The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-07
BISHOP SPALDING IN
FAVOR OF ARBITRATION
Advocates the FosS Bill as a Means
of Preventing Labor
Strikes.
FOSTER SCORES GOMPERs
Accuses the Federation Leader of
Changing Front on the Ar
bitration Question.

WASHINGTON. April 6.-Bishop Spald-
ing. of Peoria, a member of the anthracite
coal strike commission. to-day urged the
plan OF arbitration contained I'm the Foss
bill before the House committee on labor
The bill provides for permanent board
of arbitration to which shall be referred
disputes between labor and capital Volney
w Foster briefly concluded his remarks
begun at the last hearing of the bill. Mr.
roster took President Gompers, of the Fed
Grafton OF Labor. to task for opposing the
bill He quoted Mr.. Gompers favoring ar
bitration in a speech before the Civic Fed
Grafton in New York in December, 1901, and
then referred TO Mr.. Gomperss statement
before the committee at the last meeting
- the effect that strikes are a good thing.
Answering questions by acting Chair
man Vreeland. Bishop Spalding said it was
not his opinion that the proposed tribunal
would ever be called upon to determine
the question of what is a~legitimate profit
on the investment OF capital. Its province
would be to settle disputes as to hours,
treatment and pay of employees by the en-
pioyer fair wage, he said. was de-
termined in the soft coal mines Of the West
by the condition in the mines and the cost
OF living Where a business did not permit
or living wage according 10 the American
standard of living that business ought to
close up. declared the bishop. L would
say, ne continued. "aS Sherman Sdlu Oh
war. that the strike is hell" Men who
went out strike went back inJured
morally and not the same men: Inc cnlI-
dren OF strikers had been taught 10 tduhI
children of other workmen- The condltoh
between capital and labor was not lmproN-
ing. he said, although he believed the an
thracite coal strike commission had accom-
plfshed good results. He referred 10 the
present labor troubles in Colorado, san
Francisco and Chicago. The cohaitIolS
were blocks To lettering the general Cou-
ditions of the country. IL was becoming
more and more manifest that capltal anu
labor were interdependent on each ot i
Asked If he did not think that con9itloliS
were improving as to lawlessness. DiSi'I ~
Spalding said that IL did not seem ~ nc
TO any extent He said the rlotous conul.
lions during the anthracite strike Weio mt
as bad in this respect as the newspapers nad
made them, although tnere was pichellhs
and always would be violence IN strlkes.
II don't think there is In America any
class of employers who deliberately do their
men wrong" declared Bishop Spaldihg.
The bishop said he believed the Amerl-
can. people to be a people of good Will TO-
ward labor and the distressed he De
lieved the people free from anarchlstlc IDEAS
and said that the tendency 20 socialism IS
only in minor way. He regarded perna-
nent tribunal of greater value tndn one
created for each case OF dispute. lie dlu
not believe. he said In sympatnetIc II he
would deny labor organizations the rlght 10
strike, was the one weapon OF labor or
CARNATIONS, and TO deny thai right would
be to deny the right 10 organize, but the
object Sought. he added, Is TO bring ABOUT
peaceful settlements without strikes La
Dor organizations, he said. had accomplished
much good. He is satisfied that any Pres
ident would appoint nonpartisan tribunal
He had asked Mr. Mitchell if labor organi-
cations would thrive If they lost the APP
prevail of public opinion, and Mr.. Mitchell
replied that they would not, but would dis
fntegrate.
Representative McDermott. OF New Jer-
sew said il would be impossible for the
President To secure a committee OF men
such as that which settled the coal strike.
would be a success Mr.. McDermott paid
r tribute TO John Mitchell, saying be be-
feved he had the confidence of the people.