The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-30

All eQOAA D6SfS dIlO t1cTc lS d CIduCS
10 make a settlement. The trades union
What can this department do to
better the relation between labor and
capitalize
"Ti.e Department Of Labor Is rath-
er an advisory department than an
executive department. It might be call
cy. It's object Is largely to act as q
mediator between capital and labor in
ase OF dispute. and I believe hat it
will Be beneficial to the community at
large to just that extent thaht its di-
plomAcy succeeds."
But II the laboring mar willing to
accept Uncle Sam as his arbitrator"
Il do not mean that Uncle San is
to be h arbitrator, but hat he Is to
bring he parties together and to get
them to mutually submit their differ
ences to other arbitrators to be chos-
en- themselves. 1t would not be wise
for the government to act as an arbi-
traitor. for the reason that wrong pre-
cedents might be established. The con-
ditiOns in INT place might not be suit
ed to the decisions to which the arbi-
traitor had committed itself in other
places. Again, the decision of today
might be unjust in the changed con-
ditiOns OF tomorrow. Progress Is al
ways being made, and situations are
continually changing. If this depart
ment were tied down to q line Of de-
%cisions, along a given direction, it
would stand in the way of progress
itself"
But just what can you do?" :.
w can only bring the parties to-
gether n perhaps suggest plans OF
settlement. / suppose I could answer
you question better by telling you
what we have done within the past
few months. We took up the adjust
ment OF the trade disputes connected
with the New York. New Haven and
Hartford railroad. and succeeded in
bringing the employees and the com
pany together, SO that they have ad'
justed their dispute in q way salts.
factory to both parties. We have ar
ranged In the same way a difficulty il
the forge department at Erie, and W.
have brought the snopmen and tn
pany together. We nave averted
number Of strikes and we n doin,
hat right along"
Suppose the strikers at Paterson
a asked you to step in ?"
Il cannot say what would have beel
the result We might have succeede,
in getting b parties together. w
SO0AN OAAJ A&VC S06SCSSCO 04XO ~
vtsed. We are. as I have said, merel
q department Of industrial diplomacy.
How about strikes in the Unite
States? Are they ~increastng?"
mo. ! believe we have fewer strike
now than we had in the past. Their
are more members to each strike an
the strikes are better organized. TIL
trades which are the best organize
have the fewest striks. and as the OF
gAniZAtiOn OF labor becomes more CON
plete the strikes become less and les
The reason for this Is hat collectiy
bargaining is more easily possible III
der that condition. Both parties to tt
contract are better able to fax tern
and carry them out"
do you think that a general stril
all over the country Impossible ?"
NO"
What is the ideal condition tn:
SHOULD exist between the employer ar
the employer"
"A condition Of partnership and
equal rights. There is an implied par
nership now. but the difficulty is tn;
the employer does not recognize it. +
assumes that his plant is his propert
n that he has a right to do with
as he pleaSeS and to run it as
pleases. He fails to grasp the idea tn
there is no title to property that is n
a law-creaed and law-protected It'll
Sociey has allowed private individus
or corporations to hold certain Ugh
only for it's protection and develo
ment. Now. il society has created t
title. for its protection, society c;
modify that title whenever it deer
necessary for its protection. Thereto
when the employer claims the ia
tory as his own to do with as
pleases, he fails to realize that Re h
no title to the factory except in so
as society permits"
THAT would near that society +
the right to change the regulation
any such piece Of property at its O
will?"