Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-07
HANNA ON LABOR QUESTION
Says Industrial Peace is Necessary to Make
Valuable Combined Capital.
DEPLoREs SOCIALISM AS UNAMERlcAN
Ohio senate and President Gompers
Ably Discuss Industrial ConciIIa-
tIOn, Arbitration ana Their
Possibilities.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April Ex-senator
Hanna was the principal speaker last night
at the closing session OF the sixth annual
meeting Of the American Academy Of Po-
lltical and Social Science. He divided his
subject with Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor, and
the question Of the relation Of capital and
labor was ably discussed by the two sp eak-
ers.
Senator Hanna's topic was: Industrial
Cancellation and Arbitration and Mr..
Gompers spoke on Its Possibilities and
Limitations"
Senator Hanna began his address by re-
f~erring to the efforts OF the National Civic
Federation, to effect a condition OF indus
trial peace. The Industrial department Of
the Civic Federation, he said, had settled
seven strikes In two months, and prevented
other strikes which have rendered idle
more than 200, 900. Senator Hanna stated
that he had first become interested In the
question Of the amicable adjustment Of
difficulties between employe and employer
during the Ohio coal strike in 1876. At
that time, he said. an agreement was en-
tered into between the employers 'asso-
citation and the miners to meet each other
and use every endeavor to arbitrate be-
ore uSluB uTdSJlC measures, COD6 SQuenIly
there has been no other strikes of prom
inence in that region.
Must Have Industrial Peace.
The prominence growing out Of the vast
productive capacity in this country" said
Senator Hanna, has forced the condition
Of the aggregation Of capital; the creation
Of wealth in concrete form. To absorb
1t and to render it valuable as an indus
trial investment. we must have industrial
peace. The Civic Federation is beginning
to lay the foundation of such a result"
Owing to many n%ationalities represented
among the laboring class, the speaker said.
the work of the civic federation must be
principally educational.
This question:" he continued, rests
in the peoples hands. II we have not the
sympathy of the people We cannot hope to
succeed. My experience of thirty years as
an employer has taught me that the en-
ployer is expected to go more than half
way in meeting the employe. We are re-
sponsible to provide work and to see that
the men shall receive a fair share of the
benefits. 1 believe in organized labor, and
it is a demonstrated fact that labor condi-
tions are benefited when entrusted to an
honest leader. Organized labor is a condi-
tion that must be met"
Hanna DenOunces Socialism,.
Senator Hanna denounced socialism as
inimical to society and to Industrial de-
velopment. Socialistic ideas, he said, are
"un-American and unnatural to us as a
people,"
President Gompers' remarks referred
chiefly to the question Of strikes and lock-
outs. Much as a strike Of laboring men is
to be deplored, he said, such action by the
wage Garner is the highest civilized ex-
| preston of discomfort among workmen.
A strike is a protest against wrong and
injustice when there is no other way OF
securing redress.
Every means within the power Of every
man, capitalist or neutral" said the
speaker, should be exerted to avert
strikes, yet there are some things worse
than strikes, among them a degraded, de-
based or demoraliEed manhood. No matter
what may be the result of a strike, IL the
workmen's organization is maintained ar
economic point has been gained or a socia.
defeat prevented"
Mr.. Gompers expressed opposition to com.
pulsory arbitration as being valueless. He
said the civic federation was endeavorinl
to bring about commercial and industrial
success without friction.