Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-02-05
eANNA&NNN~A4NNt
FEDERAL COMMISSION ON
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
IA statement by Edward r. Dcvino.
Editor on The survcyD

NNHA Au' hoNlhi NnihtfN ana crOns
) omists have proposed Is an authorita-
tive national Inquiry into the means
by which Industrial conflicts may be
prevented hy being made unnecessary;
ana into the means ny which, when
Z not prevented they may be- settled.
ana settled right II is not q policy
OF pence at any price which Is sug-
gested. desirable az Industrial peace
ana stability are from the standpoint
vt the public comfort aud security.
Ihcre are occasions. doubles, when
employers are quite justified in not
yielding to demands OF their employees.
because the demands are unjust or
unreasonable, as there are other oc-
chslons when even the certainty OF
lallure should not deter WorkIngmen
rom making "a stand for some vital
priheiple Most disputes are not OF
this extreme kLG. The situations
Which lead to strikes are usually COM
P'leateu' involving many points of
'"hFoFersy, some OF which may be-
| Vltal 70 one side and others vital To
the DINER In this very fact lies near
! " always the possibility of compro-
mise ana Adjustment. seldom Indeed
" there no basis for bargaining and
mutually advantageous understand
ing provided there is time. ana for
| some mechanism satisfactory 20 both
sides, for carrying on negotiations and
reaching ana understanding.
The extraordinary success which
mas marked the operation OF the Erd-
man act for preventing aud adjusting
strikes on the Interstate railways.
| during The Eve or sX years since ID
| has fn
| can be done with intelligent medin.
lion when both sides have strong and
responsible organizations ana "A mech
onism exists ia which both sides have
| confidence. Unfortunately tho SCOPE
of this act Is confined 60 those who
are engaged Ia the operating DEPART
ments of Interstate railways. As an
Illustration OF the possibilities in the
direction OF voluntary mediation il Is
most suggestive although naturally
many thinss must bee taken into ac-
count in applying It's lessons 20 other
industries in which either employers
or employees are less effectively organ
i2ed. or In which tho public interest
is less OBVIOUS and direct than ln the
railway service
Economists and social workers. we
~ IA.tAAf tAAH NWA hWlANtNlhu SOLELY TO
maintain peace. That Is much, but
Il is not everything. They believe IN
peace In so Tar as IL contributes 90 I.
prosperity for all classes ana 10 JUS
tlce for an. u prosperity becomes
too onc-sided and justice is forgotten /
then eace may prove to be of value
only TO those on the favored Side to |
those who are prodting by Injustice;
and the public interest may demand
welfare rather than peace. That can
be so, however, only in case there is
no method except that OF open war-
fare for securing iAsticc. There
should be some other method. War
fare, even between nations Is q very
cruue ana imperfect method of main
tanning rights and resisting oppres-
sion, although IL may remain a uecCs-
| sary last resort until the nations have
provided a substitute. A between
capital and labor. open conflict. In
the form 81 strikes and lockouts. boy
colts, blacklists and closed shops by
or against the unions. Is also a crude
and imperfect means of securing JUS
tice and protecting hard-won rights.
over reason and justice. Nevertheless
over eason and Justice. Nevertheless
L AAfHAa''.' '.Ai NJ Al AhNN iiANHA NC AM Iit'NNtM
90 break out here and there. however
Y may he hedged about and controli-
/ ed, until other WAYS are devised and
brought into general use for accom-
plishlng what De- recognized as the
legitimate purpose OF strikes and lock-
outs Only LET it not bc forgotten that
the main thing rs not to prohibit
/ strikes which could not be done so
1nfffr aa ID.
TO prevent the necessity for them. Not
mere superficial appearance OF or
der h the goal. but peace based upon
the sure foundation Of fair dealing, q
decent standard of living for the FAM
HES of workingmca, and normal re-
lntion between profits and wages, be-
tween incomes and the cost OF living. ,
between the interests OF producers I
and those of consumer between pri-
waite Interests and public interests. b
why "a comm Ission? Why not nave
thc inquiry made hy some existing
agency puzzle or private. There is I
q reason which appears convincing i
not only Go the social workers and 1
economists who have proposed the /
plan, but also DO am OF thosr as far /
as We can learn, who. like the socre- ,
commissioner of labor in tlc federal
government ana the director of the .
Russell Sage foundation. would natur- .
ally De regarded as conspicuously the I
ones 90 undertake a., 10 amy existing 4
agency could do go. That reason lies .
900 tho magnitude and driIoicy OF the .
inquiry. Boo it8 fundamental character. /
Boa its demand FOR broad statesman
rhip, Cor sympathetic understanding
90. conflicting points OF view. for yis-
ION ANA imaginaton, and at the Same
time Cor hrm grasp OF realities and
an appreciation of what BE- ANA what
is not practical. Just because SrCrc-
tary Nagcl and Commissioner Ncnl
have these qualities, they recognize
the proposed inquiry requires the coo
operation OF men of affairs and of an .
dcrstauding outside official lifc. Of men
who are for the time being free from
pressing routine duties and whose
findings would commend confidence
ana respect AS % United states SEM
ator has expressed 10 what Wc need
DIS that the nation should summon lts