The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-15
TO BETTER
RELATIONS.
Noted Representatives Of Labor
and Capital Meet.
National Civic Federation Con-
ference Opens in Chicago.
FARMER REPRESENTED
John INSTALL Attends on Behalf
of Agriculturists
Addresses by Oscar Straus,
Henry White and Others.

SH4CdSOs OCl~ l0--EzKlD l0IOTS anu 1e1OOI
representatives of national reputation
were in attendance today in Steinway
hall at the opening session of the Ma
tional Civic Federation conference,
which is to discuss and debate ques-
tons affecting wage Garner and capital
list in an effort to better relations be-
tween them and to right industrial evil.
William D. Mahon, president of the
Amalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees of America; Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor; John Mitchell.
president of the United Mine Workers,
and S. S. Mcclure, of New York, were
among those present at the gathering
which was called to order by Judge
Arba N. Waterman, president of the
Chicago branch of the Civic Federation.
Capital was also represented as was
the farmer, T. f. Woodlock, editor OF
a New York financial paper; Oscar s
Straus, president of the New York
board of trade and transportation, and
John M. Stahl, who will represent the
agriculturists, being in attendance
Judge Waterman made brief ad-
dress stating the purpose of the con-
ference and asserting that no industrial
progress was possible except under the
reign of peace which the conference is
endeavoring to bring about.
Howard w. Taylor, city prosecutor,
welcomed the visiting delegates on be-
half of Chicago. Mayor Harrison being
unable to be present
Mr. Straus was introduced and pre-
tsided at today's session. He spoke on
How to establish better relations be-
tween employer and employees" advo-
eating conservatism in dealing with
labor troubles.
MR.. STRAUSS ADDRESS.
THE value of trade unions in raising
the standard of living and in guarding
| the interests of labor, in regulating the
| hours and conditions of work, are bene-
| fits which organization has unquestion-
| ably promoted. The great hope of our
| industrial future is, that the working
classes whose powers for good and for
! evil have been so strengthened by or
ganization, will be guided by enlighten-
| ed principles and abstain from seeking
proximate benefits in contravention of
undoubted economic experiences and at
/ the cost of fundamental rights To the
/ extent they misuse their great power. of
4 arbitrarily curtailing the rights of their
/ fellow labOrers or their employers, they
array themselves against public senti-
ment, and from that day their power
and their usefulness will decline Even
| if labor organizations comprised the en-
/ fire number of wage workers in the
| country this would give them no right
either to override the personal liberty of
| those within or beyond their ranks or to
insist upon special privileges or i'm
munities. They must rely upon the
| business of their cause and to the ex-
| tent that force is used the boycott of
the bludgeon in compelling others to
unite with them to that extent they
1 mega tive their own claim to being a
brotherhood organization, whose purpose
| is to elevate and benefit the wage earn
! ing class. But as a matter of fact while
the labor organizations are very strong
in some industries, they include only
| about Is per cent of the wage earnerS
| of the country, and it must not be for
gotten that organization, however pow
| erful can give no rights to curtail the
personal liberty of the remaining 50 per
| cent of the wage earners of the coun-
try.
while the greatly increased organi-
zation of both laborers and employers is
a fact which must be taken into con-
| sideratiOn in discussing the industrial
future, it must not be overlooked that
however powerful these great interests
NAV grow they can only embrace q
fraction of the people in any country
The general public is greater and many
times more numerous than these tive
| powerful bodies combined and upon il
must fall the heaviest losses that grow
out of industrial war. The general pub
lie is patient, long suffering and endur-
ing It's only organization is the genera
government, municipal, state and ma
tional for the protection of the public
welfare. Pubic opinion Q61IldIuS lI1d
the great public service corpora tions moi
only shall perform their function but
also thew shall not be DISTRACTED II
that performance and it also demands
that the great avenues of supply ane
| distribution of the necessities OF Life
shall not be arbitrarily cut off in order
to test their relative strength and en-
during powers of contending forces.
.'Organized labor and organized CAPT
| tai are in a formative state. They arr
= ! ,.os- cd Witt
time and experience reaction in faVol
of conservatism will make itself felt, ant
in the meantime conciliation will he'll
rather than hinder more reliable ant
permanent remedy
Henry White. general secretary of th'
United Garment Workers, spoke of The
solution of industrial problems Through
associated action
HENRY WHITES REMARKS
Henry White. general secretary of tn
United Garment Workers. spoke of ''Th
solution of industrial problems through
associated action. He said:
might alone will never solve tn
problem It Is highly important wher
I it enables the fellow underneath to ge
a footing so that both can fight oil
equal terms. The situation would b
improved as it would result in faire
! division of wealth. but it is far from
satisfactory as there is state of war
and even where fighting is not going or
peace is a sort of armed truce Their
must be something more than might
sense of fair dealing and mutual fore
bearance if better relations are to b
maintained Only as people refrai
from taking full advantage of all tnei
oppoPtunities as in the case of famil'
or in our dealings with friends Will W
get near a solution and approach res
peace"
Thomas F. Woodlock of New York, il
an address to the conference referred [
the financial situation and declared tina
1.-THE indications were strong in the reac
[ ton of business. which while it woul
not be prolonged or serious, should nev
ertheless be taken into account by tn
leaders of associated labor as a reasO
for great conservatism in their dealing
with employees
After Mr. Woodlock's address re
. cess was taken.