THE LABOUR WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 17

THE LABOUR WORLD.

AMERICAN RAILWAY STRIKE. NEW YORK, July 8. The railway strike has assumed serious proportions, following on the killing of a boy during a fight between the strikers and the railway property guards at Clinton (Illinois). The State troops have been called out in other States. Indiana, Kansas. Nebraska. and lowa are holding troops in readiness. Violence has been renewed by the strikers at several points throughout the country, particularly in Chicago and New Orleans. Terrorism of workers and suspected strike-breakers is alleged to be rife. Warrants were sworn in the Kansas Industrial Court for the arrest of three union heads for calling the strike. Railroad operations are curtailed on several lines because of the shortage of men. Fruit shipments in the West are menaced owing to the extension of the strike to the empioyees at the ice plants along the main routes. The mine officials at Madisonville asked the Governor of Kentuckv for troops to prevent trouble at Madisonville, where non union men are employed. The Governor of Ohio circularised the local authorities in the mining districts, where non-union workers are operating, declaring that they will be held to strict account if they do not safeguard life and pmpertv in the event of an attack by the strikers. The State troops have been mo bilised and held in readiness for use only If the local authorities are unable to cope with the situation. WASHINGTON, July 10. President Harding and Mr Weeks (Secretary of War) held a consultation regarding reports that mails have been held up in various parts of the West owing to the strike of the railwaymen in the United States. The marshals have been instructed to protect the mails and further their despatch at all costs. President Harding addressed the deadlockers' conference. The mine operators’ strikers proposed a F ederal Arbitration Commission composed of three members representing the owners, three representing the workers and five representing the public, as a commission to establish a wage scale, the miners meanwhile returning to work. It is reported from Point Marion, Pennsylvania, that two of the striking miners were killed and one badly wounded in pitched battles between the strikers and the deputy sheriffs protecting the mine property. GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLING ARMED FORCES. NEW lORK, July 11. Telegrams from Chicago state that the Brotherhood of Signalmen has announced that it will not join the railway strike. Violence is increasing. Troops armed with machine-guns have been posted at the workshops in Bloomington, Illinois. Several shots are reported to have been fired bv strikers’ snipers. The Federal Government is understood to tie ready to use armed force to suppress the disorders and ensure the running cf the trains. Large bodies of troops are being moved to possible seats of trouble. PRE-SIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION WASHINGTON, July 12. President Harding lias issued a proclamation ordering all persons to refrain from interference with the maintenance of inter-State transportation, and the carrying of mails, and asking all good citizens to uphold the laws and preserve the public pence. The proclamation points out that the Railroad Labour Board’s decision Is binding. “Men have a right to work as well as others have a right to refrain from working, and a peaceful settlement of controversies is essential to the security atid well-being of our people.’’ FURTHER OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE NEW YORK. -July 13. There has been a further outbreak of violence in connection with the railway strike, principally in Baltimore and Chicago. One man was killed and two others were shot. Sixty guards and deputy marshals were beaten and stoned. Strikers attempted to interfere with the train services, and the result has been smile curtailment of the schedules and rioting. The latest Chicago telegrams state that the railway executives have flatly rejected the strikers’ proposals, stating that they will stand unwaveringly by the Rail way Labour Board's decisions. THE ARBITRATION PROPOSAL. WASHINGTON, July 13. Some lightening of the clouds caused by tlie coal and railway strikes has -’begun. White House has announced that the operators have accepted in principle the arbitration proposal. At the same time the railway strikers have declared that they will carry out President Harding’s proclamation to the letter. They are also submitting the proposed settlement to the railway executives. While the miners have accepted President Harding’s arbitration proposal in principle, tin; miners’ leaders have submitted a detailed plan under which arbitration shall be conducted. President Harding is considering this. “ INTERFERENCE WILL CONTINUE.” CHICAGO, July 13. The chiefs of six of the striking railway shop crafts have telegraphed to President Harding, warning him that interruptions and interference with railroad transportation will continue to increase

until an agreement is obtained to give skilled workmen a reasonable wage. Owing to the employment of unskilled men, the strikers’ statement declares, the employers, and not they, are responsible for the interruptions and violence, because the former refuse to listen to the strikers’ demands. The railway- service is seriously affected in many districts. The companies are cancelling numerous trains to-day, pleading that they are unable to obtain sufficient protection. STRIKE BREAKERS BEATEN. WASHINGTON, Julv 13. The Department of War and the Department of Justice have received requests for 2500 deputy United State marshals and troops for the protection of railway property and the movement of trains. The departments have appealed to the local authorities to suppress violence arising out of the railway strike, and declare that Federal troops will be used only when the local authorities are helpless. Mr Jewell, head of the Railway Employees’ Department of the American Federation of Inbour. has telegraphed to President Harding denying attacks on mails and laying the responsibility for interference on the railwav companies. Fifty armed railway strikers surrounded the Western Pacific Railroads workshops at Oroville, California, and overpowered the guards, after a battle in which 200 shots were tired. Thev then rushed the buildings and beat the strike-breakers, many of the latter being knocked senseless while they were sleeping. July 14. The American Federation of Labour leaders announce that thev will bitterlv oppose the use of Federal troops in the railway strike. They denounce the action of the Secretary of War in making the army available for strike duty. THE STRIKE SPREADING. CHICAGO, July 14. Eight thousand stationary firemen, engineers, and others have been ordered to join the railway strike on July 17. WASHINGTON, July 14. A White House announcement states that while President Harding does not believe it will be necessary to resort to extreme measures, he will not hesitate to take over the railways and coal mines, and to draft the citizens, including the railway and mine workers themselves, to operate them if the well-being of the nation is menaced. Troops are being held at various strategic points and are under orders to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. THE HERRIN ATROCITIES. ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD NEW YORK, July 12. Mr Brundage, Attorney-General of the State of Illinois, has offered 1000 dollars reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons who committed murder aaid assault at Herrin. The informant is assured of adequate protection. CHECKING COMMUNISTS NEW YORK, July 10. The American Federation' of Labour is taking active steps to head off an attempt by the Communist Party to obtain control of the various “member” unions which have revoked their charters, including the bookkeepers, stenographers’ and accountants’ unions, and various sub-unions in the garment trades. ENGINEERS’ LOOK-OUT LOSSES. LONDON, July 10. During the amalgamated engineers’ lockout_ the general funds of the union were entirely exhausted, and the membership dropped by 46,000 A THREAT TO STRIKE. LONDON, July 14. The threat of a general strike was made at the conference of the General Federation of Trade Unions at Dumfries if the Trade Union Act is amended to prevent the use of union funds for political purposes. THE SHEARERS’ AWARD. SYDNEY, July 10. The case of the Graziers’ Association against the owners of Quarntambone Station was again before the court, but the parties failed to reach an agreement. The Australian Workers’ Union obtained leave to interpose, stating that it considered that if a rule compelled graziers to pay only Hie minimum rates it would be prejudicial to members of the union. ilhe Graziers’ Association applied in the Arbitration Court to restrain t-lie owners of Quarntambone Station—members of the association—from complying with the demands of the Shearers’ t. nion, which are above the rates of Mr Justice Powers’s recent award. The association holds that the breakaway of Quarntambone Station, where 200,000 sheep are shorn, would disable the association from maintaining the position it has taken up.] J uly 12. Mr Barnes, acting secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union, informed the District Court that the new rules made provision that members should sign on at the award rates, which is interpreted as a withdrawal of the opposition to Mr Justice Powers’s award. July 13. The Graziers' Association reports that 18 sheds have already started shearing under the. award rates. Plenty of labour is offering. No serious trouble is anticipated. RETURNED SOLDIERS’ RIGHTS. BRISBANE, July 12. Mr Justice M'Cawlev ordered the preference to unionists’ clause in the bricklayers’ award to be struck out in conse-

quence of a strike on a city building through a returned soldier being employed who was refused admission to the union. N.S. WALES MINERS. SYDNEY, July 12. The Miners’ Lodge secretary was fined £5, with the alternative of one month’s imprisonment, for absenting himself from his work without cause on June 19. He elected to serve his sentence. It is understood that over 1000 miners will be prosecuted similarly. They intend also to serve any sentence that may be imposed. July 14. The Coal Miners’ Federation has withdrawn the injunction proceedings against the Coal Tribunal, as no good purpose would be served by spending the union’s funds in testing the validity of the laws. July 15. The ooal owners have again applied to the Coal Tribunal for 33 1-5 per cent, reduction in wages. The sitting will probably be held next weak. THE BASIC WAGE. SYDNEY, July 10. The Board of Trade has commenced an inquiry concerning the conditions of rural industries and their ability to bear the burden of the basic wage (£3 6s 6d), which was fixed last October. The President of the F’armers’ and Settlers’ Association gave evidence that the present wage was too high, and was retarding production to a very great extent and throwing men out of employment in a wholesale way. He advocated a wage of £1 15s weekly and found, stating tint lie would not differentiate between married and single men. The hearing was adjourned. THE PASTORAL AWARD. SYDN EY, July 10. The Graziers’ Association has offered a reward for information which will lead to successful proceedings against any person inciting members of the Australian Workers’ Union to refuse engagement in the terms of the new Federal pastoral award. THE FORTY FOUR-HOUR WEEK. SYDNEY, July 12. Cabinet has put the finishing touches to the Bill abolishing the 44-hours’ week. The measure will be introduced oil conclusion of the censure debate. There will be no universal sweeping away of the 44 hours’ week, but the Bill makes it impossible to fix 44 hours as the minimum in industries under State control. The Bill permits employers and employees to come to an agreement to work a 44 hours’ week. JOB CONTROL TROUBLE. MELBOURNE, July 12. Having received letters from the maritime unions guaranteeing the discontinuance of the job control policy on Federal ships, the management of the Commonwealth Line announced that it was recommissioning the Largs Bay, but stated that should there be any recurrence of job control it will lay up the whole fleet.