The evening world., 1911-01-14
Debate in Civic Federation on
Proposed Special Boards of
Mediation.
NEW OFFICERS CHOSEN.
Symposium on "Mediation
and Arbitration" Feature of
Last Days Session.

This was the third and last day of the
eleventh annual convention of the Ma
tfnal Civic Federation at the Hotel
Aston. The feature OF the concluding
session was a symposium on Mediation
and Arbitration with Frederick Klump
OF HISS City. Mich, In the chair.
Among those who took Iart in the
discussion were Seth Low. Edward w.
Frost. chairman OF the Wisconsin Board
OF Mediation; Cornelius ]. Doyle, chair
man Of the State Board Of Mediation OF
Illinois, and Marcus NJ. Marks.
Mr.. Low proposed an amendment to
the labor law OF this State which would
give the Governor a greater opportunity
to end strikes and to prevent them.
The amendment. which provoked labor
leaders to disavow 1t. provided that In
the event OF a strike the Governor could
name a board OF mediation, and not
have the regularly constituted body act.
Thu Governor could also name such a
board to act when a strike was threat
ensd.
Wenever. a strike threatened a public
service corporation which would inter
rupt traffic and cause suffering among
.tis innocent, such as the recent express
strike, the Governor could. upon COM
plant of twenty-five citizens, compel a
restoration OF service pending adjudi-
cation by arbitration.
Opposes Power for Cove; nor.
James A. Duncan. first v1ce-president
ID the American Federation of Labor,
contended that the task of arfdtrutdng
differences between employers and en-
ployees should be left to the regularly
constituted Board Of Meditation. He
took the ground that to vest the pro-
posed power In the Governor would SIM
ply serve TO complicate an already in
vowed situation.
The same line OF ar gument was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Frost. and Mr.. boys>'
and Mr.. Marks. The sense Of the con-
vention may be summed up In the con-
clusion OF Mr.. Marks's argument:
Naturally. the parties to a dispute
should themselves first get together and
reason out their Misunderstanding and
differences; then. II they fail to agree.
third parties should step in as media
tors and II necessary az arbitrators.
III we can secure investigation be-
fore strikes, passion will have OPP
portunity TO cool, and while wages are
being paid and the public not being in
convenienced 1t will be much more eco
nomical and much easier to arrive at a
basis OF Justice.
1T Is true hat q sudden strike may
bring an advantage to labor; but It will
most nkely be a temporary one. When
the season wanes the employer is apt TO
retaliatc. h spirit OF fair play rebels
at such 'catch-as-catch-can' methods be-
tween employer and employed.
Il appeal to employers and employed
20 help the cause OF investigation OF in
0ustrial disputes, particularly in public
utilities. before the strike. Let not
class prejudice he acccntuated by the
passion OF conflict. bu; rather be
min!mized by the light OF reason and
fraternal consideration"
New Officers Elected.
The following officers wore elected.
Seth Low. President; Samuel Gompers,
NAHUM j. BacAelder, Ellison 4. Smyth
and Benjamin Ide Wheeler, Vice Pros
idents; Isaac sellgman. Treasurer;
Ralph NJ. Easiey, Chairman Executive
Council; william Il. Wilcox, Chairman
Welfare Department; John HAYS Ham
mond. Chairman Committee on Organ
~tzatlon: John Mitchell, Chairman
Trades Agreements Department: Alton
Il. Parker. Chairman Committee on
Uniform state Legislation: August
Belmont, Chairman Department on
Compensation for Industrial Accidents:
George ". Perkins, Chairman Wage
Farmers insurance Committee; Nic1-
olas Murray Butler, Chairman Indua-
trial Economics Department; Aira. John
Hays Hammond. Chairman Wofnans'
Department; II. l., \, Stl!Eman, Chair
man Taxation Department, ID. l..
Cease. Secretary.