i
25
IJN10
VOL. LiVIII. NO. 18,:J88
Entered at Portland (Oregon)
tr.ffir-e af Second-Clas Matter.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1919.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
taHJOOBUUD
m STRIKE CALL
.
Miners Disregard Court
X Injunction.
TROOPS ARE CALLED
FOR DUTY AT MINES
EVERY RESOURCE OF
U. S. GIVEN WILSON
CONGRESS PLEDGES FULLEST
POWER OF-GOVERNMENT.
2 ,C'E sMn!PERSHiNG SEES WO
ML TABOR ELECTRIC
STATION IS DAMAGED
T COCK
BLOCKS
WAGE RISE GIVEN.
TO ELECTRICIANS
Conciliation Board Fixe
Portland Scale.
uuivir. iu ruiviunuu
NEED OF BIG ARMY
COLORADO, PEXXSYL.VAXIA
AND OTHER STATES ACT.
LATE E. L. ALLEN AND LEON
ARD BAYLIS RECOGNISED.'
EXPLOSION OF TRANSFORM
ERS ENDANGERS LIVES.
TOTAL TO REACH
nions Leave Sufficient
Workers in Mines to Keep
Pumps Working.
ABOR AND PALMER COKFER
far Orders Dealing With Pri
ority of Shipments Re
stored by President.
CHICAGO, Get. 31. Bituminous
al fields of the nation tonight
'ee in the grip of a strike ef-
V ective at midnight which leaders of
union miners declared alreadv
I -d seen more than 394,000 of their
t embers out of the works to re-
lin out until the strike should be
y ' tied. Thousands more of the
f' ners, whose whole number is
i roughly placed at 500,000, would be
: it tomorrow, they said,
mi i j a -l ai
ft
me -men aireauy on striKe, me
'tiers reported, - were those who
d left the mines today, taking
ir tools with them. Reports from
soft coal fields were incomplete
night and even the union leaders
1 .1. . 1 1 J
i-eea tney wouia await tomorrow
, ;' ore being able to definitely know
y number of men who had obeyed
strike call. But in almost every
. ' -t.ance, the miners' spokesmen as-
, ted that the tieup of the mines
lid oe virtually complete, al-
ough the unions will leave a suf-
ont miniKor rtf moil in tha 'minoe
f man the pumps and keep the
' --perty in shape for resumption of
k when the strike shall be ended,
le union leaders refused to talk
account of the restraining order
tecf at Indianapolis.
Bulk of Men Out.
"eports to the union leaders to
ht indicated that the bulk of the
"ers in the great producing re
ns of Pennsylvania, West Vir
la, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky,
jrado, Kansas, Montana and Wy
ng had left the mines at the
s of the day shift to remain on
i. ' ike-
' "he following table by states of
n who left the mines today and
l1 ght to obey the strike call is
.J J !. .-!.
-nates, received by union leaders
ughout, the country: Arkansas,
Colorado, 5000; Illinois, 80,
, Indiani, 25,000; Iowa, 14,000;
v .. sas, lZ.UUU; Kentucky, 20,000;
j ; yland, 1800; Michigan, 2400;
jhi''. .issippi, 1000; Montana, 4000;
I ,' Mexico, 4000; Ohio, 40,000;
N. ,homa, 6000; Pennsylvania, 100,-
lennessee, zuuu; uian, iuvv;
,hington, 6000; West Virginia,
V : '00, and Wyoming, 8000.
Jj- Southern Reports Missing.
I "hile no reports were available
1 n Alabama and Virginia, union
. 'ers said there were numbers of
on strike.
!' . hat tomorrow's reports would
yv v, the union chiefs said, they
C , ' unable to predict, except that
l' ; itrike would be of so vast an ex-
s
y
A-
as to parajyze production of
. ninous coal.
Utah miners were quitting
-k today in spite of a notice
;ling off the strike as issued by
an H. McLennan, Utah represent-
i ! of the United Mine Workers of
v lorica. JUr. JYlcLennan announced
- '; he had received from John L.
s, acting president of the or-
I ization,, at Indianapolis, a mes
! - . informing i im that the strike
Id be called off. Mr. Lewis,
ver; repudiated the message
. no further explanation of the
tery was found.
"S- sewhere union leaders went
I id with their plans for the
f, , some of them defiant of the
ction issued in the Indianapolis
II al court restraining the nation
ficers and presidents and secre
s of districts from issuing fur
messages or instructions to
r members to strike.
Circulars Are Issued.
v' resident William Stevenson of
f :ct No. 4 (Michigan), declared
. .dn't believe there was a judge
(.Concluded on .Fase 2. Coiiuun 3,
Every Effort to Be Made for Pro
tection of Miners Who Desire
to Continue Operations.
CHICAGO, Oct. 31. With federal
troops in West Virginia, requested by
Governor Cornwell. the central de
partment of the army, commanded by
General Leonard Wood, anticipated no
further troop movements tonight in
cennection with the strike of coal
miners, it was said at headquarters.
The department was prepared for any
emergency.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 troops are
within the jurisdiction of the central
department, and in addition. General
Wood was given authority by the war
department to command any other
needed troops in states where there
Ere no coal mines. ,
DENVER, Colo.. Oct. 31. Three
companies of state troops mobilized
at Gollen tonight were ordered to
proceed immediately to the coal fields
at Frederick, Colo. They are to en
train at 11 o'clock. Troops mobilized
at Trinidad will proceed to the south
ern coal fields tomorrow, it was an
nounced at the capitol.
H.ARRISBURG. Pa., Oct. 31. Gov
ernor William C. Sproul, in a state
ment tonicrht, gave formal notice that
"the full power of the commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, through all its agen
cies, will be used to protect those who
desire to continue to work" during
the mine workers" strike. Miners'
marches and "any other demonstra
tions which might lead to disorders"
will not bo allowed, the statement
said.
K.VOXVILLE. Tenn.. Oct. 31. Major-General
E. M. Lewis, it was an
nounced here tonight, has ordered
three companies of federal troops to
Kncxville to be ready to enter the
coal fields of east Tennessee or east
ern Kentucky, in event trouble arises
following the strike of miners called
for Friday midnight. The men are
to be sent from Camp Gordon.
HU.NTIXGTON, W. Va.. Oct. SI.
Four hundred soldiers arrived from
Camp Taylor, Ky., at 6 o'clock P. M.
for strike duty in the West Virginia
coal fields. The men were not per
mitted to leave the cars.
The second troop train and a sup
Ply train arrived at 7:25 o'clock. Ma
jor Charles L. Coulter, Intelligence
officer, said the troops would remain
in Huntington pending further orders
fiorn Major-General . Leonard Wood,
commanding the central department.
The men, it was said, would remain
in the cars until such orders had been
received.
MORGANS DENY INTEREST
Report or Financing Development
Work in Far East Is Denied.
NEW YORK. Oct. 31. A member
of the firm of J. P. Morgan & Co. de
nied today the report from San Fran
cisco that a group of American
financiers, led by the Morgan com
pany, had combined with Japanese in
terests for the development of the
resources of China, Siberia, Man
churia and Mongolia.
"The Morgan company," he said, "is
in no way, connected with any private
enterprise in the development of
China or Siberian resources."
The San Francisco announcement
was made last night by Tatsuya Kato,
director of the Manchurlan railway
and the South Manchurian Mining
company.
WETS FILE INJUNCTION
Distillers Seek to Block Enforce
ment of Prohibition.
CHICAGO. Oct. 31. Suit to enjoin
the government from enforcing the
war-time prohibition act and attack
ing it as unconstitutional was filed in
the United States district court late
today by Levy Mayer, counsel for the
distillers.
The suit alleges that war-time pro
hibition violates the fifth and tenth
amendments to the constitution,
which respectively prohibit confisca
tion of property without just com
pensation, and affirms that power not
delegated to the United States not
prohibited to the states shall be pre
served to the states or to the people.
PHOTOS REPLACE TYPE
Engravings Used to Issue Paper
Despite Printers' Strike.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 31. Photo-engravings
of the editorial col
umns and some advertisements will
be used in the Saturday morning Is
sue of the Tennesseean, In order to
get out the paper despite a printers'
walkout. Three newspapers of Nash
ville are affected by a "vacation" in
the composing rooms.
The walkout followed a demand for
a fourth bonus of $1 a day. Three
bonusses totaling $1.25 were already
being paid by the publishers.
SUGAR SHORTAGE MISSED
Cottage Grove Is One of Few Places
Where Stocks Are Ample.
COTTAGE GROVE, Or., Oct. 31.
(Special.) The sugar shortage has
not greatly inconvenienced people
here. There has not been a time
when users could not get at least a
dollar's worth at a time and only a
short time ago it was to be had in
sack lots.
Now that the canning season is
about over there seeros little . proba
bility that there will be any trouble
iu getting plenty for ordinary need
ACTION OfJ TREATY
Democratic Senate Whip
Prevents Early Vote.
COURSE CALLED SUBTERFUGE
Stand of Wilson's Spokesman
Astounds Lawmakers.
M'NARY EXPOSES MOVE
Labor Leaders . at Capital Charge
President ts Mentally Irrespon
sible to Discharge Duties.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington. Oct.' 31. Objection by
Senator Hitchcock, administration
leader In the senate today to Senator
Fall's motion for unanimous consent
for a final vote on the peace treaty.
November 10, Is interpreted as an ad
mission that the administration forces
wish to stave off action until Presi
dent Wilson ib able to be consulted.
Hitchcock's objection was Unexpect
ed and amounted to a sensation. The
treaty reservatlonists could not be
lieve their ears and declared that it
indicated that the administration
cause is rudderless with Mr. Wilson
in bed and impossible of access. Im
mediately after this development in
the senate proceedings . there was a
scurrying about to" gain Interviews
with Hitchcock and hear his excuse
tor such unexpected action after hav
ing from day to day in public state
ments told the country that the re
publicans and two or three demo
crats were delaying the treaty by
filibustering tactics. .
Count rr-Proiofil Is Eiront.
His excuse was that he had a counter-proposal,
which was revealed late
tonight when he submitted his plan
to limit the debate to 15 minutes to
each senator on each amendment and
reservation without setting any date
for a vote. While he contended that
such an agreement would in the nat
ural course hasten the' treaty to a
Vote, the ressrvationists accused bim
of playing for time.'
Senator McNary, for example, point
ed out that there are approximately
60 amendments and reservations and
that to allow each senator 15 minutes
would consume 882 hours or approx
imately three months, taking eight
hours debate as the average day, and
allowing for no other business of the
senate.
Blame for DrlaT Placed.
Those who wish an early ratifica
tion of the treaty said that it must be
assumed that Hitchcock spoke for the
administration and that for all delay
henceforth the administration must
take the blame. The plan submitted
by Senator Long late today, however,
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.)
................ .
! THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN BEHIND THE GUN THAT DOES THE WORK. I
t :
.- JLr .-- l JJ, J. ajjjl A JJJJ. P JL ,-- A .- JL A - SJL A eeeeagejee.e.e . 4
Xot One Vote . Opposes Resolution
to Place Every Resource Behind
President In Situation.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. By an
overwhelming vote, the house today
adopted the senate resolution pledg
ing support to the "national admin
istration and all others In authority,"
In their efforts to meet "the present
industrial emergency.".
On the rollcall not one of the 266
members present cast a negative vote.
As the senate has adopted the resolu
tion, the house action completed its
enactment, as the measure does not
have to receive presidential approval.
Representative Kitchin. democrat.
North Carolina, said such a resolu
tion should have been adopted before
Industrial conditions became acute.
"Then people of this country would
have learned not to follow bolshe
vistic leaders, which the miners in
their Ignorance have done," said he.
Representative Wood, republican.
Indiana, declared "that if there ever
was a time the people must stand
in solid phalanx behind constitutional
government it is now," adding that
300 strikes were prevalent in the
country.
JAPAN RATIFIES TREATY
Emperor Signs Following Approval
by Privy Council.
TOKIO, Oct. 31. The emperor today
ratified the Versailles peace treaty.
Tokio advices received yesterday
announced the ratification of the Ger
man peace treaty by Japan. It is
clear from the foregoing that the rat
ification was by virtue of imperial ac
tion. It was not preceded by any
action by the parliament, the consti
tution of Japan not requiring the as
sent of the legislative body.
Previous advices had shown that
the treaty had been examined by the
privy council and that at a meeting
on Monday last it was approved by
the council without reservation and
submitted to the emperor.
Japan's favorable action on the
treaty leaves the pact unratified only
by the United States.
The terms of the treaty stipulated
that the ratification by three of the
principal powers puts it into effect as
to those powers and Germany.
SEAPLANE TO COME HERE
Naval Airmen to Start Flight From
San Diego to Portland.
SAN DIEGO, Cal., Oct. 31. Author
ity has been received by the naval
air station at North Island for a sea
plane flight from this port to Port
land, Or., and return, it was -announced
today. The flight, which it
is intended to make in a few days,
will probably be made by two or
three of the F-6-L type of seaplane,
the largest naval aircraft in the Pa
cific. It is planned to make only two
stops between here and Portland; one
will bo at San Francisco and the other
near the California-Oregon border.
The flight will be the longest yet
attempted by naval airmen on this
coast.
Rescne of "Willa C. Woodfin From
River at Park Place Brings Re
ward; 4 9 Others, Honored.
PITTSBURG, Oct. 31. Fifty-one acts
of heroism were recognised and re
warded by the Carnegie hero fund
commission at a meeting held today.
In five cases silver medals were
awarded; in 46 cases bronze medals.
Thirteen of the heroes lost their Uvea
and to the dependents of three of
these pensions aggregating $2160 a
j ear were granted; to the dependents
of six of the others who lost their
lives the sum of $3750 was granted to
be. applied as the commission may
decide. One of the heroes sustained
injuries and ha received disability
benefits In the sum of $400.
In seven cases $10,000 was appro
priated for educational purposes and
in 27 cases awards aggregating $23,
500 were made for other worthy pur
poses. Among the awards are the fol
lowing: Silver medal Kate Dekker, Cres
ton. Wash., saved William W. Jr.. and
Ethel M. Coman. children, from burn
ing at Creston, June 9, 1917.
Glenn W. McClure, deceased. New
Plymouth. Idaho, died attempting' to
save Raymond W. Hooker from drown
ing at Fruitland. Idaho, July 9, 1917.
Eminett L. Allen, deceased, Port
land, Or., died attempting to save
Willa C. Woodfin from drowning at
Park Place. Or.. June 9, 1918.
Leonard Baylis, Portland, Or., saved
Willa C. Woodfin from drowning at
park Place, Or., June 9. 1918.
Cyrus C Milam, deceased, Lewlston,
Idaho, died saving Shelona M. Witter,
from drowning at Silcott, Wash., June
23. 1918.
Timothy L. Emerson, deceased, Pull
man. Wash., died attempting to help
save Shelona M. Witter from drown
ing at Silcott. Wash., June 23, 1918.
Fern Faulkner, deceased, Everett
Wash., died attempting to save Harry
G. Larson from drowning at Lake
Stevens, Wash.. January 1. 1919.
KEEP FOOD ACT, IS PLEA
Palmer Asks Congress to Extend
Control a Months After Peace.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 31. Extension
of the Lever food control act six
months after confirmation of peace,
was T,-quested of congress today by
Attorney-General Palmer.
In his lettet o Speaker Gillett, Mr.
Palmer did ft., , go into the reasons
for his request, but said he would
be glad to explain It before any con
gressional committee.
BOMBER HAS STOWAWAY
Private From Knnls, Texas, Car
ried by Colonel Uartz.
EL PASO, Tex-. Oct. 31. Lieutenant-Colonel
R. S. Hartz' Martin bomb
ing airplane, leaving El Paso today
for Dallas in continuance of Its
"round-the-rim" trip, carried a stow
away. Private Alvin Breeland.of En
nis, Tex., a recruit in the 11th aero
squadron stationed at Fort Bliss.
War Department Esti
mates Are Cut Down.
300,000 THOUGHT SUFFICIENT
Modified Form of Universal
Military Training Favored.
BENEFITS POINTED OUT
Interference by Start Into Work
of Officers of Line Is Re-
scntcd by Commander.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31. In many
important respects dissenting from
the programme recommended by the
war department and the general staff.
General Pershing told the military
committees of congress today that
300,000 men, raised entirely by volun
tary enlistment, should be the out
side figure considered for a standing
army.
He favored universal military
training to provide an emergency' re
serve, but thought general educational
work should be combined with it and
military discipline "somewhat re
laxed." so that the system would be
in complete harmony with democratic
institutions. He fixed six months as
the training period.
The department had recommended
an army of more than 600,000, with a
system of universal training not em
bracing the educational feature. It's
recommendation for a training period
was three months.
Staff Officers Kirrulvc.
Departing again from the expressed
views of the department, the general
declared army purchasing should be
reorganized in a new bureau apart
from the quartermaster corps and
that a separate dtiartment of the
government should be organized to
co-ordinate and supervise military,
naval , and commercial, aeronautics.
He considered the departments re
quebt . for .331 generaWstaff officers
excessive, and made clear his oppo
sition to any effort by the staff to
extend its authority into the detail;
of the department bureaus and of the
line.
General Pershing expressed severaJ
times his unfamiliarity with the pres
ent makeup and policy of the gen
eral staff and emphasized that he was
speaking directly from his exper
iences in the field.
Interference la Resented.
When one representative asked
whether he approved an apparent
tendency of the staff to project its
control into details of the line, he
brought hjs fist down upon the table
and snapped'.
"I certainly do not."
He was equally emphatic when a
senator asked whether the staff
ought not to take the military com
mittees into its confidence about the
general situation in the army.
"I am quite sure of it." he quickly
replied.
Only once or twice did the ques
tioning lead him into discussion of
the activities of the American armies
in France, though that is expected to
come in for more detailed considera
tion before he completes his testi
mony. He will appear 'again tomor
row and his statenint may run into
next week.
No Combat Planes in Field.
Asked for the facts about the num
ber of airplanes and artillery pieces
which reached the American army,
the general said no American com
bat planes at all had been received
up to the .beginning of this year,
though on January 1 a total of 1443
American machines of the observa
tion type were on hand, together
With 5181 of various types made in
Europe. The only American guns
which got into action, he said, were
some eight-inch pieces. About 170
American made 75-mm guns reached
France, but they were never used.
He did not have the exact figures
on guns and planes at the time of
the armistice.
The witness also touched on his
experience in France in discussing
the size of the general staff, eaying
that his staff at the time of the
armistice, when more than 2.000.000
men were under his command, con
sisted of less than 350 officers. While
he thought that proportion might not
obtain exactly for the new peace time
army, he expressed an opinion that
the department's estimate of 231
could be cut down considerably.
Rank Favored for Ngraea,
General Pershing also recommend
ed that rank up to and including sec
ond lieutenant be given army nurses,
that etudents at West Point be re
quired to serve a year In the army
or go to a training camp; that the
pay of officers and enlisted men be
increased: that reserve officers be
classified and assigned on paper to
definite units; that the scope of army
service schools be broadened, and
that the duties of bureau chiefs be
prescribed by law and the president
empowered to remove them.
Suggesting "275.000 to 300.000 and
possibly les3." as the "outside figure"
for the peace army, he said the cost
of maintaining a larger establish
ment was' a consideration which
could not be overlooked. He did
not make a detailed statement of the
.ICouuiudsd su I'age Culiuua i.i.
All Windows Blown Out of Build
ing and Much of East Side
Left in Darkness.
Explosion of two transformers in
the Mount Tabor sub-station of the
Portland Railway, Light & Power
Co. at 7:30 o'clock last night dam
aged the building, endangered the
lives of workmen in the plant and
cut niuh of the east side off without
light and power for a considerable
period. The explosion also caused
a big electrical display and the fire
department sent an engine to pre
vent the spread of flames, which were
confined within a brick-lined room.
Residents many blocks away heard
the explosion, which blew out most
of the windows of the sub-station,
located on East Sixtieth street, be
tween" Stark and Oak streets. Only
the fact that no employe was in the
room at the time saved the workmen
from serious injury.
Power on certain lines downtown
was affected by the explosion, which
is the second to have occurred at the
Mount Tabor sub-station in recent
months.
One of the freaks of the break in
current was that it disrupted the
happy tenor of a wedding on the east
side in which a prominent Portland
man was ono of the principals. The
minister was only half through the
ceremony when the lights snuffed
out. It was not until a hurried search
had brought forth some candles that
the service could be completed.
HARDING NOT IN RACE
Ohio Senator Aks Party Support
for Re-election.
COLUMBUS. O., Oct. 31. In a letter
to the Ohio republican state advisory
committee in session here today.
United States Senator Warren G.
Harding announced that he is not a
candidate for the republican nomina
tion for the presidency, and asked for
the committee's support for re-elec-lion
to the senate.
The committee adopted a resolu
tion indorsing him for re-election.
3 BOLSHEVIK SHIPS SUNK
British Fleet Bombards Vessels
Near Petrograd.
. ' LONDON- Oct. 81. An unconfirmed
teport hav reached the Globe that
three bolshevik vessels were sunk
when the bolshevik attempted to land
on the coast in the neighborhood of
Petrograd.
The vessels were bombarded by a
British- fleet.
SHELLS HIT 78 IN RIGA
(iornian Bombardment Claims Live?
of 26 Men, Women and Children.
LONDON. Oct. 31. The Lettish press
bureau reports that up to October '2$
the number of victims tken to hos
pitals as a result of the Oerman bom
bardment of Icifra was 78 men, women
and children, of whom 26 had died.
These figures do not include any
killed or wounded by poisonous shell?.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weathrr.
TEfTKR DAY'S Maximum temperature.
oO df urees; minimum, -41 degrees.
TODAY'S Kain ; moderate southerly
Coal St--ikr.
W flson signs eatut fixing coal prices.
PHgC 'J,
Washington miners quit work quietly.
I'ase .
Every ret-ource of government put behind
president by conyrets. Page 1.
Troops are called for protection of miners
remaining on duty. Page 1.
Leaders of coal miners silenced by re
straining order. Page i.
394,000 coal miners strike. Page 1.
Gompers predicts tpread of strike. Page 3.
Foreign.
Von Bethmann-Hollweg on stand. Page 6.
National.
Senator Txnige asks .for vote on treaty
November 12. Page 5.
Pershing sees no need of big army.
Page 1.
Hitchcock blocks early final vote on peace
treaty. Page 1.
Domestic.
King Albert of Belgium -pays tribute to
American people and resources. Page 6.
Don lan says Carey edged out of $5uu,00u
profit spruce deal. Page 5.
Portland heroes win Carnegie medals.
Page 1.
Dissension sweeps ranks of fair-prict com
mittee. Page 8.
S ports.
Franklin high school eleven beats Benson
Tech, 10 to 0. Page 14.
Washington football coach sends out
"bear" story on O.-W. game. Page 14.
Midwest big ten football teams face se
vere test- Page 15.
Harry Paul, Denver bantam, arrives for
coming battle. Page 15.
Pacific orthwetit.
Colonel Tucker, retired army officer, dies
at Hood River. Page .4.
Harold Howell calm on witness stand.
Page 4.
Wounded veteran of 91st, jilted, shoots
seif in head. Page 9.
Commercial and Marine.
Higher prices on top grade apples are
looked for. Page 1M.
Wet weather strengthens corn market at
Chicago. Page '21.
Stocks advance sharply despite threatened
miners strike. Page 21.
Grand Jury report charges shipbuilders
with criminal neglect. Page 16.
Portland and Vicinity.
Reports on city zoning plan heard by realty
board. Page 13.
Canvassing teams to continue livestock
ehow drive. Page 7.
Conciliation board grants electricians' In
creases. Page 1.
Mount Tabor electric station damaged by
explosion. Page 1.
Government employment agency clones.
Page 1'2.
Attack on Dr. Boyd attributed to age-old
controversy. Page 12.
"We're all slaves," says Dr. Equi, sen
tenced to serve two years. Page D.
Transcontinental air race ends; eight fin
iau. Pa; d
NEARLY ALL DEMANDS KEF
Rate Increase by Power Com
pany Held Not Necessary,
DECISION TO BE BINDING
Earnings of Portland Railway,
Light & Power Regarded as
Showing Sufficient Margin,
In the-main, conceding' demands ol
the employes, ana at the earns time
expressing the opinion that the wage
increases allowed will not make an
increase in rates by the company Jus
tifiable, the state board of concilia
tion, composed of J. K. Flynn, Otto
Hartwig. and W. F. Woodward, yes
terday handed down its decision in
the case of the local electrical union
workers versus the Portland Railway,
Light and Power company, in which a
higher wage had been demanded by
the union. The decision of the board,
under the agreement entered into by
both parties when the arbitration pro
ceedings were begun, will be binding
and retroactive to October 1.
Under the awards as handed down
by the board of conciliation, the min
imum wage for men engagetl in elec
trical work for the Portland Railway.
Light and Power company will be $5,
instead of J3.60 as heretofore. The
minimum asked by the unin was
$5.90. The highest paid employes will
henceforth receive $9 a day Instead
of $7.15. The union In its proposed
wage scale demanded $9.15 for these
men.
Demands PTartl-al1y Met.
Taking into consideration the haz
ardous nature of the work, the fact
that the men are not considered insurable-
risks, the skill, vigor, train
ing and accuracy demanded, the con
ciliation board determined upon a new
wage scale which practically meets
the demands made by the union for
all classes of more experienced work
ers and for those engaged in th
most hazardous work. Apprentices
and less skilled workers and also
those engaged In the safer occupa
tions were granted increases in wages
of SO per cent of the demands.
The decision as rendered will mean
an increase in dally wages paid by
the company of about $350. members
of the conciliation board stated yes
terday. The original demands of the
union would have called for an in
crease of $440 a da-. In all. there an
231 members of local union No. 125.
International Brotherhood of Elec
trical Workers, affected by the decis
ion. The total amount of back pay
which the company will be called
upon to pay. to make up the differ
ence in wages since October 1, wU
exceed $9000.
linte Kie Held luiiMMiuiry,
In spite of the additional expense)
which the decision will place upon
the company in the way of wages, the
conciliation board held in its decision
that no Increase in rates will be Justi
fiable on the part of the company, it
being stated that investigation showed
that the power and light branch of
the business, in which these electrical
workers are engaged, has been prof
itable. Net earnings of the company In
dicate," the report states, "that tha
light and power service is now and
has been relatively profitable and
that these Increases will not appreci
ably affect them. The board does not
regard, based upon the company's
own showing, titet rates for either
light or power should necessarily bo
increased in order to meet the ad
vances imposed herein, either in whola
or in part."
The decision was reached after two
weeks consideration of the problem
by the conciliation board, during
which time a number of public hear
ings were held, testimony taken from
representatives of both employer and
employes and statistics obtained from
other- cities as far distant as San
Diego and Denver regarding tha
wages paid.
Joint Appeal Answered.
The conciliation board undertook:
the arbitration of the wage dispute
when appealed to jointly by the Port
land Railway, Light & Power com
pany and the local union. When it
came time for the drawing up of a
new working agreement a few weeks
ago the company and the men
reached an understanding as to hours
and working conditions, but were
unable to get together on the matter
of wages. The men asked an in
crease of $2.00 a ' day, while the
company offered 50 cents per day
additional. The award of the concili
ation board gives the men $2.00 a.
day additional in a number of in
stances and strikes an average which,
exceeds $1.00 a day increase for alL
The decision of the conciliation
board is given in part as follows:
"Electrical energy in the form of
power and light, its production and
distribution, call for more than ordi
nary skill, and all who have to do
with it must of necessity measure up
to inflexible standards of training,
skill, strength and health. In a public
service so intimately related to the
I economic and industrial life of the
, iCuiitludcu on i e i, Column 1.)
f
105.5v