The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-05-24
CIVIC FEDERATION
ITS ORGANIZATION HAS PROVOKED
NO END OF DISCUSSION.
Some Extremists Acknowledge That
Great Good May Come From 1t.
No One Expects Perfection Mt One
Great SvvOOp-Com mittee Will
Expand With Experience-What
Have Wage Farmers to Loose7

The organization Of the Civic Fed
Grafton has provoked no end of dis
cussion. It is admitted by all but the
extremists that great good may come,
and some good surely will come from
this organization. This coming to-
gether of capital, labor and the public
can hardly fail to do some good. In
deed, it already has done considerable
good in the settlement of the long
strike and boycott between the Ma
tional Cash Register company and the
Metal Workers union.
The agreement by both parties in the
great iron strike in San Francisco to
arbitrate, thus ending a strike that
has been waged in that city for ten
! months.
Those who heap criticism upon those
responsible for the organization of the
Civic Federation are unable to see any
good in anyone or anything but them
selves.
many trade unionists as to how this
VI 90 are u dCI.
First Of ALL: no one expects perfection
at one fell swOop.
The committee itself has already in
formed US that they will expand and
improve; that growth and develop
ment must and will come. At the first
meeting set of bylaws was adopted,
and a committee of concilia tion, with
three members representing the three
parties, was appointed.
In case of & dispute arising between
the employer and employee this COM
mittee will attempt settlement; fail
ing to accomplish this, a full report is
to be made to the executive committee,
and they upon invitation, will elect
two capitalists and two wage-earners
to serve as a board of arbitration. If
this board fails to effect a settlement,
provision is made for choosing an um-
be the arbiter, anG whose decision shall
be final and binding upon all.
It should be remembered that there
is nothing compulsory, inasmuch as
both parties agree to abide by the
final decision of this last board.
What have the wage-earners to lose
by arbitration!
. Has not trade arbitration proved sue
eessf,al ina , .s
e t nof more ssngi ble ana more
economical than the strike?
The secretary Of the Boot and Shoe
Operatives union of Great Britain, in
a recent report, says that by arbitra-
tion that great union has won success,
and proved that arbitration Is the
policy that has come to stay.
Can we afford to refuse to arbitrate?
Is it not true that in every strike of
late the workers have been anxious
for arbitration?
And is it not better to arbitrate be-
fore a strike takes place than after?
You who are even half educated in
the trade union movement know that
arbitration is far better than the strike.
The sentiment favorable to arbitra-
ton has made remarkable strides in
every civilized land within the past
year.
The broad highway of arbitration,
with it's humanizing and upbuilding of
the labor movement: is the road that
leads to economic civilization. 1t was
Sydney Webb, the famous author of
the "History of Trade Unionism.' that
first called arbitration by it's proper
name of "collective bargaining"
The idea that the Civic Federation
was organized to sell out the working
class is the merest rot. There Is not
even the faintest echo Of betrayal Of
the workers interests.
The writer is not one who believes
that all the honesty, virtue and honor
is lodged in our class; nor is he class
conscious enough to defend wrongs
committed by the workers simply be-
cause they are workers.
No one sets up the claim that the
Civic Federation policy of arbitration
is absolutely perfect; and, on the other
hand, every sensible man will gladly
give credit to the good it already has
done or may do in the future.
It is recognized by both labor and
capital that strikes are a costly affair
in more ways than one; hence both
want peace.
Modern trade unionism throughout
the world is favorable to arbitration.
The growing power of organized la
Dor on one hand, and the demand by
the public on the other, are responsible
for the organization of the Civi Fed
Grafton.
The public always suffer from
strike. They favor arbitration. The
time is near at hand when this power
OF the public will make it extremely
dangerous for anyone to oppose arbi-
tration. Let the organized workers
place themselves squarely on the side
of arbitration and they will gain the
undoubted support of the public-a
support that is Of tremendous value
everywhere, and most of all in AM