Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-01-06

five thousand men going cit because
Of dissatisfaction with ne wage
awards made by the coal mission.
The first of long series of stri',Ns
involving Bolshevik activities took
place in Italy March %, when work.
men and peasants in Naples and the
provinces of Novra, Alexandra, Brex-
cha and Treviso, attempted to establish
soviets. Troops restored order and
the strike ended within two days.
On May there were riots in Paris,
and railway workers struck for ma
tionalization of the railroads. French
dock workers and coal miners joined
the strike on May 5. The French gov
eminent took vigorous steps to end
the strike, moving to dissolve the Gen
eral Federation of Labor and char
acterizing the strike leaders as Bolshe-
visits. The strikes were called off by
the General Federation Of Labor on
May 81.
= The Railway Labor board announced
its decision on wage increases on July
20, awarding increases of from 20 to
q per cent to nearly 100000 employ
ees, theN total increase amounting to
about $6O0,0O0,O0O a year, about half
the raise that employees had asked.
The award was accepted by the rail
road unions.
During the latter part of July coal
miners again struck in Illinois, Indi-
ana and Kansas, but on July 81 they
were ordered back to work. after an
appeal had been made by President
Wilson.
Serious riots occurred at Denver Au-
gust in connection with street car
strike, many being killed and injured.
Federal troops were ordered to Denver
to stop the disorders.
The Railway Labor board made an
other award August 10, granting an
increase amounting to $30000,000
year to 10000 railway express workers.
On August 80 President Wilson APP
proved the majority report Of the an
thracite wage commission, awarding
wage increases of from II to 20 per
cent. On September l anthracite OPP
orators and miners signed a two-year
contract based on the award, but thou
sands of men remained on what they
termed vacation" il protest against
the award.
Industrial conditions grew more Sc
rious in Italy during the late summer
and fall. An obstructionist campaign
was started by 100000 wOrkmen on
August %. On August 81, in LON
hardy, 300 Woodworking plants were
seized by employees and workmen's
councils took charge of the plants. On
September IA the workmens council
voted for cooperative management
and proft-sharing by the work
men. At the same time the wOrkmen
took over 200 chemical works and sew
eral textile mills. Premier Gi0litti in
tervened, and on September 10 the EN-
plOyers agreed to his terms of settle
ment, granting increases of pay ret
rOactive to July Is. The wOrkmen ac-
cepted the settlement and ordered the
factories returned to the owners.
An industrial crisis was precipitated
in England on October 16 by strike
of 100000 coal miners. On the 2Sth
an agreement was reached for an in
crease in wages in consideration of a
pledge on the part of the miners to
help increase production. The strike
was called off November 8.
A severe business depression was
felt throughout the United States dur
ing the closing weeks of the year. The
trend toward lower wages was marked
by the announcement of the textile
mills of New England in December of
reduction in wages amounting to
2212 per cent.