The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-12-31
five thousand men going out because

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 Bolshevlk activities TOOK
place in italy March 25, when work
men and peasants in Naples and the
provinces Of N'ovra, Alexandra, Brex-
cia and Treviso. attempted to establish
soviets. Troops restored order ana
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
F.: the strike On May 5. The French gov
ernnient took vigorous steps to end
/ tie strike, moving TO dissolve the Cen
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 q.
! The Railway Labor board announced
+, It's decision on wage increases on July
! 20, awarding increases Of from 70 TO
q per cent to nearly 1900, 600 employ
ees, the total increase amounting to
about 5000, 100000 a year, about half
J 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 in connection with 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 10, granting an
increase amounting to s30.000,000 a
year to $4,000 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 anthracite op-
orators and miners signed two-year
contract based on the award, but thou
sands Of men remained On what they
termed vacation" in protest against
the award.
Industrial conditions grew more se-
rious in Italy during the late summer
and fall. An obstructionist campaign
was started by 100000 jworkmen On
August %. On August 81, In Lom-
bardy, 900 Woodworking plants were
seized by employees and werkmen's
councils took charge of the plants. On
September IA the workmen's council
voted Cor cooperative management
and profit.sharing by the work
men. At the same time the workmen
took over 200 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 Is. The workmer ac-
cepted the settlement and ordered the
factories returned to the owners.
An Industrial crisis was precipitated
in England on October l6 by strike
Of 100000 coal miners. On the 2Sth
an agreement was reached for an In
crease in wages In consideration of a
pledge on the part Of the. miners to
help increase production. The strike
was called off November g.
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
n reduction in wages amounting to
227a per cent. -