The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-10-24
SENATOR HANNA
: ENDORSES MOVEMENT
THE OHIO SENATOR TAKES A
STAND FOR CIVIC FEDER.
ALTON.
He Pleads for Conservatism and Says
This Will Draw Both Sides To.
gether. President Gompers Says la.
Dor Will Oppose Efforts to Cut
Waqes.


Civic Federation Convection, which has
just closed in this city. may mark the
commencement of a series Of sessions
of like nature. An executive session is
announced which will have in hand
recommendations for conservative ac-
ton, between labor organizations and
employers.
Ex-Judge Waterman of the local
branch OF the federation introduced
Senator Hanna, the president of the
national civic federation. Mr.. Hanna
spoke Of the Importance Of the work
engaged in, and the success in bring
ing together capital and labor, which
at first seemed to him imspossible Much
he said, was due to the conservative
element of labor organizations. He ex-
pressed hope for the future and said
that members of the fedora ton who at
first were reluctant to join were now
the most active workers. Since his
connection with an Ohio strike thirty
years ago, he said, he had made up his
mind there was a way to settle differ
ences. The future of success in the
industrial world, the senator said,
would be largely guided by the civic
federation movement, which was start
ed four years ago. The duty of en-
ployers was greater that that of the
employees, and the work of concilliation
was the great work to be done. In all
great difficulties, political and other
wise, compromise is the only thing to
bring success. The work Of the fed
GRAFTON is, he said, a work of educa-
ton, and he added that patience is re-
quired in the work for the good of our
fellowmen individually and for society
as a whole. .
Future success in maintaining in
dustrial success was a greater matter
than the question of who is the next
president. Captains Of industry. he
said and the other side were only too
willing to learn from teachers who
have had experience. Distrust, preach
ed by the labor leaders, he declared to
be an unfair proposition. There is not,
he said, any real difference that cannot
be settled, but fair dealing was neces-
sary. He referred to the wastefulness
of strikes and .1ockouts and, the effect
they had: on capital and labor, ndshoW
aid in the .move nt :of the federation
b,
1areus1 M. rs of sin
discussing ''Thes Minimum Wa gess.
presented this proposition: >|:<>.s :.
First, that yearly agreements
should, whenever possible, be made be-
tween employers and wage earners,
regulating wages, hours, and general
conditions of employment.
Second, that among other conditions
it should be stipulated that there be
no reduction in piece wage or it's equiv
alent in time wage, during the term
of the agreement. This would assure
workn1en that the larger output of the
ablest and quickest will not militate
against the interests of the others.
Third. that if minimum wage is
agreed to, the exceptions thereto shall
be determined by joint conference of
employer and employe.
MISUNDERSTANDING he said,-the
cause of the majority of the labor trou-
bles-are usually cleared up at the
Round table, and it is here that the
present practical abuse of the so-call-
ed Minimum wage could be removed
without strike and without detriment
| to the cause of labor
Saml Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of labor, follow
! ed. ave..
He argued against views of freedom
and individualism expressed by some
at the conference and replied to the
address presented by Marcus NJ. Marks,
regarding the minimum wage, denounc-
! ing certain manufacturers.
He replied to T. +. Wood1ock, a New
York editor, who in an address said
that because Of the reaction in busi-
ness now confronting the country, labor
should make no unreasonable demands
upon their employer. He said: IF the
time comes to suggest the advisability
of employers cutting or making any
attempt to cut wages it will be dis
puted by us. We will not let that go
easily. We will make a stand against
it not alone because it is unecononltc
and unwise, but because it simply ac-
centuatcs the industrial crisis and gives
it greater strength" =:
Labor, Mr.. Gompers said, asks no
special privileges nor Immunity from
laws, but labor: objects to be singled
out when laws are made to apply to it
and to- no other individuals or agre-
! cation or Individuals.