Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-20
The HaSkin Letter % ' = Rs:2a:
LABOR MEETS WITH REvERsEs

Washington, D. c., June 17.-Or-
gained labor has met with serious re.
verses during the last year. This has
been shown by the record of events,
which include wage reductions all along
the line and adverse court actions and
decisions. This has been admitted dur
ing the deliberations of the labor lead
ers during the annual meeting Of the
American Federation of Labor at Gin
cinnati.
As one observer has put it, labor is
now fighting a rear-guard action. That
is to say, it is retreating but contesting
every fot Of ground it yields and en-
deavoring to prevent the retreats be-
coming a panic and a rout. Thus far it
may be said to have m~arshalled its
forces in good order, but it is axiom
attic that a retreating army does not
grow in numbers or in strength, and
it is apparent that the leaders, from
Gompers on down the line are gravely
concerned over the outlook. This is
not to be taken as meaning that. there
is any likelihood of a general breaking
up OF labor organizations, or that what
is known as the labor movement may
be permanently checked. But it does
indicate that labor has had to give up
advantages once gained and that it must
now prepare to resist attacks against
which heretofore it has felt itself i'm
mune.
Labor emerged from the war in a
highly satisfactory position. from it's
own viewpoint. Distinct advances had
been achieved. Wage levels were high
er than they had ever been before.
Hours of labor had been reduced gen
eraly with the eight-hous day and the
44-hour week established in many
trades and industries. Punitive over
tme-pay at the rate of one and a
half times or even twice the regular
scale for every hour worked in addi-
ton to the fixed work day-had come
to be accepted as labor's due. Collect
i've bargaining was no longer an empty
phrase. Memberships in the unions
had grown by leaps and bounds, and
their treasures were full to over
have over $7,500,OO0 in its reserve
fund.
Sought To Hold Gains
Naturally the men in the forefront
OF the labor movement were keen to
hold these gains and their postwar
plans were all to that end. They did
not expect to maintain war wages, but
they did believe that the principle of
the living wage as a minimum for all
workers, with differentials for skill,
experience and hazards of employment.
bad been so securely established that
there would never be a return to the
old wage levels. However. they reck-
oned without the business depression
that came and persisted. and when they
lost the steel strike that was called in
September, 1919, and encountered Wig
orous governmental Intervention ia the
coal strike of November following. their
cause and their plans may be said to
have received a setback.
In the transportation industry. they
lost the national agreement as to rules
and working conditions, which had
been negotiated with the Railroad Ad-
ministration during federal control, and
certain groups of railway workers lost
the extra pay for overtime over eight
hours a day.
But it has been in the courts that
labor has met with what may prove
to be its most serious reverses. With
in the last yea the injunction has
been used against the unions as never
before, particularly in West Virginia.
where restraining orders of the most
sweeping character have been issued
against the United Mine Workers on
the plea of the anti-union operators.
The union has been restrained from
sending organizers into the indepen-
dent fields and from making any eff
fort to organize the miners there. I'm
der the court orders union meetings
can not be held and union members
can not even discuss the union with
miners who are not identified with the
organization. Also suits for damages