The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-03-17

On June 8, 1917, the workers in
the timber industry of the North
west began their efforts to nego-
tiate with the employers for the
eight-hour day. The employers re-
fused to negotiate. A special con-
vention of the workers was held in
the city of Seattle on June 80 to
consider further action. The eXecu-
tive officers of the international were
instructed by that convention to con-
tinue their efforts for a peaceful
agreement until July II. They were
further instructed that in the event
that they had not succeeded by that
date. to call a strike.
The employers still refused and
the strike was called. Sixty thou
sand men answered the strike call
for the eight-hour day. AS result
of strike action the shorter work
mills and camps.
In November, 1917, the presidents
mediation commission came to the
Northwest and summoned the lumber
operators and your international Of
ficers into conference. After hear
ing the evidence submitted by both
sides the commission appealed to the
remaining long hour operators in
this section to grant the eight-hour
day. The appeals of the workers,
the state council of defense of the
State of Washington, the presidents
mediation commission, and the ma
tional government were all ignored
by the employers. nj short, they
boldly and arrogantly told every
body to go to hell.
On March /, 1918, over the pro-
tests of the operators and their tools
in the spruce division of the army,
the national government ordered the
eight-hour day put into effect at
once!
of the general establishment of the
Today, on the fourth anniversary
eight-hour day, the employers have
declared war on you in an effort to
take it away from you.
At Klamath Falls. Oregon, the en-
plOyers used their customary cow
ardly and despicable methods. They
sent their spineless tools around to
the homes of the workers while they
were at work with a petition to the
employers which asked them to OPP
crate their mills and camps nine
hours per day with the present mis-
cradle wage that is being paid for
eight hours. This petition the COM
pany tools urged the wives of the
workers to sign. In other words,
they tried to stab the workers in
the back. Which, by the way, is
their usual way of doing business.
Their dirty plan did not succeed.
On Sunday, February &c, a mass
meeting of the thoroughly aroused
workers was had. They at last de-
clded to organize and fight to keep
their eight-hour day. Over 600 men
and women are now on the battle
line. Several hundred of them are
members of our international and
President Canterbury is giving this
fight his personal attention,
AT McCloud and Weed, California.
the employers have announced the
ten-hour day, with cuts in wages.
The men at these places failed to
keep their organization intact and
are now paying the bill.
What has happened at Klamath
rails, Oregon, and in northern Cali
tornla can and will happen all over
the Northwest. The employers have
been playing for this position for
months. They have kept you in idle
ness for months so that they could
crush you.
What are you going to do about
1t Are you going to tamely sub
nit? Are you going to surrender
your eight-hour day? Do you want
to go back to the miserable long hour
pre-war conditions
The officers of the international
have known for many months that
this thing was coming up. We have
warned the workers of its coming.
times without numebr. We have
pleaded with them with all of the
power at our our command to organ
lze before the fight was forced on
them. In most cases our warnings
nave not been needed. A deaf ear
mas been turned to every plea that
has been made. Many of them have
listened to the lies and silly philoso-
ply Of the Four LIS. Many of them
nave spent precious hours in arguing
over ways to organize, and have
done nothing for their own protec
ton.
1t is not yet too late. But Won
must no longer delay! Organize at
once and by that act declare to the
profit hungry lumber lords of the
Northwest that you will not submit
1oul community may be the next