Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-07
The Wage-Wo rker.

At Sioux Falls yesterday. the President.
IN his reference to the wage-worker. said
some excellent things. His sympathies are
strongly with labor. He has exhibited this
feeling. and he has something to show for
it. His initiative last fall in the matter OF
bringing the coal strike to an end was re-
garded as unwise by some of his friends.
but 1t proved to be both wise and popular
step. The investigation that followed was
thorough. and the commission which con-
Quoted 1t made report fully entitled to the
high praise paid 1t by the President.
Instructed by that report, Mr.. Roosevelt
speaks for a better understanding between
capital and labor; for taking In time the
stitch which saves nine; for tolerance and
candor on both sides: and Of course for
such laws as will accomplish such highly
desirable ends. He says:
''Wise factory laws. laws to forbid the
employment of child labor and to safeguard
the employees against the effects OF cuIpaole
negligence by the employer. are necessary,
not merely in the interest of the wage-work-
er, but in the interest of the honest ana nu-
name employer. who should not be penal
lied for his honesty and humanity by be-
ing exposed to unchecked competition with
an INSCRIPTIONS rival. 1t is far more diff
cult to deal with the greed that works
through cunning than with the greed that
works through violence. But the effort to
deal with it must be steadily made. -,.-
We then have this suggestion. Of local
concern:
..of course the national government has
but a small field In which 1t can work In
labor matters. Something 1t can do. now
ever, and that something ought TO De Oone.
Among other things l should like to see
the District of Columbia. which Is com
pletely under the control OF the natiohal
government, receive set OF model LABOR
laws Washington is not city or very
large industries, but still 1t has some. wise
labor legislation for the city of Washington
would be a good thing In 1tsei1. ana II
would be a far better thing because
standard would thereby be set for the
country as whole.
I'm the field of general legislation relating
to these subjects the action of Congress Is
necessarily very limited. Still there are
certain ways in which we can act. mus
the Secretary of the Navy has recommend
ed, with my cordial and hearty approval,
the enactment of a strong employers lla-
bility law in the navy yards of the nation.
1t should be extended to similar Drancnes
of the government work.
Washington capital and labor should well
come the legislation indicated. We have
here. in many particulars. the model city
Order is good The laws are executed. Why
not, then, "a set of model labor laws?"
Where else, indeed, could the full value OF
such laws be SO well ascertained? 1t Is TO
be hoped that the President will renew the
subject in his annual message, and point
out with some detail the exact trend of his
thought.
The organization Of both capital and Ia
bor, already very strong, Is still going for
ward, and should go forward. 1t need not
mean battle. 1t should, on the contrary,
contribute to peace; for where both sides
are well prepared for negotiations. there
can be no good reason why negotiations IN
times Of differences should not be entered
upon and prove successful.