New-York tribune., 1921-03-10
Meat Workers
Beg Harding's
Aid ON Wages
Packing House Employees
Ask Him te Block Cut
or Pu. the Industry I'm
der Government Control
Strike Warming Issued
100000 Men Involved i'm
National Fight: Call 1t a
Plan TO Destroy Unions


Harding was appealed to tonight by
representatives of packing house cm-
nloyees with request that be try to
n-event proposed reduction Of wages
and readjustment of working hours.
which have been announced by meat
packers to become effective March IA.
Samuel Gompers, president OF the
American Federation of Labor, was
asked in another telegram to 60 TO
the White House as the direct repre-
sentative Of the Meat Cutters Union
AID urge immediate action on the re-
quest. He vas asked also to call &
meeting Monday in Chicago of all
allied unions working for the packers
10 outline concerted action in the event
G. a strike.
Delegates TO the conference here.
called by the Amalgamated Meat Cut
,srs ard Butcher Workmen of North
America. voted unanimously late to-
Jay 20 appeal TO the President in an
attempt TO forestal abrogaton OF the
wartime agreement between the pack
e1s ana their employees. The action
Of the delegates, who represent workers
IN every large packing center, affects
100000 employees, union officials said.
The telegram to the President asked
him 10 request the packers to mold in
allegiance the wage and hour changes
.rnor-,caS c. ,Gao4;ra No-..o~ -A:1
TIE Secretary Of Labor can investigate
charges contained in the message The
conference also adopted resolution
requesting the President TO use his
good Offices 70 compel the packers to
comply with the agreement entered into
BY the government. and that unless the
packers consent he exercise his power
70 place the packing house Industry
under government control and opera
tion and pubiic's brand the present
owners and managers of the Industry
a. menace TO the government and
society II general
Strike Warning Issued
4 strike warning appeared in the
same resolution. which instruct ed the
will resu.t n 4 unanimous and Effective
resistance 10 return to the ten-hour
work day, wage reductions and other
barbaric conditions that existed prior
70 l9l7' unless President Harding
sends assurance OF action This reso-
luton. according TO Dennis Lane. sec
y-tTeasurer of the union, means
author '-atlor for strike affecting all
packing house employees CT the United
States and Canada
The decision 10 appeal to the Chief
Executive was made in a lengthy ses-
sion Of the executive board this after
noon. The recommendations were I'M
media-eiy placed before the delega tes
n general conference A heated dis
cussion followed in which the proposed
action o. the packers in reducing
wages by approximately is per cent and
making straight time" apply for ten
hours cai = instead cf eight was unani-
laously denounced.
Inc delegates present were unani-
mously N favor of striking if the
changes announced by the packers are
put into effect, according to Mr.. Lane.
referendum vote will be necessary
however, before the strike order can be
issued, ne said.
During the war. the telegram con-
~nree, workers Of the packing plants
we're confronted with mounting living
costs, and at The same time information
Of the enormous profits Of the pack
ers was published broadcast.
In this national emergency" the
telegram said, the employers showed
ngnt and said they were willing that
strike should take place. On the other
hand, the employees representatives
induced them TO remain on the job as
4 patriotic duty. President Wilson
succeeded n bringing the packers into
conference, and the result was an
agreement that during the period OF
the war they would submit all points
Of difference with their employees to
arbitration. Judge Altschuler was Sc
iecteC TO arbitrate these ditfere nces."
Charge Reputation
The telegram further recites that
the agreement was continued after the
armistice at the request of the packers,
ana that now, at the very beginning OF
tAe reconstruction period, the packers
tepuciate their agreement They have
5urtner announced that, beginning next
Monday, they viii reduce wages 1212 to
10 per cent and relnstate the ten-hour
qay II a. their plants, Judge Altschuler
naylng granted the employees an eight
eour day IN his first award"