The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-03-19
THE CARPENTERS HoLD-UP

THE CARPENTERS HOLD-UP
Moscow is deeply interested in the
controversy between builders and the
carpenters union, which has placed
wages for carpenters at So per day Tor
eight hours work, while carpenters III
cities lave reduced wages from SIS TO
$40; Spokane, Walla Walla, Pendleton
and other interior cities nave reduced
wage to $3.50, from $S, and wages
in every other line hav been reduced,
and carpenters are offering to come
to Moscow and work for $6 for eight
hours or $3.50 for 10 hours a day. /.
Mr.. Stevens, business agent" for
the carpenters union refused to an
swer a direct question "if So per day
was right in 1920 should not the car
~penters take less this year when cost
of living and all other costs are
Iower?" and %contended that "the car
penters only work about five months
in the year and it is very difficult for
them to carr $1,000 or even SLIGO per
year"
That is certainly a very lame argu-
ment. If men can earn $1,100 or ST.
zoe per year by working only five
Millions of men are working II
months a year for less.
There is no particular reason why
a set of men should be paid 81 100 or
$1,000 per year for five months work
while many other sets or classes,
equally as good citizens, equally as
worthy in every respect, work u
months for less than $1,000 per year.
A man with a family was talking to
the editor yesterday about the wages
hcsag paid. He is getting so per
month, or $40 for II months work
and has had his job but a short time,
yet he works eight and 10 hours a day.
Flow many farmers get $1,100 or
81 200 for five months work and their
Investment and teams? Not many, we
are sure. How many men in other
business or trades than carpentering,
get SLIGO or $1,000 for five months
work? If men can get that much for
working five months, why work more
than five? Why not all classes charge
enough for five months to keep them
living in idleness the other seven?
Moscow needs more buildings. There
would be a lot of building done this
year if costs were not too high, but
there are many who feel as the Metho- !
dfsts feel, that they will not pay $1.50
to 81 a day bonus to men who live in s
and should be interested I'm
its growth, when they can get other !
men to do two hours more work a day |
for so cents a day less. t
- "a - e
No legislation ever passed in Wash
state aroused more criticis:n S
and less favorable than the Y
poll tax law which the last legislature l.
passed and Governor Hart says he
will sign. This requires that every a
nan and woman, between the ages of .
Il and 80 years shall pay a poll tax
If 50. This means that a widow, toll a
ng over the ~wash-tub, must pay 50, 81
which is a higher tax than a large per -
'ent of the poorer families of the O.
tate have paid many years. In ad-
Iition to digging up 3,000,0 0 IN =
in the next two years, the peo- Il
lie of Washington state must pay So Ii
er head, if they are between the ages .
+ p and so. Just wait till the voters :,
hoh have to pay that tax get a chance Ia
} vote, and see what happens. One F
God result is that il will bring peo- r
lie to the polls who do not generally To-
Ike much interest in elections. The ci
omen who pay So for the privilege w
voting will try to "get their moneys q
~
"a - "a Ell
The Colfax Gazette says: Zone act p
the Washington legislature was Il,
the cost of the entire session" of
lie Gazette probably refers to It's adj tn
urnment. ~
pr
COJTNTy -,