The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-12-09
INTERNATIONAL
LABOR NEWS
Austria

Cost of Living Increases 120 Per
Cent in Vienna.-Comparat prices
of August / and November 1, COW
ering Is necessary food commodities
indicate an average increase of 120
per cent in the four months. Gas,
electricity, coal and firewood have
| also increased, but at percentages,
varying from 60 to 80.
Building-At the beginning of the
war Vienna was executing. a program
that called for 537 new houses each
year for six years. This program had
to be abandoned and in the first 10
months of 1921, only 80 dwellings,
have been erected.
France
acknowledgements in shipping
trade has resulted in laying off
many seamen and increasing general
unemployment. A tense situation
has developed between shipowners
and the seamen's unions in the south
of France for this reason, and in
several cases, sailings of vessels
have been delayed by striking crews.
Paris-Official figures issued by
the Vile de Paris show that the
average income of a family of five
persons in the city had increased
305 per cent since 1914, while living
costs have increased only 1851 per
cent. Interesting in this connection
gels Law of Domestic Consumption"
that with the increase of the family
income the percentage expended for
food decreases; rent, fuel, light and
clothing remain normally proportion
ate, while percentages invested for
health, education, recreation and
savings increase.
Germany
Increase of Seamen's Wages
Since 1913. the average increase of
pay of seamen engaged in the Bal
tic and North Sea trade has been
nearly 1900 per cent. The average
is struck between pilots, machinists
and common seamen. The number
of seamen registered in 1921 is
slightly less than those similarly
engaged in 1913.
Ireland
hibition.-Advocate of prohi-
bition have seized upon the extensive
unemployment to press measures for
prohibition of alcoholic beverages.
The battle RACES around conflicting
statements of the effectiveness of
prohibition in the United States. In
Ulster Province alone it is estimated
that 100000 is annually spent for
drink. There are $4,000 wage earn
ers idle in Belfast.
Railroad Strike.-Engineers on
two principal railroads, protesting
a wage reduction of six shillings a
week, have struck. The Great North
ern Railroad is not affected by the
strike as the employees of this road
accepted the reduction. The strik-
ers are members of the Irish Engi-
reering Union.
Milan-The eighteenth Italian So
cialist Congress adjourned here de-
clared against the intimidation of
the Third Internationale, and refused
affiliation with it. All communist
members seeded from the body as
corollary.
WOrkmen's Compensation = The
Chamber of Deputies is giving con-
sideration to the first Workmen's
Compensation Act to be introduced
in Mexico. BY the proposed law
compensation is fixed in days pay,
standardized by wages received by
the employee. The measure is said
to be favored by the majority of the
deputies and has fair prospects of
becoming a law.
Netherlands
Amsterdam-Se has been
effected in the dock strike, which
has been on for month.
Anticipating that the International
Labor Conference at Geneva, Swift
erland, would consider agricultural
phases, three government experts
were sent to represent the agricul-
tural division Of the country.
Spain
Classification has been
undertaken by the government of all
industries and professions in Spain
with a view to making constituent
organization of employers and en-
ployes to prevent strikes and lock-
outs.
Wales
Cardiff-Protests have come from
the miners because wages for No
vember have been fixed at 1905 per
cent of the 1915 standard. 1t is
predicted that this fixture may be
reduced even further. Shipments of
coal to San Francisco have been re-
sumed since November l.
Rhonda-As a result of cam
paign among operators to induce
miners to increase the output per
man, production is reported to have
increased. The employers insist that
this will be necessary to recover