New-York tribune., 1911-12-30
URGE LABOR COMMISSION
President Taft Promises to Help
Social Workers.
M'NAMARA CASE CITED
Rabbi Wise Makes Plea for I'm,
proved Conditions Miss
Addams in Delegation.

Washington, Dec. 29.-Using the NC
Namara case as an illustration Of what
may be expected again in this country IL
labor conditions are not improved. a dele
catior of social workers to-day urged
President Taft to create a labor commis-
sion
sucb commission the delegation told
the President should have powers equal 10
these of the Interstate commerce I'm"
mission. and should be able to compel tes-
,imony. II should investigate and make
preliminary report in six months ol the
condition of labor IN the structural IRON
trade i'm the last six years, gauge the
breakdown of our machinery OF Industrial
government the economic and SOCIAL cos'
cf strikes to employees. to workmen ana 10
the public" and investigate rules ana rec
ords of unions. 1t should also examine 'ie
legal status of the labor union ana STUDY
the praCtica blity of schemes OF economic
government such as the trade legislature IN
the cloak suit and skirt industry ana
similar boards
President Taft was greatly interested ana
promised to do all he possibly could 10
create such commission. 1t was said TO-
night that he might incorporate sugges-
tion for a labor commission in one OF MS
messages after the holidays.
Rabbi STEPHEN S. Wise, of New YORK.
road n petition to the President. Miss Jane
Adams, of Chicago. and other prominent
social workers went to the White House
with him. Among the signers of the petit
ticn were Lyman Abbott. George r. Bar
nett Louis y. Brandeis. Irving Fisher, Paul
I ind
r. Lovejoy. Henry Morgenthau, 5. ~ Pat
ten. George Foster Peabody, James b.
Reynolds. Edwin r. A. Selisman and w.
+. Wilcox.
"A house divided against itself cannot
stand" said Rabbi Wise. I'VE have yet 10
solve the problems OF democracy In its IN
dustrial relationships and to solve them
along democratic lines.
In order to arrive al the workers point
of view it is necessary only to review the
long list of occupational diseases. the rail-
ure Of both employers and the state to
prevent them or mitigate their effects, the
lack Of employers liability laws, the fail-
ure to provide adequate safeguards against
accidents In dangerous vocations. the at
tacks upon the constitutionality of laws TO
shorten the hours Of women and of workers
in certain trades. the reluctance OF leSis-
latures to abolish child labor-it is neces-
sary only to contrast this dead centre of
the social machinery with the speed al
lich it acts to prevent picketing and riot
ing during strikes.
The workingman secs the club OF the
officer, the bayonet Of the militia. directed
against him in the defence Of property, and
he believes that the hand Of the law strong
i'm the protection Of property, often drops
listess whenever measures are proposed
to tighten labor's heavy burden.
There is profound restlessness among
large groups of labor, who feel that there
are no organic ways open through which
they can act collectively with respect 20
the things that most concern them-that
they are thwarted when they get together
for common strength. and when, not as
mutual benefit societies. but as agSrega-
tons OF men. they set out TO mind their
business"