Evening star., 1938-06-05

Very briefly, explanation may be made
for the peaks shown in the above table. In
1919, when an all-time high Of more than
four million persons were involved in
strikes, this number was swelled principally
BY walk-out Of $4,000 workers in the
steel industry and another of 425. 900
miners In the bituminous coal industry.
The steel workers, striking for union recog
milton, lost their battle; the miners, strik-
Ing Tor better wages, were victorious.
Miners Factor in 1927.
The relatively high figure of man-days
lost in 1927, although comparatively few
strikes and few workers were out that
year, was accounted for largely by a strike
OF $4,000 soft coal miners in April of
that year and their steadfast refusal to
dig any more coal that year.
Last years high marks resulted prin-
cipally from the intensive organization
drives Of the Committee for Industrial Or
ganization and the American Federation of
Labor, together with the fact that nearly
60 per cent Of disputes with employers
centered on the dificult-to-adjust issue of
union recogniation rather than the easier
compromised issue Of wages and hours.
In the face Of these statistics on yearly
basis, q very few more figures dealing with
recent months show to what extent the
trend has been more encouraging.
The Bureau Of Labor Statistics reports,
for instance. that 225 strikes started during
the month Of March, 1888, that 81, 900
workers were involved and that 895, 1000
man-days were lost. For the comparable
month Of 1897 there were 500 strikes in
itiated. with 2s9,753 workers involved and
3,293, ,5o6 man-days lost
Comparing the Aprils, one finds for
1887 that there were sat strikes started
in that month, 22o.3sS workers involved
and 3.369,910 man-days lost. For 1898
there were 235 strikes, $4,000 workers in
volyed and only 725,000 idle man-days
Making q final comparison, between
April and March of this year, one finds
that although there were 10 more strikes
initiated in April, 2s5 VS.. 225, there were
fewer workers involved, $4,000 VS.. 10000,
and fewer man-days lost, 8s5, 900 VS.. 725,-
900.
As noted above, regretfully important
factor in this apparent surcease from in
dustrial strife is the prostrated condition of
industry. Always, rising trend of eco
nomic activity has been accompanied by a
rising trend Of strikes while slackening of
industry to the point of wholesale lay-offs
and closed plants very plainly removes any
opportunity" for striking. At such times,
workers are more amenable to accepting
lower wages and longer hours If presented
the alternative OF outright discharge. Such
enforced idleness, of course, has not been
so carefully computed. nor is it cited with
the same implication Of criticism as in
variably accompanies any mention Of man
days lost by strikes.
Although there are some who may not
care to concede the point, there are two
other factors which undoubtedly are having
an effect Of curtailing the number Of strikes
by removing the necessity for them.
One Is that the labor relations law, In
tended to guarantee the right to organize
and to provide . mechanism for displaying
union strength through balloting, has with
stood the legal assaults Of anti-labor en-
ployers and Is becoming recognized to an
increasing degree as the law Of the land.
As such recognition increases there
should be an automatic decrease in the
percentage Of strikes revolving around the
issue Of union recognition. theoretically.
union claims Of the right to represent
groups Of employees might always be settled
through the election or certifcation mech
anics Of this law rather than BY recourse
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