The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-28
BILL TO SETTLE
LABOR DISPUTES
MAY BECOME Law

Washington, d. O.. March 2S.-Therd
is a fair prospect that the Hughes4
Borah bill, providing for the creation
OF an industrial commission, primarily
for the purpose of adjusting amicably
dlmerences that may arise between
capital and organized labor and ulti-
mately ushering in an era, OF indus
trial peace, will become a law at this
session OF congress. The enactment
of such a law was urgently recoml
mended by President Taft in a recent
message to congress. Senator Boraa
of Idaho introduced a bill in the sen
ate n Representative Hughes Oh
New Jersey in the house.
Formal hearings on this bill have
been held by the house committee on
labor and questions by a majority OF
it's members Indicated very clearly
that the committee will favorably res
port such a bill. 1t is confidently ex-
pected that the proposed commission
will be created within the next few
months, marking a new and moments
Gus departure in the industrial worlda
Representatives of employers of la.
Dor. as well as prominent labor leads
ers and students Of industrial prob
lens and political economy attended
the hearings before the house commit
tee. All seemed to be practically OF
one mind on the essential of the pend
ing bin. All agreed that it would be
a splendid achievement to enact such
a law and appoint a committee of sa-
gacious men to investigate capital
labor disputes and make recommends
tions for their settlement.
Several years ago an industrial
commission was appointed and subs
mitted an elaborate report on indus
trial problems in general, which is
still being quoted from time to time.
That was a commission appointed to
make a general investigation of indus
trial conditions. The Hughes Borah
bill provides for the creation Of a COM
mission of a greater degree Of perma-
hence, designed to investigate general
conditions, and, from time to time,
particular disputes which may arise
between capital and labor in a given
industry.
With the prospect OF a general coal
strike staring the country in the face,
friends of this legislation, from Pres!-
dent Taft down are very anxious that
congress acts speedily, in the hope that
legislation along this line will have the
effect of STAYING off the threatened
strike and allaying the fears of tho
people. The feeling is that with legis-
lation OF this kind on the statute books
the coal miners and operators would
be satisfied to submit their a s to the
commission. John Mitchell, who just
now is making strenuous efforts to
prevent the contamination of the
threatened strike, told the. house COM
mittee that he was opposed to grant
ing such a commission power to com
pei both parties to a strike to submit
their differences, but was in entire
sympathy with the general purposes
of the pendin gbill, believing it would
accomplish untold good ultimately.
Statements were made at the hear
ing which indicate that there is quite
a general belief that foremen, shop
superintendents and other subordi-
mates are responsible for harsh and
unjust treatment of employees in u
large majority Of cases, and that II the
actual employer knew just how they
run things Inc treat the workers he
" ould not stand it for a moment. All
such statements apparently met with
approval. However, it was remarked,
that there have been some c~onspieu-
Gus exceptions to this rule.