The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-08
Labor and Industrial.

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 1t 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 6 the country was
startled by announcement of a gen
eraI 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 10 a nationwide
strike of building trades workers was
started and on March 4 the marine
workers in New York again went out.
| On April Is a strike Of girl operators
tied up the telephone service through
out the New England states, but this
was ended on April 20 by a cOmpro-
mise wage increase.
The American Federation Of Labor
began a two weeks convention at At
lantic City on June 9. On June D
! Samuel Gompers was reelected presi-
dent and on the following day the fed
GRAFTON declared for a 44-hour week
| for all crafts as well as for all United
States employees.
On July Is the Building Employers
association of Chicago, combating
strike of building workers, locked out
200O employees. On the same day
Boston street car employees went on
strike Chicago surface and elevated
car men struck on July % but the
| strike ended three days later with
compromise wage agreement Rail-
way shopmen throughout the country
struck on August 1 for an increase
from 68 cents to S5 cents an hour, but
| the strike was called on on August IA.
On August z 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 the largest part Of
the Boston police force went on strike
after the suspension OF patrolmen &C
tive in forming a union. Rioting fol-
| lowed in which seven persons were
killed. The striking policemen voted
on September II to return to duty.
On September D 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 a few weeks prac-
| ticaIly normal conditions were re-
| stored.
On October an Industrial confer
ence called by President Wilson, rep
resenting labor, capital and the public,
opened its sessions in Washington,
but after Intellectual attempts to agree
upon q proposal to recognize the prin-
ciple of collective bargaining, the Ia
Dor members withdrew on October D
and two days later the conference
came to an end without having &C
| 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
| I'd 1F1
to prevent the leaders of the union
from directing the strike, which, how
ever, began on November 1.
The shortage OF coal, especially in the
| middle and western states, became
| alarming and the situation was rem
dered worse by a severe cold wave.
The Suei 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 II
per cent and return to work at once
and that a 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 a perpIexing problem for the
United States government during the
year 1919.
A report on July 6 that armed Mex
leans had attacked and robbed a boat
load OF American sailors near Tam
pico caused bitter feeling and on An
gust IT this was intensified by the cap
ture OF two United States army avia-
tors by bandits, who held them for
SIS 700 ransom. The ransom was paid
by the United States government on
August 10, and troop OF cavalry, &C
companied by afrplaDes. crossed the
border In search Of the bandits. Pres