The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-28
| ADMINISTRATION IS
 NOT ACTUATED BY
 POLITICAL MOTIVES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1.)

| vocated the existence Of labor unions. | Without them the individual would be at the mercy, and wholly unable to meet ir his relations with his employer the greater capital and force and power of
 his employer, and therefore it is essen | tial to have an organization among them | Ct what we call trade unions
 | Mr. Taft pointed out the success that has attended efforts of labor to secure | labor legislation. He referred to the in- vestigaton of the workmen's compensa- ton commission, saying the difficulty with | previous systems of workmen's compen- l sation had been in the lack of uniformity of those injured ..H "Dependent upon circumstances, upon juries, and judges, and law, in particular | places, because the law differed" said | Mr. Taft, :.one man for an injury that was not at all severe might get a verdict l of $250O0, while another, whose life was
 ruined, might be thrown out of court. The | ambulance chasers and the lawyers | thrived on the business | Although he was speaking to crowd composed largely of employees and his 1 points against labor unions were frequent, MT. Taft was applauded vigorously. Mr. Taft said, Labor unions. I 1oubt not, have brought higher wages and bet | ter conditions because they have stood up | in these times when the interests of the | employer and the empoye were opposed, and they have fought out the fight. They | have increased the rate of wages and inn | froved the general conditions: but on the other hand, we must not fail to recognize | that such organizations have prompted at times violations of law, violence. the secondary boycott and other means of seeking to compel their employers lle- gally, to respond to their demands; under to do but to enforce the law. and the first lesson I would impart to both employer | and employe Is the absolute necessity, | if we are going to have permanent in- dustrial peace, of the closest adherence | to the law.
 Strikes are legal. Men have the right to leave their employer for the purpose l of bettering their condition, and to leave 1 it altogether. That has been decided | But strike used for secondary boy
 colt. or for other illegal purposes, may | become illegal and courts should have the l courage to declare. Indeed, they have.
 we are all in the same boat. Tnius- | tice to one class cannot be done without | ultimately affecting the entire communi- [ty. Unjust legislation against corpora- l tions and men of capital affects not only them-indeed, they are affected less than | the persons whom they employ. because | if you make the conditions such that they | cannot carry on a profitable business ! they are under no obligations to do SO,
 and they will not do so, and then the
 wage fund will be diminished to that ex-
 tent and their employees will go with put
 employment.
 1 "Hence, have seen with great 'leas
 of interest movements of organizations | of working men to protest against unjust l,egislation proposed for some demagogic l purpose against corporations and other | enterprises that are doing good business, that are keeping up a large wage fund, and that are helping along the prosper l.ity of the country.
 a'sAs to arbitration for industrial peace. l that Is question of agreement? l am l quite sure the working men, and am T |'aiite sure the employer will not consent
 to forced arbitration-at least that has been my experience. but there is force
 that can bring about decision as to what Is the right of the issue. That has I been tried in number of states and I wonder that 1t has not spread.
 "One of the things that this luncheon I prompts me to speak of is the important
 offcul conference between the employer
 and the employe. the body of employers
 and the body of employees when any diff ficulty arises.