The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-15
TRADE AGREEMENT
 UNDER DISCUSSION
National Civic E Federation Takes
 Up Live Matters
PROMINENT MEN PRESENT
John Mitchell, Samuel Gompers and Other Labor Leaders Appear-Her- man Ridder Gives Experience
 With Trade Agreement.

New York December 14.-With a session of the womans department at which Mrs. William II. Taft, wife of the President-elect, presented a report of the committee on welfare work for government employees, of which she is chairman, the National Civic Fedora tion opened it's annual meeting here today Morning and afternoon sessions were held, both devoted to the discus nual gathering and the promotion of the friendly relations between employees and employers and the consideration of measures designed for the welfare of the working people. Both Mrs. Taft and her husband are on the list of speakers for this years meeting. the President-elect being scheduled to speak tomorrow night.
 The afternoon meeting, opening the second session of the federation proper, was devoted to a discussion of trade agreements, addresses on the subjects being delivered by John Mitchell, Her man Rider, Samuel Gompers, James
 
 national chairman, in openeing the ses- sion, devoted part of a lengthy ad- dress to the work done by the feder- ation and it's plans for the future, then discussing the plans for amendments to the Sherman antitrust law.
 John Mitchell, former president of the Mine Workers of America, as chair
 
 spoke on the subject
 Otto M. Eidlitz, former chairman of the board of governors of the Building Trades Employers association, present. ed some friendly criticism of the trade agreement.
 James O'connell, president of the International Association of Machinists followed.
 James M. Lynch, president of the International Typographical union, was another speaker.
 Riders Experience.
 Herman Rider, president of the American Newspaper and Publishers association, discussed Trade Agree ments of Newspapers" He said:
 Trade agreements have worked out satisfactory results for newspaper pub fishers and their mechanical employees for a period of seven years. 1 make this statement subject to a qualifica- ton which I will discuss later on. Con- tracts made by particular newspapers or groups of newspapers in various cities with local unions covering wages and hours have been underwritten and guaranteed under a series of agree ha fna per Publishers association and the in- ternational unions which include with in their memb ership local unions of compositors, pressmen, stereotypers mailers and photo engravers. For that period of seven years conciliation or arbitration has enabled employer and employed to work along without fric- ton or trouble. Every disagreement has yielded to adjustment. All of us have been spared the wasting effects of industrial warfare. The stability of newspaper investments has inl- proved and the workers have enjoyed all the advantages of uninterrupted employment.
 "On May l, 1907, we started upon the third agreement of this character which covers a period of five years. During the past year the newspaper publisher and the newspaper employee have enjoyed freedom from trade dis turbance. Twenty five agreements to increase pay have been made by pub fishers with trade unions in as many cities. Fifteen agreements have been made in 15 cities to extend existing wage scales. In one case the rate of pay has been reduced, but an increased price for overtime substantially offset that reduction. We have closed ar engagements in 40 cities by conciliation; in one city by local arbitration, and in four cities by national arbitration. Two arbitrations are deadlocked and questions are pending with 21 local unions.
 Work of the Year.
 q do not recall a single serious in- reference with newspaper work during the year, though the overzeal of an agi- tator employed by the International Pressrlen's Union has at times tested our patience. Eighteen months ago we undertook to arbitrate all differences with our employees without resorting to the odd man or umpire. We agree that three representatives of each side would come together and discuss the questions at is- sue and endeavor to reach a settlement. The system had been tried in England and was strongly advocated here. It had some merits. It dispensed with the hit or miss plan which depended upon the selection of the odd man who was usual ly ignorant of the methods of the bus mess and who must apply himself dili- gently to a careful study of all of the intricacies of our dealings in order that he might grasp the proposition. The tendency in many such cases is to com- promise rather than to follow the ques- tion to it's merits. Both sides had been extremely fortunate in securing compe- tent umpires, but ihe plan of dispensing with this odd man was urged with such earnestness and enthusiasm that we con- sented to put 1t to a test. We are aware of the difficulties which officers of labor unions encounter in controlling and curb ing some of the men who elect them to places of responsibility While we are not now unmindful of these features of the situation, the results of that experi- ment of dropping the umpire have not been assuring. The settlement of indus trial disputes upon an ideal plane of | perfect equality and of full discussion is still in its experimental stage. Obligation Is Important. 'The importance of the obligation as- sumed by the unions may be appreciated when we state that the newspapers of New York city pay approximately one and one-half million dollars per annum as | their tribute to the closed shop and to organized labor. An estimate of the l amount of this tribute paid by all the newspapers of the country would be diff cult to reach. at this time. Complaints come to us that in some cities the pay is so high that members refuse to work more than five days in the week. They quit their places to make way for sub 1 stitutes that are incompetents or they