The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-05
DEFENDS UNIONS
Seth Low, President of the
National Civic Federation,
Urges Cooperation Between
Employers and Employees.

! Washington, March 5.-Discussion
| of the relationship between employer
and employee was the feature of the
/ first days session of the twelfth an
nual congress of the National Civic
federation here today. Cardinal Glib
bons was the first speaker on the pro-
gram which included Seth Low of
New York, president of the OrganiZa-
ton; Judge Martin A. Knapp of the
commerce court; C. G. Norman of the
New York Building Trades Employers
association, and Second Assistant
Postmaster General Joseph Stewart.
Cardinal Gibbons was the presiding
officer for the opening day. President
Taft is expected to preside over the
sessions tomorrow and Thursday. Be
alton gatherings will be held by vari-
GUS departments for the consideration
of important questions.
Appealing for the advancement OF
industrial peace and industrial CO.
operation between employer and en-
ployee, Seth Low, president of the
federation, eulogized the labor union
and defended it's right to struggle Tor
American Federation of Labor and its
methods and with equal spirit de-
nounced the radical labor leaders as
Socialists, Seeking a social revolu-
ton, not a social evolution"
Urges Cooperation.
my Judgment is that the pathway
to industrial peace and industrial eff
ficiency,'' said Mr.. Low, lis to be
found in the hearty cooperation OF
employers with labor unions, in the
confident expectation that when the
right of workingmen to collective bar
gaining passes unchallenged IN prac-
tice the right of other workingmen
to forego collective bargaining If they
wish to do so will be equally unchaI-
Referring to the fact that Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, was vice presl-
said that the organization had been
criticized by many employers because
of its apparent close relationship with
labor. This criticism, ne declared,
misdeeds of labor individuals OF
s"The National Civic Federation is
not unaware of those mistakes ana
those misdeeds on the part of 1ndlV1d.
uals and some times of whole unions,
he said. 1.-The federation, however,
declines to lay emphasis only on the
mistakes and misdeeds or organized
labor.
ut prefers to look above and be-
vond such incidents, which in a GER
tain sense are parts or all human
struggle toward the inspiring object
of organized labor. which is TO I'M
proye the condition of that vast BODY
IF men and women and children who
toll with their hands for their daily
Bread
Advantages of Trade Agreement.
President Low dwelt at length on the
ADVANTAGES created under the trade
a greement plan between employer ana
employee. Bargaining between capital
and labor he pointed out, had reached
Industrial friction and had virtually
abolished serious industrial warfare.
Mr.. Low applauded the philosophy of
the American Federation of Labor that
though the interests of labor and of
capital were not identical they were
Usually reconcilable."
1.-The acceptance of this philosophy
oy labor" he said, always means an
effort on its part to find basis of
agreement between organized
abor and its employers.
1T means a constantly increasing
number of trade agreements governing
lours wages and conditions of employ
nent between the international union
If organized labor and the national or
"a IMITATION representing employers"
Mr.. Low, referring to the Mcnamara
,ase said it had demonstrated to organ
zed labor that if in the future it wished
o command public sympathy and con-
idence sit must be prompt to disown
Ill violence connected with the strug-
,les of labor"
Throughout his address he urged
lpon both capital and labor greater
clearance and a broader spirit of under {
tanding in their relations. Z