Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-14

Topics of Importance to Wageworkers and Employers Will Be Discussed. Gompers and Ridder, Political oppo- nents of Judge Taft, to Be His FeI- low Speakers at Banquet--Mrs. Taft Will Talk on Women's Department of Work.
 New York, Dee. 14.-lnterest in the annual meeting of the National Civic federation. which began here today, was increased by the fact that both President Elect Taft and Mrs. Taft are to deliver addresses before the federa- tion tomorrow night.
 Judge Taft will speak on the worh of the federation's public employeeS welfare committee, of which he lS chairman. and Mrs. Taft's topic will be the work of the women's depart ment of the federation, in which she takes d keen interest.
 Among the speakers will be Andrew Carnegie, Herman Ridder and Samuel Gompers. The announcement of the expected presence at the dinner of the two last named gentlemen, who op- posed Judge Taft's election, has caused considerable comment.
 Among the subjects to be taken up at the meeting of the federation arc the following:
 How may the employee and his family be protected against financial stringency In case of accident illness or death?
 Shall this country follow England by providing old age pensions for dependent citizens? Shall the Massachusetts Volun- tary savings bank annuity plan, designed to encourage thrift and providence, be generally advocated in the United States? Or will the need in this country be met by the establishment of postal savings banks?
 Are there trade agreements between or gauizations of employers and organiza- tions of employees that can be regarded as conspiracies in restraint of trade un- der the Sherman act?
 Should trade agreements with public service corporations contain provisions for arbitrat ation of all disputes before striking?
 In his opening address Seth Low, president of the federation, spoke in part as follows:
 In it's simplest statement a trade agree ment is sn agreement between organized stockholders and organized Workmen, | both acting through their chosen repre- 1 sentatives. [" determine. for the period or 1 the agreement. the general terms or em- l ploymert of the various classes ot work | ingmen concerned. Such trade agree 1 ments tend 10 relieve the trade to which l they apply of the extreme swing from conditions faVorng capital to conditions favorng labor, and vice versa, which SO 1 often spells disaster to capital and labor 1 alike In other words. trade agreements that are revisable from time to time cer- tainlv make for industrial peace.
 I look for a constant strengthening or the demand for federal incorporation or l 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 1t IS re- lated now to national banks. It can then | provide for similar supervision of such corporations and can pass laws. if need be, defining what such corporations car do and what they cannot do.
 JO0H NllttntiI tudl fud H VI NAC u oh agreement department of the fedora ton, said:
 The trade agreement is an unmistakaolt recognition of the interdependence of la bor and capital. It is the concrete expres sion of cooperative effort between thes' two dominant factors in our industria life It is an acknowledgment of thu rights and obligations of the workman and the rights and obligations of the em ployer. It's formulation gives the work man a knowledge of the employers busi ness and it gives the employer knowl edge of the workman's needs.
 In speaking on Trade Agreements James O'Connell, president of the In ternational Association of Machinists said
 Both in theory and practice the trade O la bor agreement is proper in every re spect 1t is within the bounds of stric justice and beneficial in every way to al the parties concerned. It brings peac and harmony wherever 1t is tried, and has long since passed the experiments stage. being now an accomplished cer tainty. precise and splendid example o scientific attainment. l look forward witt i pleasure to the day when employers vii | without any ot lcdL ob icSoit contract by agreement for their labor wit the same spirit of fairness and justice their other contracts are now made, in suring peace. prosperity and happiness t all concerned This, in my opinion, vii do more to prevent strikes and lockouts boycotting and blacklisting, than an other force at our command today.
 Declaring that the attitude of or ganiZed labor menaces the trade agree ment, Otto NJ. EidlitZ builder, Of Ne' York city. who is q member of tn executive committee of the federation spoke as follows:
 I firmly believe that the permanency c any trade agreement is jeopardized un less we practice the following Don ts:
 Don't split hairs about insignificant DOT
 tions of a trade which a kindred unio
 Is producing or use the trade agreemer
 IS a cudgel to secure work never cor
 trolled by the trade.
 Don't attempt to stop progress or har
 aicap invention.
 Don't limit output.
 Don't ask a foreman to serve two maj
 ters