Evening star., 1937-09-06
STRIKES IN 81 SET
ALL-T|ME RECORD
First WaIkout in U. S. Was
200 Years Ago in
New York.
BY PAUL MOORE,

StflkeS are au Lne FASHION, OD-
served the New York Advertiser OF
June s, 1885. The statement could be
repeated with equal accuracy today.
In the first half Of 1887 there were
2,5l2 strikes in the United States
an all-time record.
1t is almost 200 years since the first
strike occurred in the United States.
It was in 1741-32 years before the
famous Boston Tea Party"-that an
Information" was filed against the
journeymen bakers of New York City
FOR conspiring not to bake until their
wages were raised, Though the bakers
were convicted, it does not appear that
sentence was passed.
In the early days Philadelphia was
prominent strike center. In 1896
an association of jOurneymen shoe
makers there ordered a turnout as
1t was called to obtain an increase in
wages. The shoemakers repeated the
pose. and again were successful. The
next year they struck against reduc-
ton Of wages, the strike lasting about
10 weeks and being only partially sue
cessful.
These are the only references that
can be found to strikes occurring in
the United States prior to the nine
teenth century. The conditions Of in
dustry in the Colonial days were not
conducive to strikes; the factory sys-
tenn had not taken root and master
and man worked together.
Sailors Strike in 1903.
The first notable American strike
was in November, 1908, in New York
City, and is commonly known as the
sailors strike" These men had been
receiving $40 month: they demanded
$l4. They marched through the city
in a group compelling other seamen
to Join them, until they were pursued
and dispersed by the consta bles, who
arrested their leader. The strike
failed.
In 1905 the Philadelphia shoemakers
again turned out" for an increase in
wages, but were unsuccessful At this
time stoppage of work by the jour-
neymen was called strike, a general
stoppage in all shops Of trade was
called general turnout; member
of journeyman's association who did
not keep his obligations to t e organi-
cation was denominated ''scab"
In 1917 a peculiar labor difficulty
arose at Medford, Mass. Thatcher
Magoun, shipbuilder of that town,
determined to abolish the ''grog'
privileges customary at the time. He
gave notice that no liquor should be
used in his shipyard and the words
mo RUM" were written on the work.
shop and the timber in the yard. Some
of the men refused to work, but they
finally surrendered, and a ship was
built without the use Of liquor in any
form.
The first railroad trouble was
strike of some laborers on the Chesa-
peake & Ohio.
Era of Strikes After Civil War.
But the real era Of strikes did not
start until after the Civil War. The
ease with which discontented en-
ployes could change their occupation
and become virtually independent of
employers explains in large measure
the inadequacy of the strikes in the
earlier periods of American history.
With the industrial awakening at the
close of the Civil War, however, a
permanent class of industrial wage
earners was developed and strikes
became more numerous and better
organized.
From 1881 to 1905 there were 36,757
strikes, involving 18l ,4O7 establish
ments and throwing out of work g.
703,824 persons. Statistics are not
available for the years 19O6-15, but
for the years 19l6-28 there were more
than $4,000 disputes, many millions
of people being involved.
In the earlier period about 70 per
cent Of the strikes were ordered by
labor organizations, and of the num-
Der so ordered approximately 49 per
cent succeeded, IS per cent succeeded
partly and 36 per cent failed. The
average duration of the strikes was
254 days. Strikes for increase of
wages were 1924 per cent while 1884
per cent concerned recognition of the
union and union rules.
When the United States entered the |
World War strikes in the essential |
industries were discouraged by labor |
leaders. After the break in prosperity
OF the postwar period there were |
general reductions in wages, which |
resulted in numerous defensive strikes. |
Measured by the customary standards, |
1888 and 1884 saw the greatest unrest |
until this year in American industrial |
relations since 1922.