Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-18
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS


Great Britain Is worried over the
prevalence of labor strikes, and there
has been organized an Industrial
Peace Union for the British Empire" "
This is initiated by such political lead.
ers as Lord Denbigh, president, with
Hon. J. Havelock Wilson and Mr.. L.
Haden Guest and other prominent
men. The organization, through its
president, announces that its object
Is to uss it's good Offices toward ad.
justing differences between employers
and wage earners, but it distinctly dis.
avows any intent to separate working
peoples from their unions. It finds that
In the last eight years the wage earn
ers have lost 338 ,00o,0 days through
industrial Disputes loss which can
nsver be made up. The estimated cost
of last years coal strike was no less
than 1900, 200, 000-which might have
reduced the debt to the United States
some $1,000, 000, 900. Commenting upon
the situation, the London Times says:
"A sedulous and persistent propa'
ganda, supported by foreign money,
Is being carried on among our work
people, with the avowed object of de.
stroying our institutions, and it Is gain
ing ground mainly because through
apathy 1t is allowed to 60 largely un.
challenged"
Great Britain expelled the Soviet
propagandists none too soon, and yet
even today the secret influences are
at work stirring up discomfort as Wig
orously as possible. There are approx
mately million wage earners still out
of employment in England, Wales and
Scotland but conditions are gradually
improving.
What the new Industrial Peace
Union of the British Empire Is now
undertaking to do, through solicited
fund which 1t hopes will reach $780,
900 a year, for five years. the United
States Department of Labor, through
it's Bureau Of Cancellation, is doing
persistently as part Of its regular
duties.
The chief difficulty in the United
States labor conditions Is not strikes,
but overproduction and wastage due
to idle time because Of that overpro.
duction-or, as the labor people pre-
fer to call it, underconsumption.
For example, according to the De-
partment of Labor, coal mining Is suf-
fering because If the miners were
limited to go per cent Of the present
number and they worked 306 days a
supply all the coal that could find a
market. It is inaccurate to say that
miners are idle third Of the time,
for many of them find other employ.
ment. but 100000 miners find it nee
essary to seek other work a third of
the year or stand idle. Many are UNI
employed in the mines more than half
the year.
Our manufacturers give employ.
ment to 100000 people, but owing
to undermarketing Of the products
1,750,000 are idle all the year, making
on the basis of the British statistics
losses equivalent to 306 times 1,750, 900
one.man days, or a total loss Of 525,.
600 900 year, or to compare with the
British idle days in eight years. AGO.
100000 working days. due to lack OF
consumption, quite apart from strike
idleness or sickness.
There Is more or less unrest and
consequent turnover Ut CIldIlSc VI GILL
ployment. The Labor Department es.
Inmates that each change of employ
ment means an average loss of two
weeks and that 100000 men SO
change each year--a loss Of 1854 .000.-
900 weeks. or 21,847, 100000 days a
year-174.77 100000 days in eight
years.
In 1924 a committee Of the FEEDER.
ated American Engineering Societies
on Elimination Of Waste in Industry.
headed by Secretary of Commerce
Herbert Hoover. reported that we
have $4,000, 900 men and women en-.
gagged in gainful occupations. of whom
each loses from sickness an average
Of eight days-a total loss Of $50 .000,-
900 days a year, or $500, 000, 900 work.
ing days in eight years. OF this sick
ness AZ per cent is what Is classed as
"preventable" through intelligent SAM.
tation and medical care.
OF the 500. 900 workers who die each
! year one.half Of the deaths are said to
be postponable by proper medical
Eupexyisipn Of the pToneE time. This