The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-09-17
WHY SEATTLE
WILL BE DULL
THIS WINTER

The Union Record Labor Reporter
has made a survey of Seattles pros
poets for the coming winter and
tells why Seattle will be dull;
Five million dollars in cash and a
population Of $4,000 will be lost to
Seattle this winter as the result of
the Boycott Seattle" campaign that
originally started with the l. W. W.
and is now spreading to all classes
Of itinerant workers.
Business agents and secretaries of
the local labor unions usually eX-
poct an influx of $4,000 to $4,000
workers to the city each fall from
the harvest fields, orchards, farms,
lumber camps and Alaska. These
men bring with them from 5000 to
as high as $500 and 5000 in cash to
carry them over the winter months
as a protection against unemploy-
ment.
This year the vanguard Of the fall
influx is already passing through
Seattle for the east and south, some
workers even travelling as far south
as Mexico.
The Washington syndicalism law,
under which itinerant workers fear
themselves to be particularly liable,
and the war on labor conducted by
the Associated Industries, which has
attracted nationwide attention, are
the two principal causes for the re-
fusal of the workers to hibernate in
| Seattle for the winter. In smaller
g. degree the campaign of the city
police against Oriental gambling
houses is having it's effect as it
causes the Chinese who usually spend
! the winter here after the seasons
work in Alaska canneries to avoid
the city and strike out for territory
where the Chinamen's habits are sub
! ject to less interference.
| One hundred thousand dollars has
been paid out to cannery workers
here during the past few days on
contracts which terminated with the
return of the workers to Seattle,
The Chinaman with "roll" of $500
to $500 when striking town for the
winter usually lays in a stock of
clothing, pays his restaurant and
hotel room bill for months in ad-
the rest of his earnings away if he
sees fit. This year he gets paid off
in Seattle and then boards the first
train for outside points.
The estimate of a loss to local
business men of $5,000,000 in trade
is based on conservative figures. II
takes no account of the fact that
many workers and their families who
have permanently resided here are
leaving for the east attracted by
higher union wage scales. 1t is also
computed on a basis of 5000 fol
each worker at the end of the sea.
son, whereas some union officials
declare this average is more likely
in the neighborhood of S400 to $500
Unemployment in Seattle, is not
as obvious as in the years before
the war. The lines of workers II
front of the employment agencies
below Yesler Way does not give {
fair indication of the many out OF
work In the suburban working
class districts many tiny cottage:
and bungalows, well-kept and appar
emily the home of well-to-do mechan
les, have been housing for month!
men who have been out of worl
since the closing of the shipyards
These workers and their famiie,
have been staying close at home anC
coming into the city seldom. The!
have been living by selling from
time to time the few Liberty Bond.
they accumulated while work wa
plentiful in the shipyards. Many o
, these families gradually drift east al
the carefully boarded bonds finall!
disappear at SO to $15 below tn
price originally paid.