The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-03-08

Proven Satisfactory.
The Labor World has referred to the
peace conference in several articles in
the last few weeks. AS Frank Sargent
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men, is a member of the Industrial
Peace Commission we reprint the fol-
lowing from the Firemen's Journal to
show in what varied forms the con-
ference is being referred to by labor
| publications:
So much has been said by the news
| papers about the peace Conference"
that was held in New York by repre-
sentatives of capital AMI labor that
there is little need of repeating the
story.
The general sentiment of the ire
FORM and labor press seems to be
against the movement, and those pa
pers whose editors are socialists are
! violent in their denunciations of what
they either believe, or pretend to be-
lieve, is a horrible affair. They are
not explicit in their objections, lest it
be that they fear that the Lion and the
lamb have lain down together with
the lamb on the inside of the lion!
Anticipated horrors are usually far
more distressing than their realization.
If ever it becomes evident to organ
lied labor that it has been "buncoed"
there is. nothing which will make it
incumbent upon the workers to rest
their interests with this "Arbitration"
committee. Already one great strike
has been averted through the good Of
NJ irfo OF
the Peace Conference. The garment
| workers of New York have secured a
settlement through the conciliatory in
! fuence of the gentlemen named, that
has been satisfactory to the workers,
and to those who know the neart-
breaking suffering of those impover-
| ished workers will this glad news be
welcome.
| The conference was called and was
! held under the auspices of the Nation
al Civic Federation and was for the
purpose of instituting an industrial
Department" A subcommittee, con-
sisting of Lewis Nixon, Oscar S. Straus
and Frank p. Sargent, was delegated
to draft declaration of the purposes
of this Industrial Department" which
are as follows: r..
- zpr e---
partment shall be to do what may
seem best to promote industrial peace;
to be helpful in establishing rightful
relations between employees and work
ers; by it's good offices to endeavor to
obviate and prevent strikes and lock-
outs; to aid in renewing industrial
relations where rupture has occur
red.
| THAT at all times representatives of
employers and workers., organized or
unorganiZed, should confer for the
adjustment of differences or disputes
before an acute stage is reached and
thus avoid or minimize the number Of
| strikes or 1ockOuts.
"That mutual agreements as to con-
ditions under which labor shall be per-
| formed should be encouraged and that
| when agreements are made the terms
! thereof should be faithfully adhered
to, both in letter and spirit, by both
| parties.
'This department, either as whole
or subcommittee by it appointed,
shall, when requested, act as a forum
to adjust and decide upon questions at
|
ployers provided in it's opinion the SUBJ
ject is one Of sufficient Importance.
"This department will not consider
abstract industrial problems.
| "This department assumes no pow
ers Of arbitration unless such powers
be conferred by both parties to dis
pute.
The next commercial depression can
not always be averted. Foreign coun-
tries, which suddenly became such good
customers of American manufacturers,
are now in great commercial distress,
| and with the exception Of bread stuffs
| our exports are rapidly diminishing.
! Our home consumption yet keeps the
great productive capacity of the coun-
| try busily engaged. How long home
! demand can absorb the supply remains
! to be seen.
When this demand is supplied we
may expect a depression, and with the
depression will come statements that
"we must reduce wages because our
net earnings will not pay the interest
on our securities" Then will the test
of worth come. If the Industrial De-
partment" Of the National Civic Fe-
deration" will intercede, and declare
that the working people of the United
States should not be compelled to pay,
from their wages, interest and divi-
dends on bonds and stocks that repre-
sent no actual investment, securities
that are but the creations of Wall
street stock jobbing, then the Peace
Conference" will have accomplished
some good. If g. majority of these
gentlemen side with the stock jobbers,
whose breed they are, then the workers
will be but in the same condition they
were during the last wage-cutting per-