The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-12-30

Esch bill, announced that II would not
hear cases of men who were on strike.
A new coal strike was lnaugurated
In Illinois and Kansas ADril D,
five thousand men going out because
of dissatisfaction with the wage
awards made by the coal commission
The first Of long series of strikes
involving BOlshevik activities took
place in Italy March %, when work
men and peasants in Naples and the
provinces of Novra, Alexandra Brex-
ella and Trevlso, attempted to establish
soviets. 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 5. The French gov
eminent took vigorous steps TO end
the STRIFE, moving to dissolve the Gen
eral Federation of Labor and char
acterlzing the strike leaders as Bolshe-
visits, The strikes were called off by
the General Federation of Labor on
May 81.
The American Federation of Labor,
meeting at Montreal, declared In fla
vor of an Irish republic and pledged
itself to wage determined fight
against the Kansas Industrial Rela-
tions Court law. On June 10 the fed
GRAFTON reelected Samuel Gompers
president, for his thirty-ninth term.
The Railway Labor board announced
its decision on wage Increases on July
20 awarding increases of from 20 to
p per cent to nearly 100000 employ
ees the total increase amounting to
about $6O0,000,000 a 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 D in connection with street ear
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 10, granting an
increase amounting to $3000OOOO a
year to 10000 railway express workers.
On August 30 President Wilson APP
proved the majority report of the an
thraclte wage commission, awarding
wage increases of from II to 20 per
cent On September l anthracite OPP
orators and miners signed two-year
contract based OH the award, but thou
sands Of men remained on what they
termed vacation in protest against
the award.
Industrial conditions grew more Sc
riouS in Italy during the late summer
and fall. An obstructlonist campaign
was started by 100000 wOrkmen on
August %. On August 81, in LON
hardy, 800 Woodworking plants were
seized by employees and workmen's
councils took charge of the plants. On
September II the workmen'S council
voted for cooperative management
and prOtit-Sharing by the work
men, At the same time the workmen
took over POO chemical works and sew
eral textile mills. Premier GiOlitti in
tervened and on September 10 the en-
ployerS agreed TO his terms of settle
ment, granting increases Of pay ret
roactive to July u. The wOrkmen ac-
cepted the settlement and ordered the
factories returned to the owners.
An industrial crisis was precipitated
in England on October 10 by strike
Of 100000 coal miners On the 2Sth
an agreement was reached for an in
crease in wages in consideration Of
pledge on the part Of the miners to
help increase production. The strike
was called off November 3.
A severe business depression was
felt throughout the United States dur
ing the closing weeks of the year. The
trend toward lower wages was marked
by the announcement of the textile
mills of New England in December of
reduction in wages amounting to
22h per cent