The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-23

III
the quiet work of trained conciliators en-
ployed by the government, together with
the establishment of the railroad labor
board helped send the strikers back to
work
Certainly, the evidence gathered by the
folks at the department of labor would
seem to indicate that dissatisfaction with
the cost of living as well as a feeling that
brotherhood officers were too slow in push
ing the wage demands had more to do
with the strike than radicalism or even
the activity of the l. w w 1t is admit
ted at the department Of labor that the
l. w. WIS have made use of the oppor-
tunity to agitate for the zone big union"
but that in itself has not yet been de-
clared illegal
Investigation Of the causes of the strike
that the information gathered at the de-
partmcnt of labor emphasizes internal
troubles in the railway brotherhoods as
well as the cost Of living 1t is reported
for instance that many of the railroad men
have been dissatisfied with w. G. Lee,
president of the brotherhood of railway
trainmen and that the strike is an at
| tack on his leadership. Some reports
NOulu sStH W lluICdlt IeSCIlIlCJlb OFtt
| Mr.. Lees alleged activity or support in
/ behalf of General Leonard Woods candi-
/ dacy. This is understood to have given
rise to a controversy over impending mil
itarism in the United States, food indeed
| for the radicals and orators in labors
ranks
| There is every indication, however, that
the men have been persuaded to believe
the railroad labor board will give full CON
sideration to their difficulties over the
cost of living. Trained conciliators EN-.
ployed by the department of labor have
been at work in the principal railroad
centers trying 70 help the brotherhood
chiefs get the men back to work The
situation in Jersey city is not yet cleared
UP but looks hopeful.
Outside of the railroad trouble, the
most perplexing strikes of major i'm
portance are those of the longshoremen in
New York harbor and the copper miners
in Butte, Mont. The department of labor
is expecting to solve the situation in New
York this week The issue has been BAT
fling because alongside of the deep sea
vessels docking in New York, longshore
men have been paid so cents an hour while
IN adjacent docks, near enough for the
workers to see and hear and feel the con
trast. the coastwise and cross harbor YES
sci owners have been paying only 90 cent
an hour Their plea has been that beini
engaged in interstate commerce, the coast
wise owners are unable to increase thel
rates at will and can't meet the highe
compensation Of oversee traffic. Report
to the department of labor indicate tina
a compromise is in sight.
As for tile strike in Butte, Mont, it
too early as yet to analytic the causes Q
probable outcome. The / w. w. is ag
tating the strike and has succeeded b
pcketing methods in keeping 50 per cen
of the miners from entering the mines
The cry is for six-hour day at 81 a day
1t is clear from all the informatio
gathered about the different strikes in tn
country that the cost OF living and tn
demand for labor in other lines Of wor
Imore profitable than that of the discon
tented worker has helped unscttle labc