The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-12-15
CIVIC LEADERS
MEET TO-DAY
WlADlscuss Topics 0fInterest to
Wagex 3Tker and Employer.
TAFT TO SPEAK TOMORROW
Samuel Gompers and Herman Rldder,
Political Opponents Of the President
Elect. to Be His Fellow Speakers at
Banouet-Mrs. Taft viii. Talk on
Women's Department Of Work.

Elect, to Be HIS feiloN SPEAKERS az
Banouet-Mrs. Taft win Talk on
Women's Department Of Work.
New York, Dec. 1.-THE first SEES
sion of the annual meeting OF the Ma
tional Civic federation was held In this
city today Phe trade agreement was
the first subject to be discussed.
Among the subjects to be taken up
at the meeting OF the federation are
the following
How may the empioye and his fam
lily be protected against financial strin-
gency in case of accident. Illness or
death?
Shall this country follow England by
providing old age pensions for depend
ent citizens? Shall the Massachusetts
voluntary savings bank annuity plan
designed to encourage thrift and prov
idence. be generally advocated in the
United States? Or will the need In
this country be met by the establish
ment Of postal savings banks?
Shall the state or the employer or
the state. employer and employe JOINT
". as ia Germany. bear the burden H.
cident to death or bodily injury of EN-.
pfoyes?
Are there trade agreements between
organizations of employers and organ
izatlons of employees that can be re-
garded as conspiracies in restraint Of
trade under the Sherman act?
Seth Lows Opening Address.
In his opening address TO the mem
bers of the federation Seth Low. presl-
dent OF the organization, spoke in part
as follows
In its simplest statement trade agree
mens Is an agreement between organize
stockholders and organized workmen
both acting through their chosen repre-
sentatives. to determine. for the period OF
the agreement the general terms OF en-
ployment of the various classes of work
ingmen concerned. Such trade agree
menis tend TO relieve the trade TO whic
they apply OF the extreme swing FROM
conditions favoring capital to conditions
favoring labor and vice fersa. which 50
alike In other words. trade agreements
that are revssble from time TO time Ger
tainly make for Industrial peace.
look for a constant strengthening Of
the demand for federal Incorporation OF
all the larger organizations that are car
rying on interstate commerce. Granted
federal incorporation. the United States
government would then be related to fed
orally Incorporated enterprises doing In
terstate commerce precisely as II Is r.
lated now to national banks. Ii can then
provide for a similar supervision of such
corporations and can pass laws. II need
be. defsing what such corporations can
do and what they cannot do.
Mitchell upholds Trade Agreement.
John Mitchell, chairman of the trade
agreement department of the fedora
ton. said:
The trade agreement is an unmistakabS
recognition Of the interdependence OF Ia
Dor and capital. II is the concrete ex
preston of cooperative effort between
these two dominant factors. in our indus
trial life. IL Is an acknowledgment of the
rights and obligations OF the workman
and the rights and obligations of the en-
ployer. Its formation gives the work
man knowledge OF the employers bust
ness, and II gives the employer knowl-
edge OF the workman's needs and want
which II is Essential that each should
have in fairly determining all questions
of wages and conditions of employment
Trade Agreement Don'ts.
Declaring that the attitude Of or
gained labor menaces the trade agree
ment Otto NJ. Eidlitz, builder. of New
York city. who is a member of the
executive committee of the federation,
spoke as follows:
N find that where the trade agreement
has existed for some time there Is
growing tendency on the part OF en-
ployes NOW that the questions OF hour
and wages have been or can be reason
ably adiusted) to use the agreement an
the amicable relation with their employ
ers as a means to increase their scope
OF employment and secure work whic
v a. formerly done by other wOrkmeu
who in many cases are organized union
men.
I firmly believe that the permanency 4
any trade agreement is jeopardized unlesr
we practice the following 'Don'ts:'
Don't split hairs about Insignificant 20
lions of a trade which a kindred union il
producing or use the trade agreement as
a cudge 10 secure work never controlled
by the trade
Don't attempt to stop progress or han
dicap invention.
Don't limit output.
Don't ask a foreman TO serve two mas
ters.
Taft to Speak Tomorrow.
The annual banquet will be held to
morrow night The guests of honor
will be President Elect Taft and Mrs
Taft. both of whom will deliver ad-
dresses.
Judge Taft will speak on the work
Of the federation's public employees
welfare committee, of which he Is
chairman, and Mrs Taft's topic will
be the work of the women's depart
ment of the federation. in which she
lakes a keen interest.
Several other addresses will be d.
ivered at the dinner. Among the
speakers will be Seth Low. Andrew
Carnegie, Herman Ridder and Samue
Sompers. The announcement Of the
expected presence at the dinner of tire
.wo last named gentlemen, who op
posed Judge Taft's election, has caused
comment.
Use of Cocaine Grows Enormously.