The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-17
ATRIBUNAL OF PEACE
LABOR AND CAPITAL DISCUSS
GREAT QUESTION.
HOW TO MINIMIZE DISPUTES.
NATIONAL CIVIC FEDERATIoN's
GOOD MOVE.

StuuGhtS VI fsCOHOhtCS ahO
nent PreIates Aid in search of So
Iution-President schwab Says
Labor Unions Will Fail as Trusts
Have FaiIed-Senator Hanna APP
proves of the Principle of Organ
ixed Labor-Archbishop Ireland
Tells of the Position of the
Church.
New York, Dec. 16.-Brought togeth-
er through the good offices of the Ma
tional Civic Federation, leading repre~
sentatives of labor and capital met
here to-day to discuss plans to mini
mize wage and industrial disputes.
Aiding them with counsel were several
+ pf prominent students economics and
leading figures in the religious world,
and the opening session was notable
for a number of striking expressions
and comments upon the problem faced
by the conferees. Oscar Strauss, form
er minister to Turkey, who acted as
chairman, announced that it was plan
ned to form a general executive COM
mittee with representation divided
among labor, capital and the great
public. and that it was hoped that it
would become a tribunal of peace,
where the conflicting interests might
meet ON even footing and settle their
differences in a spirit of Cancellation
and mutual liberation.
Senator NJ. A. Hanna, Charles M.
Schwab, president of the United States
Steel Corporations; Archbishop Ireland,
Bishop Potter, S. r. Galloway, presi-
dent of the American Locomotive
Works; E. d. Durand, secretary of the
Industrial Commission; Theodore Mar
burg of Baltimore; w. H. Pfahler of
Philadelphia; c. c. Kerens of st.
Louis; r. NJ. Easley of the National
Civic Federation: John Philips of the
National Hatters Union; James Ryan
of the International Typographical
Union. and Marcus Marks. president
of the National Clothing Makers As
sociation, were among the men who
attended the opening meeting.
Unions, Like Trusts, VIII Fail,
Charles NJ. Schwab declared that he
was opposed to labor unions as they
were now CONSTITUTED, anu 6dlu LHdL
they must fail as the trusts had fail
ed, for seeking to limit the output and
control prices.
II am here" he said, with a mind
open to conviction, anxious to see the
other side of the shield, as Bishop Pot
ter has said, and ready to do that
which is fair. 1t may be that this is
a selfish motive, but realize that up
ON the peaceful adjustment of the diff
u. 4. - Il
labor depends the future prosperity OF
the United States. The decadance OF
trade in other countries Is due to the
hostility of labor unions. | do not de-
ny that capital has been arbitrary and
unfair. 1 am not opposed to labor
unions per Sc, but ] am against them
as they are now constituted. Labor
unions Will not succeed, as the trusts
have not succeeded, on the principal
of limiting production Consolidation
for economy's sake, fair wages, pur-
chasing in the cheapest market. and
selling in the best, are the trade prin-
ciples that will stand. The labor
unions have become trusts. After all,
the fortunes and the prosperity of the
employer and employed are linked to-
gether; they are the same and the two
interests should stand together. / am
willing to come here and give you any
i
that this conference will come to some
good"
Hanna Approves the Principle.
Senator Hanna expressed strong an
prevail Of the principle of organized
labor, and his speech drew apologies
from John Philips and John j. Dom
nelly, two of the labor delegates pres
ent, who confessed that they had held
erroneous and unjust views as to the
attitude of the senator toward or
ganized labor.
Senator Hanna related an experience
he had with coal miners In Ohio many
years ago, and said that the experience
had made him an advocate of union
ism. Il saw then" he said. "and
believe now. that labor and capital
could be brought together. believe
that the day is at hand for their peace.
and / am willing to give the best that
is in me while life lasts to bring labor
and capital together. A settlement OF
the question will do more for good
government, good morals, good social
relations, than anything else that we
could accomplish. To the end OF all
this | freely give whatever service I
can render to this association"
The Duty of the Church.
Archbishop Ireland said that all Eu-
rope looked to the United States to
heal the breach between the two great
interests. AS a minister of religion.
as a member Of church whose pom
tiff had declared that the most import
ant duty of the church was to main
tain peace between labor and capital
he was present to do his duty in a
that made for peace and
harmony and brotherhood among men.
He believed, he said, that the realiza-
ton Of what Americans owed 10 one
another as men and children of God
was needed to bring those opposed to-
gether. He approved the idea of cre-
ating some channel for an exchange OF
IDEAS and the mutual flow of the feel
ing Of brotherhood.
John Philips and John j. Donneliy.
the latter of the New York Bricklay- |
ers' Union. recorded their approval of
the principle OF arbitration and con-
ciliation. and asserted that for years
the hatters and bricklayers in New
York had maintained satisfactory re- |
Iations with the men who employed |
ham