign
was started by 100000 workmen on
August %. On August 81, in Lom-
hardy 800 Woodworking plants were
seized by employees and workmen's
councils took charge OF the plants. On
September IA the workmen's council
voted for cooperative management
and proft-sharing by the work.
men At the same time the workmen
took over 200 chemical works and sew
eral textile mills. Premier Giolittf in
tervened, and on September 19 the en-
ployers agreed to his terms of settle
ment, granting Increases OF pay ret
roactive to July Is. The workmen ac-
cepted the settlement and ordered the
factories returned to the owners.
- tai Lat Int taNn