Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-05-06

to be believed, the japanese naval pro-
gram is largely bluff. They say that
if the present naval programs of the
three leading naval powers are carried
out until 1925, the United States will
have 10 capital ships embodying the
naval lessons of the late war, Japan.
IL and Great Britain five.
The present naval strength Of the
three powers, according to information
in the possession Of the British is as
follows:
Great Britain: Capital ships, 30;
light cruisers, 81; destroyers, 185, and
submarines, 96.
The United States: Capital ships,
SO; light cruisers, Is; destroyers, 284,
and submarines, 103.
Japan: Capitol ships, 21; light
cruisers, II; destroyers, 81, and sub
marines, %.
The week closed with much brighter
prospects for a settlement Of the strike
Of British coal miners. Sir Robert
Horne, acting for the government, held
a series Of meetings with the miners
delegates and made new offers which
included the suggestion Of wage re-
duction of shillings per shift. The
miners are willing to accept a reduc-
ton Of 2 shillings, and it may be the
government will arrange subsidy to
meet the difference. This would amount
to $4,000 monthly while the industry
is being recognized. 1t was thought
the delegates would recommend that
the members of the union accept the
proposed plan. Meanwhile the miners
and owners have agreed to plans for
the protection Of the mines, and the
railway mems union has modified its
order against handling coal SO that it
does not apply to fuel for domestic
purposes, hospitals and public utili-
ties.
The railway workers of the United
States had their innings before the
railway labor board last week. B. M.
Jewell was their first witness in their
effort to retain the present wage
scales. He presented mass Of evil
dence to support the unions two prin-
cipal points-that living costs have
outrun pay rates and that wages in
the only other basic industries COM
parable to railroading, coal mining
and steel making, have not been re-
duced
His argument also was framed to.
show that the railroads have not OPP
Grated with economy and efficiency, as
required by the transportation act,
and that the "same financial interests
which control the railroads also con-
troll the production of fuel, timber,
equipment, oil and other supplies and
that they have determined upon
policy Of decreasing railroad expenses
by reducing wages and at the same
time charging unwarranted and I'M
reasonable prices for supplies which
the railroads must purchase"
In the Chicago district the dispute
between building contractors and the
Building Trades council reached
crisis. The unions having refused to
accept a reduction in wages of skilled
men from $125 to 81 an hour, the
Building Construction Employers as
ISOLATION and the Associated Builders
issued a formal lockout order to go
into effect on May l. AS result,
work has stopped on about $4,000, 600
worth Of building operations in that
district.
A committee Of the illinois legisla-
ture has uncovered graft, fraud and
extortion In the building trades in
Chicago and vicinity and it IS expect
ed the grand jury will indict many
labor leaders and others involved.
Every one who knows anything about
labor conditions there knew this
croukedness was being practiced, but
the trouble waG to get the victims to
tell the truth. Some of them, evil
IDENTIFY, have overcome their fears and
done so.
Almost without opposition, the Nc
Cormick budget bill was passed by
the senate, and a similar measure was
assured of passage through the lower
house. The senate bill, substantially
the same as the one President Wilson
vetoed, creates a budget bureau to
prepare estimates of departmental ex-
penditures and requires the President
to submit an annual budget based on
estimated receipts. It also creates the
office of controller general for the
auditing and accounting Of all govern
mental expenditures.