The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-16
OUTLOOK EDITORIAL
FAvORS TAFT PLEA
Roosevelt Endorses Plan for
Creation of Industrial
Commission.
National News Aasociation)


Theodore Roosevelt indOrses Presi.
dent Taft's plea for the appointment
Of . commission to investigate indus
trial conditions In this country in an
editorial headed "A Phase OF Indus
trial Justice" in the current number
Of The Outlook.
I'VE hear much Of the conflict be-
tween labor and capital" says Roose-
welt. land often II seems to be assum.
ed that this conflict is inevitable and
that capitalists and wage earners must
be considered primarily as belonging
TO different classes, each individual
being judged solely by the stand Of
his own class.
This 10 q thoroughly false and un-
healthy view. From the standpoint OF
the country. from the standpoint Of
good citizenship, the difficulties be-
tween employer and employe. are Of
with the need that each shall show
that he possesses the great fundamen-
tai virtues. II both show that they do
pjossess these great fundamental vir.
tues then from the standpoint OF the
republic they are not in separate
classes, they are in one class. in the
one class whose existence is vital to
the republic, the class that contains,
whether on the farm, or in the work.
shop, or In the counting room. the de-
cent hard. working. intelligent, self-re-
specting citizens.
1.-THE president in recent message
has recommended the creation by
congress Of commission to look in
to the industrial conditions in this
country. 1t IL earnestly to be hoped
that Republican, and Democrats. wise
Progressives and wise Conservatives.
will all alike back up his action. Such
. commission could not but do good.
II properly made up 1t would approach
the matter of industrial relations With
out prejudice az between employers as.
sociations and labor unions. 1t would
look at the matter from the point OF
view Of public interest with concern to
work for the prevention Of uneces-
sary labor disputes. and for settling
those that do arise on just and per-
manent basis. Such q commission OF
ed citizens would look carefully and
without prejudice into the existing
grievances Of labor and would examine
the means which are available for
fighting them and the plans which are
being tried in this country or abroad
for preventing and settling the dis.
putes. It would examine into the func-
ton and efficiency OF state and fed.
eral labor bureaus and would report
- to existing labor laws, so that We
might know whether they are ade-
Quate and correspond to our pre-
sent plans ~ people. It would work
along any line Of profitable inquiry
which might be suggested.
surely there Ia no widespread
and desp public interest in this vital
subject and an earnest desire to know
whether our resisting mechanism for
preventing and settling labor disputes
and for helping the cause Of social JUS
tice - regards both employer and
wage Garner cannot be improved. I'm
doubtedly the remedy must in large
part be found in the action Of several
states rather than In the federal gov
eminent and undoubtedly 1t must also
in q large part. be found In voluntary
arrangements between employers and
employees and higher general recog-
milton Of the needs Of justice and fair
dealing"