Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-02-02

4t the moment when the dfseorsforfs
apd dangers inci7entso Industrial strife
ARG actually felt by the public there IL
usually an outcry fer the establishment
OF GONE tribunal for the imnaediatx set.
rIcnlens OF the particular dispute but
what IL needed b s~omeasystem, devised
by patient and deliberate study In I'D
vance, that Will meet these constantly
occurring and Clearly foreseesb Bile emer-
g~encies, netsnernskeshlft ia tide over an
existing crisis Not during the rain
storm, but in fair weather, should the
leaking root be examined and re-
paired. ~~ s~@ e~ ~
The magnitude and completely of
modern Industrial disputes have put
qpon some of our statutes and our
present mechanism for adjusting such
differences-where we can be said to
have any mechanism al aIl-a strain
they were never Intended to bear and
for which they are unsuited. What Is
urgently needed today Is q re-examfna-
ton of our laws bearing upon the rela-
tons of employer and employee and
a careful and discriminating scrutiny
Of the various plans which are being
tried In several of our own states and
in other countries. This would seem
to be the nrst natural step In bringing
about an adjustment OF these relations
better suited to the eve conditions
of Industry.
Numerous special Investigations, of
Ecial and unofficial. have revealed CON
ditions In more than one industry
which have Immediately been receg-
mixed on all sides az entirely out OF
harmony with accepted American
standards. 1t Is probable that to a
great extent the remedies for these
conditions. 50 far as the remedies In
voIve legislation, lie in the field OF
state action. But such "a comprehep-
sfve inquiry as is necessary to furnish
a basis for Intelligent action must be
underfakenson national Initiative and
nsust be nation wide la Its scope. In
view OF the results that have followed
ths activities Of the federal govern
ment In education, IN agriculture and
mother fields which do not Ne prinar-
lily within the field Of federal legisla-
ton there can be no serious argument
against the propriety or the wisdom
of anstnquiry by the federal govern,
nent Into Che general conditions OF
labor In the United States. notwith.
standing the fact that some OF the
remedies will lie with the separate
states or even entirely outside the
sphere OF governmental activity In the
hands of private individuals and OF
object of such an official Investigation
and report is to onlighten and inform
| public opinion, which Nf Itself will
often induce orscompei the reform se1
unjust conditions or the abatement Of
unreasonable demands.
The special Investigations that have
been made of recent Industrial con
dftionsy whether private or official
have been f~ragrnentary, Incomplete
and at best emily partially representa-
tive or typical. Their lessons, never
theless, are important, and until some
thing comprehensive and adequate Il
availa Bile they serve a usefui purpose
and they VIII necessariiy continue Il
be made. Hat aaaIes4iefIabaystbe fiEas
is now ripe for a searching inquiry
into the subject Of Industrial relations
which shall be official, authoritative
balanced and well rounded, such as
only the federal government can sue,
| eessfully undertake. The present wide
| spread interest In the subject makes
this an opportune time for an investi-
cation, which in any event cannot long
be postponed. 1t should be nonpar
tisan, comprehensive, thorough, pa
tieHt and courageous.
There Is already available much In
formation on certain aspects of the
subject In the reports of the federal
and state bureaus of labor and in 9th
er official and unofficial publications.
One essential part OF the proposed In
quiry would naturally be TO assemble,
digest and interpret this information
50 far as it bears upon our present In
dnstrial conditions. In addition to
this the commission should Inquire into
the general conditions OF labor IN our
principal industries, into the existing
relations between employers and EN-
ployees in those Industries, Into the We
rieus methods which have been tried
for maintaining mutually satisfactory
relations between employees and EN-.
pioyers and for avoiding or adjusting
trade disputes, ana into the scope,
methods and resources of federal and
state bureaus OF labor and the meth.
ods by which they might more ade-
quateiy meet the responsibilities which
through the work of the commission
| above recommended would be more
| clearly brought to light and defined.
M~iabrandina Imported Gccds.
My attention has been called to ths
injustice which is done in this country
by the sale of articles Ia the trade pur
porting to be made In Ireland. wher
they are not SO made, and 1t Is suggest
ed that the justice of the enactment o,
a law which, 30 far as the Jurisdiction
of the federal government can so
would prevent q continuance of thIs
Misrepresentation 70 the public and
fraud upon those who are entitled II
use the statement In the sale of theil
goods. i think 1t to be greatly In tbs
interest Of fair dealing, which eughI
always TO be encouraged by law fol
eona1sess TO eaaset q law making Ii q