The Washington times., 1912-03-05
KNAPP INDORSES
ERDMANN ACT AT
FEDERATION MEET
Commerce Court Jurist
Lauds Arbitration to Civic
Uplifters Convention.
Continued from First PaSe.)

CONTINUED from First Page.)
Is deeply affected and public interest
requires the earliest possible settle
ment," said Jud dge Knapp. The i'm
porative demand now, when a dispute
arises is not that there shall be a legal
determination of who is right and who
wrong, but that friendly relations shall
be at once restored, so that the opera
tions upon which society is constantly
dependent can be carried on.
Therefore, l venture TO say that
when It comes to the settlement of a
dispute between a railroad company or
great industrial corporation and its
employees, the judicial method Is wholly.
Inadequate.
Law Suit Looks Backward.
"A law suit is not fitted to the neces-
stiles of the case, because a lawsuit
looks backward while disputes between
the employer and employe look for
wRid to future wages. future cond-
tons of service, and future hours"
Judge Knapp described the operation
of the ErdmanE act which provides for
special mediation committee in every
dispute. Each of the interested parties
appoints member of this committee
while third Is appointed by the chair
man of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and the Commissioner of Labor.
and may now be appointed by the
Iresldent from among the members of
q
or the Commerce Court
Inns act, passed in 1898, was practical
~ dead letter for eight years and only
since since 1905 has it been actually operative.
iheSc tacts Judge Knapp explained on
the basis that during the period from
1888 to 1906 there was unprecedented
prosperity in the country, and that
Mhcn everyone was making money de-
nands OF employees for increased wages
were settled without much trouble,
when the period of unusual prosperity
fsiackened. however, employers began to
ughten their purse strings, and the de-
mands of labCrers were opposed
The afternoon session began shortly
after 2:3O. The addresses scheduled for
mat meeting were by II. n. Kellogg, OF
ms American NEWSPAPER Publishers As
Soclatlon, Samuel Gompers, Congress-
man James Lloyd, and c. G. Norman.
Commissioner Edwards Absent.
Commissioner of Streets William Ed
wards, of New York, was to appear
before the National Civic Federation
today. but the serious illness of his
mother prevented his attendance Dep
uty Commissioner of Streets Scott is in
Washington, and will present Mr.. Ed
wards address.
The struggle between the American
Tederation and the Industrial Workers
Of the World was brought into the lime
light this morning President Seth Low
IL,
the Industrial Workers Revolutionary
Socialists and said their influence in
the pending strike at Lawrence. Mass.
was delaying settlement Of diffcuIties
and made. the broad charge that they
seek revolution, while the American
ederation of Labor seeks industrial
evolution.
The interests of capital and labor are
not identical, said President Low, in
beginning his address, but they are or
dinarily reconcilable, because neither
Mt iS oNa ,t
cumstances and the wage scale Is de-
termined in considerable measure by
what general trade conditions will per-
NIT.
1T is entirely consistent with the
recognition of this difference OF interest,
however that labor should strive con-
tinually to improve it's working con-
ditions; to shorten its hours of labor
to increase its pay; to better the sani-
tary conditions under which 1t Is called
upon to work; and generally to in
crease the share labor obtains from the
operation of the industry"
Such ends can be attained only by
labor organizations. This Is the view
accepted by the National Civil Fedora
tion, said Mr.. Low. Referring to the
American Fedora ton of Labor, he said
that it's officers were powerless to con-
troll the acts of the various interna-
tonal unions that form a part of it.
Praise to Detective Burns for his
wo"k in tho Mcnamara "as' " &c ~ ~
by the speaker. Despite his earlier prais
Of iOrIpers as tne incarnation Oh t"?
and labor. President Low did not
praise his attitude during the McNa-
mara episode. He said:
Made Mistake.
1T is impossible to deny that Mr..
Gompers, as president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, made a
lRmentable mistake when the McNa-
maras were arrested not in assuming
their innocence, but in failing also to
remember that they might be guilty
and in attacking as an enemy of Or
Ranized labor every one who thought
they were guilty.
When this mistake was made, an in
cident that ought to have been disposed
of wholly by the criminal law was con-
Verted into what came desperately near
being a class struggle between labor
and capital, involving the whole coun-
trX;h X&bsr cornorat,ors refuse to treat
with labor unions they take an inde-
fensible position. according to President
Low
Unity Advocated.
IF the profession of a soldier has
been ennobled by the example of a
Washington" said Cardinal Gibbons in
his brief speech at the opening Of the
=
turist has been ennobled by Marshall,
If the profession of statesman has
been ennobled by a Webster or Burke,
surely the calling of the mechanic las
been dignitied and sanctlhed by the
example OF Christ.
Labor is honorable because it con-
tributes more than any other agency to
the welfare and prosperity of the COM
monwealth."
The dependence of capital and labor
and the social instincts of man were
dwelt upon briefly by the eminent
church dignitary.
Il care not how rich and powerful a
man may be. He may possess the
wealth of Croesus, or In our day. of Nj;
Rockefeller; what will his wealth avail
him If he has no friend to grasp him
by the hand. no companion to cherish
him, no servant to minister to him?
Let, then, capital and labor join
hands and work together harmoniously,
and the increased prosperity of the ma
tlon is assured"