The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1921-05-27

its component numbers. Consequent.
ly the decisions of its Directors al
their meetings go far to establish
standards of wages, hours of labor
and working conditions throughout
the whole lumber producing area OF
Oregon, Washington and Idaho, the
states in which the Legion operates
whether the individual operations are
identified with the movement or not.
The big event of the session which
has just closed was the action on the
minimum wage scale, which after
protracted discussion was reduced
7 1-2 cents per hour. This was
roughly speaking, fifty-ifty com
promise between the going 4-Lscale
and the average non-affiliated compe-
tition in the Northwest. 1t takes eff
feet June /. Heretofore the Inland
Empire districts covered by the Le-
gion have had a twenty cent lower
differential than the Coast districts
but this was abolished and both sec
tions will go on the same wage basis
on June /. A further special reduc-
ton of SC per hour was made to ap-
ply to alien section labor in the log
ging camps. The zero point of the
new scale (omitting alien section la
bor) is $500 for common labor. 1t
will affect about Is per cent of the
mill and camp workers. The preced-
ing scale was based upon $3.50 for
common labor.
The eight-hour basic working dav
was reconfrmed.
The final vote upon the wage scale,
which came at the end of the two day
session showed employee and employ
er representatives on both sides, some
of each voting for and some of each
voting against the reduction
The new scale will not necessarily
be enforced. Many operations that
are favorably circumstanced will un-
doubtedly continue to pay the pres
ent scale or higher and some have
even announced their intention to do
so.
Next in Importance of the proceed
ings was the imposition of penalties
upon six operators who while mem
bers of the Legion had paid less than
the wage scale of the organization.
The penalties applied are in ac-
cordance with the Constitution of the
Legion which had been fully sub
scribed to by the parties at fault.
Another interesting action of the
Board was in providing for symbol
to be stamped upon the products Of
all Loyal Legion operations. This
will include, lumber, shingles, boxes
and doors and other factory items
and will go to all parts of the world
as well as of the United States. The
design of the symbol will embrace
some form of statement that the
products upon which it appears were
manufactured under conditions salts
factory to both employee and employ
Ell, including the eight-hour working
day. This symbol should have much
advertising value for the Northwest
lumber industry, and its products.
An unexpected and important feat
ure of the session was the resignation
of Robert S. Gill, Executive Secre-
tary of the Legion. He has been cal
led to Baltimore, Maryland, by the
Typothetae Of that city to organize
the Baltimore printing establish
ments along the same lines as those
of the Legion. Leaders of the Bal
timore printers have had the Legion
under observation for some time as
also have a number of other large
industrial interests in the east. They
are convinced that the Legion organ
ization holds the solution of the cur
rent industrial relations problem in
the United States.
Mr.. Gill has been identified with the
Loyal Legion from the start and is
well qualified to undertake the task
which has been set before him. He
was the editor of the Al Bulletin,
the official publication of the Legion,
until January l of this year at which
time he also took over the duties of
Executive Secretary. J. B. Fitzger-
aid, associate editor of the Bulletin.
will take Mr.. Gill's place as its edi-
tor. A successor to the executive
secretaryship has not yet been de-
cided upon.