ddr-densho-56-300

I.W.W. PLANS BLOW TO FEDERATION UNIONISTS

State Labor Commissioner Hears of Plot to Return to Lumber Camps and Let A.F.L. Stay Out In Cold.

OLYMPIA, Tuesday, Sept. 11. -- Reports received by the State Department of Labor on recent lumber mill and logging camp developments indicate the prospect of employers and the I.W.W. getting together through the latter's going back to work with the approach of wet weather, leaving the shingle weavers and timber workers who are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor out on a limb of a losing strike for the eight-hour day. The federation organizations have opposed the I.W.W. throughout the strike. An opportunity of driving the federation into a corner and at the same time strengthening its own sinews by a winter's work will not now be overlooked by the I.W.W., it is believed, by those officially interested in the state's labor situation.

Live in Jungle Camps.

It is pointed out that the I.W.W. members have been able to hold out in good weather by flocking together in "jungle" camps; federation organizations comprise the class of labor with families and small property. In addition to their grievances against federation members the I.W.W. is known to have found fresh cause of enmity against organized labor in the attitude recently taken by Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor.

His position is accepted as that of open hostility to the I.W.W., and the latter, it is believed, will develop a new angle in the general labor situation by damaging the federation as much as possible as a measure of retaliation.

I.W.W. leaders also figure that by monopolizing the work in mills and camps this winter they can convince federation members of the hopelessness of their methods to win over a controlling membership to the I.W.W.

That this is the situation now developing, and that the timber strike will be resumed in the spring for eight hours, is the opinion of State Labor Commissioner C.H. Younger, unless the government succeeds in eliminating the I.W.W. With the latter out of the way, federation unions believe they could win, while I.W.W. leaders assert that they could enforce their demands, but for the federation unions.

On this account it is expected that the approaching sinter, when work is scarcer and the weather bad, will see the concluding stage in the struggle of the I.W.W. for supremacy over regular organized labor units.

Abandon Direct Action.

With their headquarters raided for evidence and every indication of federal surveillance and prosecution, it is known that the directing heads of the I.W.W. have for the time abandoned the doctrine of direct action.

That this prospect is disturbing to leaders of federation organizations is made plain to the State Department of Labor. The federation members present the argument that with all their voluntary and official protestations of loyalty, willingness to submit their differences to conference and arbitration, and to abide by contracts, the I.W.W. itinerant worker is likely to find employment at good wages all winter, while the union labor man will have to take what he can get. The latter professes no doubt that the employes will use the I.W.W. to the fullest advantage in stamping out all remnants of the demand for an eight-hour day.

Box Mill Operating.

M.P. Goodner, secretary of the State Council of Defense, was notified today by the Siler Mill Company in the Willapa region that it had resumed manufacture of fruit box material with half a crew of thirty-five men. The Willapa Lumber Company was also reported to be running with fifty or sixty men where a crew of 200 is usually employed.

Secretary Goodner says the fruit box situation has been considerably lightened as a result of recent Council of Defense activity and that growers who are still in need of boxes may obtain some relief by writing to the State Council of Defense, Olympia. About a dozen mills have notified council headquarters that they are not entirely up to capacity on orders and may be able to accept a few more.