New-York tribune., 1912-03-06
POSTOFF|CE ATTACKED
IN CIVIC FEDERATION
Lively Three-Cornered Dispute
at Opening Session Over
Wage Appeals.
SETH LOW DEFENDS UNIONS
Cardinal Gibbons Presides and
Judge Knapp Tells of
Federal Arbitration's
Value.

washington. March 5-The Post once
nansrtn,ent was a target for prominent
speakers at the twelfth annual convention
Of the National civic Federation whlch
began here to-day.
Attacks on the executive order whlch
prohibits the appeal Of government EN-
pioyes TO Congress or Representatives III
questions affecting wages and working con-
ditions were made by Samuel Gompers'
president Of the American Federation OF
Labor. and Representative Lloyd OF Mis-
souri,. a member of the House Committee
on Post Office and Post Roads.
Joseph Stewart. Second Assistant POST
master General. who had preceded those
speakers. returned to the platform and Wig
orousy defended the department and the
Postmaster General 4 lively coiloquy
which ensued between Mr.. Stewart, Mr.
Gompers and Mr.. Lloyd over the interpre-
tation of the order was terminated abrupt
" by the chairman ruling the proceeding
out of order.
NO other department Of the government
has dreamed of carrying out TO the letter
this order" declared Mr.. Gompers. Tho
Post Office Department has not only
dreamed of It, but has actually had
nightmare over It,
Cardinal Gibbons who presided at the
morning session. spoke on the relation OF
capital to labor. their interdependence on
each other and the growing power OF
union labor in its demands for betterment
Of working conditions and higher wages.
Seth Low. president OF the federation,
and Judge Knapp, of the United States
Commerce Court discussed labor condi-
tions and the gradual tendency Of both
parties to arbitration of disputes. paper
on the recent strike OF the street clean
ers Of New York. prepared by Commission
ar Edwards, was read
Other speakers were William B. Fttzger-
Ald, vice-president of the Amalgamated
street Railway Union: II. y. Kellogg, of
the American Newspaper Publishers As
sociation; c. G. Norman. president of the
New York Builders Association, and Allan
Burns. of Pittsburgh.
Denounces Lawrence Strikers.
Mr.. Low declared the leaders OF the
Lawrence. Mass. textile strike were revo-
lutionsry socialists belonging 10 the Indus
trial Workers of the World.
1T Is due to this fact" said he. that IT
has been so hard 10 find basis Of settle
ment, for the revolutionary socialists do
not seek a settlement OF labor troubles.
They are seeking a social revolution. not
a social evolution.
MY Judgment is that the pathway to
Industrial peace and industrial efficiency
is 10 be found in the hearty cooperation
OF employers with labor unions, in the con-
fdent expectation that when the right of
workingmen to collective bargaining passes
unchallenged in practice. the right of other
workingnen to forego collective bargain
ing, il they wish TO do so, will be equally
unchallenged."
Referring to the Mcnamara case. Mr..
Low said that it had demonstrated to or
ganized labor that if in the future it
wished to command public sympathy and
confidence. ut must be prompt TO disown
all violence connected with the struggles Of
labor" He condemned with equal vigor
the socialistic labor leaders and the en-
ployers of labor who saw nothing more
than the interests OF private property. Both,
he contended, stood in the way of enlight-
eminent.
Defending the antagonism OF organized
labor TO non-union workmen Mr.. Low said
that the unions were forced to recognize
IN Ine non-unlOn element the CLUB which
the employer uses TO deprive them of their
own right to collective bargaining for their
labor
FsVors Federal Arbitration.
Recommending federal arbitration OF dis
putes between the railroads and their en-
ployes. Martin a. Knapp, presiding judge
NJ the United states Commerce Court.
prophtsied that such government abitra-
tion eventually would be extended to in
clUds other forms of business where trouble
affecting the public might arise.
Judge Knapp testified TO the excellerce of
the results derived from that section Of the
Erdman law which provided for federal
mediation in disputes between interstate
carriers and their employees when the pub
JIG welfare was threatened. Such authority
.s rsposed in the chairman Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission and the Com
missioner OF Labor who, il their efforts at
Cancellation fail. may then press arbitra-
zion on the warning elements.