Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-24
rs TRUCE To
PREPARE FOR
!. WAR UNIONS
Workers Accept Cut in
Wages; 8-Hour Day,
.Overtime Won.
Arbitration Arrange
ment Extended for Six
Months, Sept. Is.

Washington, March 23.-
Prospects of an immediate
strike in the packing industry
were averted Wednesday night
through the meditation Of Sec
retary of Labor Davis.
Compromises by the employees num-
bering more than 100000 in accepting
the recently announced wage reduction
and by the five big packers in con
senting to six months extension of
the Alschuler arbitration arrangement
made possible the settlement after
three days of conferences in which
representatives of packers and en-
ployes and Secretaries Davis, Hoover
and Wallace participated.
Pressure by the government was
sponsible for the attaining of the
agreement.
Opinions at Variance.
Statements issued by the participant
ing parties after the signing Of the
agreement showed some divergence of
opinion as to the real meaning of the
settlement. The employees delegates,
Dennis Lane and Redmond S. Bren-
nan, declared 1.-The agreement is
truce to prepare for war" The pack
ers' representatives, James G. Con-
don and Carl Meyer, declared "this will
enable the packers to complete plans
already announced to adjust between
themselves and their employees all mat
ters of mutual interest"
Representatives of both sides were
understood Wednesday night to have
accepted an invitation of Secretary
Davis to meet President Harding at
the White House Thursday.
The terms of the agreement were
embodied in letters addressed to Sec
retary Davis and signed by the re-
spective negotiators for the two sides
Terms of Agreement.
The provisions in full follow:
First-The wage cuts of 8 cents
per hour for hourly workers and
1917 per cent for all piece work
ers shall remain in effect as Of the
and shall not be subject to any
further arbitration. If any fur
ther reductions are desired they
shall be submitted to the admins
traitor.
Second-The basic eight hour
day and overtime rates as an
nounced in the latest rulings Of
Judge Alschuler shall be restored
subject, however, to the right Of
the employers or employees to sub
NIT to the administrator if they
desire, any question as to changes
therein.
Third-The agreement of De-
cember 25, 1917, and extensions
thereof and all decisions Hereunder
Except as herein modified), shall
remain in effect until September
Is, 1921, at which time the agree
ment and all awards hereunder
and supplements and renewals |
thereof and understandings con-
nected Herewith shall absolutely
terminate.
Fourth-Judge Samuel Alschul-
er, or his successor, as admins
and exercise all of the jurisdiction
and authority heretofore existing
and the employers and the en-
ployes shall abide by his decisions |
in all matters of jurisdiction and
power under the administration
and all subjects Of hours, wages,
conditions and adjustments there
Of excepting as hereinbefore set
up. The employers and employees
shall, however, be permitted to put
into operation plans whereby there
may be developed a method to
handle between themselves all
matters of mutual interest SO long
as they do not interefer with the
administration.
Fifth-Any questions relating
to hours or wages submitted to the
administrator during the continu-
ance Of the agreement shall be
submitted on written briefs, unless
otherwise requested by the ad-
ministrator.
Sixth-We understand and
appreciate that this agreement
contemplates and covers the ext
gencies and conditions at this time
in the packing houses within the
Alschuler administration without
relation to industrial conditions or
wages generally.