The Washington herald., 1913-09-15
THE COMMISSION ON
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

/ Our national problem can not be ranged
under microscope by nine men in eigh-
| teen months. Our struggle is the greatest
| effort at mutual adjustment that the
world has ever seen. Thirty-tWo million
| two hundred forty-three thousand three
hundred eighty-three of us were born
| abroad or are children of foreign parents
We have been flung together by varying
motives from every nation under the sun.
| One prepOnderating stream up TO 1853 has
given place to an entirely different
| stream now. The individuals in this latter
stream are here just as rightfully as the
| former. In the melting-pot of the fu-
! ture no man can even hazard a guess
as to what our nation is to become.
In addition to this problem OF adjust
ment, we have been confronted by the
challenge of uncOnquered resources from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and every
average man has stretched out his hand
to control all he could. To this there
was scarcely an exception Nationally,
We are coming to some sensibility and
| recognizing that the gain of all wealth
accompanied by a sOrdid childhood and
maturity for labor, or a sodden maturity
lor wealth is all loss and no gain for
the whole nation.
Beyond all this, we have lost sight OF
genuine democracy and assumed that
IeSslauon was a cure for all ills, real
or imaginary. FOrty-eight law mills Keep
grinding at every legislative session. sup
Hlemented by the wilful duplication OF
bills In Congress, running into the thous-
andS 10 prove activity at home Th,
consequence Is contempt for law and
contumely for those who twist il To their
personal ends. The fabric Of our demo-
Cracy has been racked by the very en-
deavOr to show our freedom from the
domination and ideals Of Europe where
law-making is slow.
Problems multiply at every step, chief
ly because We are in motion and will not
stand still to be classified.
The Old Industrial Commission.
An industrial commission, under Con-
gressionaI guidance made research in the
years lS9S-1gO2. and the expenditures were
$500, 900 and over. This commission pro-
duced nineteen vo. lines, averaging be-
tween 80 and 1.0r" pages each. So rap
idly does the nat On move. that the great
research OF thIS commission Is now FOR
gotten. Exper,s were employed, and VOL
umes were prepared by each. AmouE
these We're l. Dana Durand. recent,y
Director or the Bureau OF the Census.
who prepared a volume on Strikes and
Arbitration; Frederic J. StimsOn, on La
Dor Legislation; jeremiah W. Jenks On
Trusts and Industrial Combinations Will
lam T. Ripley. on Transportation; John
+. Crowell on Agriculture: John R. Com
mons Ia nominee in the present commits
sion on Industrial Relations. on Immi-
grafton; Max West, on Taxation and
Charles T. Edgerton, on Labor Organl-
zatiOns- Testimony was taken from near
" roo witnesses. including heads of trusts
railroads and mercantile establishments
public officials, and leaders OF trades
unions. The volumes in all their atten-
uatiOn cover only part OF the ground TO
be covered by the Commission on Indus
trial Relations.
The earlier effort to classify was
time-eXpOsure to catch a moving scene.
The later effort must be a blur also. Il
will take its place with the immigration
Commission. whose Torty-twO volumes OF
research cost Thousands but whose in
riuenCe has not damned the stream a.
all; and with the National MONETARY
Commission. whose volumes no one
reads, but whose conclusions are being
avoided in form and wording in the
present sndeavor 10 construct a Nationa'
Banking and Currency reform.
GRIDLEY BEDE
September - Railroads and Mail Pay.