Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-01-08
Labor and Industrial.

CeIlOuS INDUSTRIAL disturbances were
| prevalent during the greater part of
| the year in all countries that had been
| engaged in war. The series of great
| strikes in the United States was in
augurated on January 9 by a walk
out of marine workers in New York.
| This strike was of short duration, how
ever, as it ended on January II, pend
| ing an arbitration of the dispute by
| the war labor board. South America
apparently was affected also by new
conditions as great strikes were in
progress during January in Argentina
and Peru.
On February the country was
| startled by announcement Of gen.
eral strike in Seattle called in sup
port of striking shipbuilders. Author
| tiles announced that this strike was
| forced by the radical labor element
and prompt measures were taken by
Mayor Ole Hanson to suppress it. AS
a result the strike ended on February
10. On February 16 a nationwide
strike Of building trades workers was
started and on March 4 the marine
workers in New York again went out.
On April 10 a strike of girl operators
| tied up the telephone service through
out the New England states, but this
was ended on April 20 by compro-
mise wage increase.
On July IS the Building Employers
Df tiyo
strike of building workers, locked out
100000 employees. On the same day
Boston street car employees went on
strike. Chicago surface and elevated
car men struck on July 90 but the
strike ended three days later with a
| compromise wage agreement. Rail
way shopmen throughout the country
struck on August l for an increase
from 6S cents to So cents an hour, but
the strike was called off on August II.
On August there was inaugurated
in New York one of the most unusual
| strikes on reCOrd-a WalkOut of actors.
| The strike spread to Chicago and was
not settled until September 6 when
the actors won.
On September Q the largest part of
the Boston police force went on strike
after the suspension Of patrolmen ac-
tive in forming a union. Rioting fol-
lowed in which seven persons were
killed. The striking policemen voted
on September u to return to duty.
On September % steel workers
throughout the country went on strike,
demanding wage increases and shorter
hours. Many plants were closed for a
short time but the strikers soon weak
ened and within few weeks prac-
ticaYy normal conditions were re-
stored.
On October 6 an industrial confer
ence called by President Wilson, rep
resenting labor, capital and the public,
! opened it's sessions In Washington,
but after Intellectual attempts to agree
| upon a proposal to recognize the prin-
ciple of collective bargaining, the la
Dor members withdrew on October %
and two days later the conference
came to an end without having ac-
cOmplished any result.
On October IS bituminous coal min
ers were ordered to quit work on Oc-
tober 81 upon failure of the miners
and operators to agree upon new
schedule Of wages and hours. The
leaders of the miners refused to con-
slider an appeal by President Wilson
TO call off the strike, pending an eff
fort to effect a compromise and the
government proceeded to take vigor-
Gus steps to prevent the shutting Of
the mines. The department Of JUS
tice obtained an injunction from Fed
eral Judge Anderson at Indianapolis
to prevent the leaders of the union
from directing the strike, which, how
ever, began on November l.
The shortage of coal, especially in the
middle and western states, became
alarming and the situation was rem
dered worse by severe cold wave.
The fuel administration and local
commissions put into effect drastic
orders for conservation of coal. Pres
ident Wilson then proposed that the
miners accept a wage increase of IA
per cent and return to work at once
and that commission Of three to be
appointed by him investigate and set
tie wages and conditions for the fu-
ture. This plan was accepted by the
miners on December 10 and coal pro-
duction was resumed.
Mexico and the United States.
Conditions in Mexico continued to
provide perplexlng problem for the
United States government during the
year 1919.
A report on July that armed Mex
leans had attacked and robbed boat
load of American sailors near Tam
pico caused bitter feeling and on Au-
gust II this was intensified by the cap
ture Of two United States army avia.
tors by bandits, who held them for
$4,000 ransom. The ransom was paid
by the United States government on
August 10. AMI troop of cavalry, &C.