Cleveland County herald., 1920-01-01
Labor and Industrial.

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 by a walk out of marine workers in New York. This strike was of short duration, how ever, as it ended on January F, 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. eral strike in Seattle called in SUD- port of striking shipbuilders. Author ities 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 worke>s was started and on March the marine workers in New York again went out. On April 15 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 eompro- mise wage increase.
 On July IS tine Building Employers association of Chicago, combating a 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 % but the strike ended three days later with compromise wage agreement. Rail- way shopmen throughout the country struck on August l for an increase from 6S cents to S5 cents an hour, but the strike was called off on August 14.
 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 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 12 to return to duty.
 On September p steel workers throughout the country went on strike, demanding wage increases and shorter hours. Many plants were closed for cb ts,11o hJ1t 10 fpil k ened and within a few weeks prac- tically normal conditions were re- stored.
 On October 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 bor members withdrew on October % and two days later the conference came to an end without having ac- complished any result.
 On October 15 bituminous coal min- CTS were ordered to quit work on Oc- tober 31 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 ef- fort to effect compromise, and the government proceeded to take vigor- ous 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 1.
 The shortage of coal, especially in the middle and western states. became alarming and the situation was ren- 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 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 ana condluonS TOT 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 perplexing problem for the United States government during the year 1919.
 A report on July 6 that armed Mex jeans had attacked and robbed a boat load of American sailors near Tam pico caused bitter feeling and on Au- gust IT this was intensified by the cap- ture of two United States army avia. tors by bandits who held them for Sl5000 ransom The ransom was naid