The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1921-03-23
GENERAL LABOR NEWS

GENERAL LABOR NEWS
At st. Johns, Mich, the plant Of the
Hayes Wheel Co., resumed operations
with full force. The plant closed in
December. It makes truck wheels.
The number Of unemployed in Swift
zerland has risen from $4,000 to 1884,
600. Many watch factories and tex
tile industries have closed.
Twenty seven hundred union factory
employees of the Hamilton-Brown Shoe
company, st. Louis, voted to work 48
hours a week, beginning March l, in
stead Of A.
The mills Of the Fort Wayne Cor
rugated and Hartford City Paper COM
panies, Hartford City, Ind, did not
close, as had been expected, and man.
ayers of the plants were of the opin-
Ion that, although orders for several
weeks have been light, they may be
able to continue operation indefinitely.
Ohlcials Of the Youngstown (Ohio)
Building Trades Employers associa-
ton said that craftsmen would be re-
quested to accept a 20 per cent wage
reduction In the new agreements that
are effective May / next. The request
was submitted to more than five thou
sand workmen. Journeymen said they
would oppose the wage cut.
Wages Of 5000 Of the 1000 employ
ees Of the Baltimore Dry Docks and
shipbuilding company have reduced ap.
proximately 10 per cent. J. M. Willis,
vice, president and general manager,
said the cut was mot only to put us
on the same basis as other industries
Of the country, but to enable the COM
pany to meet competition"
At q meeting of the Chattanooga
(Tenn.) carpenters union it was voted
to reduce wages from 81 an hour to
80 cents an hour. The carpenters are
the first Of the building trades to take
action, but other branches are ex-
pected to follow suit at once. Build
ing activities have been practically at
a standstill for several months.
There is a growing possibility that
union carpenters of Connecticut will
organize cooperative building concerns
to compete with the builders, following
the present controversy over wages.
The builders have organized a state
society to fight for open shop and to
bring down wages to their pre-war
level.
Van Bitten, chief representative Of
the United Mine Workers Of America,
formally called off the miners strike
in the Birmingham (Ala.) district. The
order was released through Victor H.
Hanson. Mr.. Hanson Immediately re-
leased an order from Governor Kilby
ordering the state troops to be with
drawn. Both sides agreed to leave
the settlement up to the governor.
The seamen and licensed officers are
asking the United States Shipping
board to act as arbitrator in the dis
pute owe wages and working condi-
lions between the American Steam
ship Owners association and Inter-
national Seamen's union, the Marine
Engineers Beneficial association, and
the Masters, Mates and Pilots, associa-
ton. The owners insist upon a Is per
cent wage cut and elimination Of over
time pay, although their agreement
with the men runs until May 1.
Announcement is made by the
Wheeling Steel corporation, which con-
trolls all of the, independent iron and
steel mills in the vicinity of Wheeling,
w. Va, that a general reduction in
wages will be effective at once. Wages
Of common laborers r cut from .48
to 40 cents an hour and wages Of all
other employees reduced in proportion,
excepting those working on the ton
mage basis or sliding scale which IL
not changed due to contracts between
the unions and the men. Approximate
~ 1000 men are affected.
Employees Of the reed chair de
partment Of the H~eywood-Wakefleld
company, Gardner, Mass, were noti-
fed Of a cut Of Is per cent in, wages,
effective March 1. The reed workers
are working on short time. The re-
ductions wll affect 200 men.
About, 100000 cotton operatives in
Great Britain are hard hit by the re-
cent decision to work only "a hours
each week. Work ~ now confined %
eight hours q day IN Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday. apid tie mills
eease to run on Mopday. Tuesday and
EatuFday. 5