Evening star., 1922-10-09
NEW UNION SOLVES
L0CGERS' DISPUTES
"Four l." Composed of En-
pIoyers and Workmen,
Proves Big Success.
NO STRIKE In 8 YEARS
All Questions of Hours and Wages
Are Settled by Arbi-
tration.
NO STRIKE IN 3 YEARS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

here in an attempt at general
strike. What has happened in this
section since constitutes an evolu-
tion of especial significance to en-
ployers and employees throughout the
country.
Radicalism. talk of direct action
and revolution, the propaganda Of
the l. W. W. for one big union pow
erful enough to hold the nation at
Its mercy, reached its crest with the
effort to bring about a general strike
in February, 1919. 1t may not have
seemed the climax then, but events
since prove conclusively that the
turning point came at that time. For
the move nearly disrupted the labor
movement here.
Many of the so-called paper"
unions. embracing nearly every class
of employe from office boys to jani-
tors. have disappeared Displeased
with the tactics of their radical
the trades who own their own homes
and prefer orderly methods of col
lective bargaining ceased paying
dues and dropped out. The member
ship in the unions was materially
reduced. Gradually since 1919 the
conservatives have gotten the upper
hand, and while the Central Labor
Council today contains some men who
may be claSSed as radicals. they speak
a different language from what they
did three years ago. One almost
never hears the talk of direct action.
"The Four L."
In the wake of it all has come some
interesting and successful expert
ments. Admittedly the l. w. w. had
its strongest hold in the lumber in
dustry, but something has been de-
veloped instead in the mills and
camps of Washington, Idaho and Or
sgon which probably has no parallel
anywhere in the United States and
therefore deserves study. because 1t
involves a sincere attempt to solve
labor problems across the conference
table and without the coercion of fed
eral or state law
The name of the organization is the
Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lum-
bermen. commonly known now as
.'the four L." II started in wartime.
with the help of the federal govern
ment. when spruce production for
stimulus in the northwest. When the
war was over the workers themselves
voted to continue the organization.
1t had hard shedding at first, but has
successfully withstood attack.
Unlike most unions of employees or
cooperative associations of employ
ers. the -four l." is a combination of
both. Employers and employees be-
long to it. and each pays the same
dues. Neither class controls. Each
mill or local working unit has con-
ference committee. consisting of an
equal number of representatives of
the management and the workers.
They know the conditions at their
mill better than any outsiders, they
reach the crux of the problem direct
ly and quickly. But, II they disagree.
there can be neither strike nor lock-
out, as the matter must be referred
to a district board. There are twelve
districts in the northwest. The dis
trict boards are elected annually by
the local organizations. Each board
has four representatives of the work
ers and four of the employers. They
hear all appeals in their respective
districts.
Above them is the board of directors
of the whole organization. This con-
same being each chairman of the en-
ploye sections Of the twelve district
boards and one representative of
management from each of the district
boards.
No Strike in Three Years.
Thus twenty-four men familiar with
court. If they sat simply as two
groups. little progress would be made.
They have developed a judicial tenn
permanent. If there Is a tie vote. the
whole question must be submitted to
arbitration, and each side agrees to
abide by the result. If a federal
Judge is available. he Is to be selected
rs an arbitrator, otherwise somebody
of similar standing in the community
IN requested to act.
But the interesting thing is that
in three years there have been no
strikes. There has never been a case
requiring arbitration. Only two cases
were not settled by district boards
and had to be referred to the board
of directors. The latter has in the
last few years both lowered and
raised the wage scale when economic
conditions required 1t.
About 10000 workers belong to the
-Four L." This is by no means a ma
jority of the workers, many of whom
are secretly affiliated still with the
I. w. W.. and some Of whom belong
to unions related to the A. F. of L.
q
growing. Proof that the -Four L. is
neither the tool Of the workmen nor
the employers Is seen in the fact that
1t Is often bitterly fought by both
groups. Several of the employers of
the extremist type who want no kind
OF organization to solve labor prob
lens and who insist on the free play
OF economic law believing human la
Dor to be commodity just as much
as an inanimate piece of goods, de-
clare they don't want any committee
or board to tell them what wages
be worked. The board Of directors of
the -Four L. by the way, voted to
maintain the eight-hour day, some
thing which many employers still
resent.
When defation came, the legion
came IN for severe criticism from
both sides. Employers clained wages
were not being reduced fast enough,
while employees cried that wages
were coming down too fast.
Legion Has Grown
Some Of the employers withdrew
from the organization. But it has
stood the test The forward-looking
employers arc supporting it whole
heartedly. One of the members Of
the board Of directors. for example, is
A c. Dixon, president Of the West
Coast Lumbermen's Association. The
chairman Of the board of directors Is
Norman F. Coleman, formerly profess
sor In Reed College, Portland, Greg.
He isn't entitled to vote but IL Ia due