The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-05
WANTS BETTER
UNDERSTANDING
Cardinal Gibbons States Interests
Of Labor and Capital
are Identical
NATIONAL CIVIC FEDERATION
Judge Knapp Speaks Of Benefits
of Arbitration
Calls Attention TO Excellent Results
Derived from Erdman Law-En-
dorses Unions.

Washington, March cardinal Glib
bons presiding at the first session Of
= three days conference of the National
civic Federation to consider industrial
problems made a plea for industrial
peace. lie paid tribute to the work
man and declared the motto of both
employer and employee should be La
bor and Capital. one and inseparable,
now and forever"
The purpose OF our meeting" said
the Cardinal lis to remove, as far as
possible, all hostiliucs and rccrimina-
tions, all chickering's and misunder-
standings between capital and labor,
so that mutual love and good will
be maugurated between them, and the
glorious reign OF business and CONNER
cial prosperity may be confirmed and
throughout the land
Capital and labor, the Cardinal de-
clarod. were the invincible arms of
industrial activity" and should work
In harmony for the common good lie
said a salo had been shed around the
workman ever since Christ handled the
tools Of an artisan i'm the carpenters
shop i'm Nazareth. IF the profession
of soldier has been ennobled by the
example of a Washington" he contin
ued, "if the profession of n jurist has
been cnnoblcd by Marshall, if the
nobled by a Webster or Burke, sure
ly the calling of mechanic has been
dignifed and sanctifed by the example
of Christ"
Interests Are Mutual.
The prelate dwelt upon the depend
ence OF capital upon labor: and de-
clarcd there wa sa close and interde-
rendencc between the members of the
physical body. without labor TO work
its mines, till its soil and accomplish
the multifarious tasks Of human activ
ity the Cardinal said. capital would be
But If capital can accomplish little
without labor" he said. Labor can
accomplish still less without capital
IL is capital joined with indomitable
enterprise that has opened up the re-
sources of our country, has developed
our mines and built our railroads. Civ
ing employment to millions of laborers.
1t is capital that has constructed
those mighty leviathan steamships
which cross the ocean uniting conti
nents in friendly intercourse"
In closing Cardinal Gibbons express
ed the hope that capitalist and work.
ingman would work i'm harmony and
strive for an era of complete industrial
peace.
Judge knapp's Address.
Extolling federal arbitration OF dis
putes between the railroads and their
employees. presiding Judge Martin A.
Knapp, of the United States Com
mercc Court, prophesied today before
the National Civic Federation that
such government arbitration eventual
ly would be extended to include other
forms of business where trouble affect
ing the public might arise.
1--WE can be certain, for the tend
cncy is unmistakeable" he said, "thas
more and more will the influence and
authority of the government be ex-
tended into business pursuits which
have hitherto been conducted as purely
! rivate enterprises Broadly speak
ing there are already three parties
concerned i'm every labor dispute the
employer the employs and the public.
Unquestionably the relative interest of
the public In these contentious will
increase, and some plan must be de-
vised to protect that interest with
out Injustice To either of the other
parties concerned"
Praises Erdmsnn Act.
Judge Knapp testified TO the excel
lence of the results derived from that
section OF the Brdmann law which
provided FOR federal mediation i'm dis
putcs between interstate carriers and
their employees when the public well
fare was threatened. Such authority
is reposed in the chairman of the In
tcrstate Commerce Commission and the
Commissioner of Labor who. if their
efforts at Cancellation fail. may then
press arbitration on the warring clc-
ments.
"rhe arbitration features Of the law
are undoubtedly useful however infre-
qucntly brought into play" he said,
but the scheme OF mediation has been
a distinct success. IL has been util-
lied in numerous cases during the
past six years and in no Instance yet
has strike followed the Intervention
of the mediators. The law may there
fore be regarded as at least promis-
ing and suggestive innovation"
Labor Unions Endorsed.
Labor unions were endorsed by
Judge Knapp. who saw in them the
natural outgrowth of business and
.-...........,t.f ..,Llfttoov Iaoa than