The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-12-15
OF TIE GLASSNVORElEI
ILIVEL.Y CONTEST
FOR SENATORSHIP

agreements which have been made
between organizations of workmen
and associations of employers cover
| ing an entire industry. have been in
most instances faithful of better re-
suits ti%ln have come from agree
ments between separate employers
and their own workmen-
The trade agreement is not spec
/ uIative or theoretical idea: II has
been in oneration in some industries
for many years: indeed. it is the ac-|
E.cepted and permanent method by
which wages and conditions OF en-
ployment are determined in many
OF the most important industries OF
our country. and its practicability is
no longer questioned by workmer or
employers who have obeyed and e9S-
perfenced its humane Influence and
beneficient results.
But trade agreement Is an unmis-
taxable recognition of the independ-l
ence of labor and capital, 1t Is the
concrete expression OF cooperative
effort between these two dominant
factors in our Industrial life. IT is
an acknowledgements of the rights
and obligations of the worlSTne:s and
the rights and obligations of the en-
pIoyer: its formulation gives the !
workman a Knowledge of the em-
ployer's business and 1t gives the |
!
mans needs and wants. which 1t is
essential that each should have in I
fairly determining all questions OF
wages and conditions of employment (
Altogether the conference which
leads up to the contamination @of u
trade agreement opens the way for
dissIpatinE many false impressions
and clearing uD MISUNDERSTANDING
which of themselves frequently lead
to serious consequences.
In discussing the subject of indus
trial peace 1t Is highly Important
cred in connection with the strike
and the lockout. Occasionally when
parties to these agreements complain
because of some feature which they
believe should either be incorporated
or excluded and frequently the OBJ
jectiona BILE element is magniiied to
such an extent that the essential ana
really good features are lost sight Of
1t seems to me that a proper appre-
citation OF this system Of conducting
In tlustry can only be had by contrast
ing its effects and results accruinsl
from the strike and lockout. the
trade agreement is in substance and
effect the antithesis- of the strike and
lockout 1t viii not, of course, pre-
vent all strikes or obyiate all lock
outs, but in the past it has reduced
and in the future it will to greater
extent reGuce the HulLlDSt u
trial disputes and minimize their In
tensity.
In some quarters both hopes and
fears have been expressed that 1t was
the purpose of the Trade Agreement
without the consent OF
the parties Interested to intervene IN
every controversy that might arise
be tween employer and employee and {
abrogate to itself authority TO pass
upon the merits of questions In dis
pute. 1t may not be amiss Mt this
time to quote that section of the Con-
stitution of the National Civic FEEDER s
alton from which the Trade Agree
ment DEPARTING mt derives it's author
ity: This department. either as
whole or in subcommittee by it APP
pointed, shall. when requested by
both parties to a dispute, act as
forum to adjust and decide upon ,
questions at issue between workers
and their employers. privided IN us
opinion the subject is one OF sumo
lent Importance. The department
assumes no power of arbitration UNI
less such powers be conferred by
both parties to n dispute. 1t VIII
thus be seen that power ia not del !
egated to the National Civic Federa-
ton by either the ORGANIZATIONS OF ,
labor or the Representatives OF capl-
tai to pass upon or render 1udg-
ment in any controversy that may
arise. Its chief function is to in
culcate and disseminate those prin-
cIpIes of cooperative effort that VIII !
make for peace. equity and amity
between the forces of labor and cap
Ital. and where we can be helptul
in averting a rupture or in adjusting
n dispute, we are ready and anxious
under these circumstance to act