The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-05-13
Basis on Which Labor Will.
Treat With Employers
FAIR LOGICAL ATTITUDE
The Industrial Peace Conference Of the
Future Will Be Composed Of Union
Workers and Union Employees
The Carnegie Meeting.

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There are many and varied opinions
among worlIingmen upon the question
of arbitration of Industrial disputes as
that question was presented at the re-.
cent Carnegie reception Ii New York
city. The practical thing accomplish
ed at Mr.. Carnegies was the adoption
of President Buffers proposition for ali
international Industrial peace congress
writes Joseph r. Buchanan In the New
York Journal
And yet there are some members OF
trades unions who shy at that pfoposs
al They are the radicals, the ifrec.
onciIables and the class conscious
ones. They do not believe that's any
thing beneficial to the working class
can come from d gathering In which
the employing and the Idle classes pre-,
dominate, and this feeling Is accentu
ated because Of the fact that the meet
Ing was held under the roof OF d man
who has always been considered one
Of the worst foes Of labor unionisrn
1t was rather a striking situation
which presented as the host aud the
presiding officer OF an industrial peace
conference the two men who stand out
as among the largest employers oppos-
ing trades unlonism In their respective
periods OF business activity. Fifteen
years ago the name Of Andrew Car.
negie was anathema In the minds
Of trades unionists. Today August
Belmont is at the head OF one OF the
largest corporations In the country
which refuse TO recognize union labor.
1t has been pointed out by labor men
who attended the Carnegie conference
that there were among those most In
the llmelight on that occasion several
gentlemen who are leading advo-
Gates Of the open shop, which Is an
other name for nonuuion shops. The
open shop doctrine and unionlsm viii
not mix.
But 1t Is easy to understand how
these irreparably conflicting elements
were brought together at the confer
ence. II Is just so that the Civic fed
GRAFTON Is made up, and the Carnegie
conference was arranged by the Civic
federation Like mother. like child
While the Civic federation may pos
sibIy continue to exist Ia It's present
sphere. though composed OF conflicting
elements, movement which expects
its policies to be accepted by the army
of union labor viii have 20 be formed
upon very different lines.
Employers who desire to deal with
union labor must accept the union as
an established fact and IN the conduct
Of their business must recognize ii as
the representative and mouthpiece OF
their employees. No union viii sit Ia
conference upon questions Of wages,
hours OF labor and other things related
to employment with nonunion or open
shop employers. To do 80 would show
such a union lacking In common sense.
Therefore 1t would be well for the
promoters of an industrial pence con-
ference to understand that organized
labor will take no part IN such confer
ence IL it is to be bound by decisions In
the making Of which nonunion employ
ers have voice.
There can be no representation Of
the labor side of Industrial questions
except 1t comes from the organized
workers. This even the open shop
advocates realize; hence organized la
Dor is invited to take part In all arbl-
tration. mediation, Cancellation and 9TH
er peace plans.
Therefore, again, union labor insists
that those with whom II makes common
cause shall Internationally accept the
fact of labor organization and that
they shall conduct the industries over
which they have control IN consonance
with that fact. This Is a perfectly log
zeal attitude for organized labor 70
take.
II sincerity guides and practical wis
dom shapes the plans for an industrial
peace conference. the conference when
held will be composed Of union work
ers, union employers and those who ac
cept the trades union as the best express
sion Of the hopes and aims Of the work
ing class. There win be no room for
open shoppers or the half baked who
accept unlonism with long string Of
reservation and abuts."
And therein Is hidden a gentle tip for
the Civic federation.