Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-19
FAIL TO RATIFY NOMINATIONS OF
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
COMMISSION MEMBERS.
YEAR WASTED IN FORMATION
OF INVESTIGATING BODY
President Taft Delayed Nominations
and When Members Wsrs Finally
Named Senate Failed 70 Ratify-
Wilson's Appointments Made After
Long Delay and Again Delayed.
Especial Correspondence

washington, July 1S.-OcldS III tne
senate in confirming the nominations
OF members OF the Industrial relations
commission is causing considerable
uneasiness among the friends of that
body. While they do not thing the
senate will turn down the new APP
pointments, nevertheless the field OF
wolk for the commission is so vast
that it can not possibly cover it unless
it soon begins operations.
The law providing for the industrial
relations commission provides that
final report shall be submitted three
years from the date of the approval OF
the act. The act was approved Aug.
% of last year. This means that
year has already been wasted and the
commission has only about two years
time for the exploration OF subject
Inch is as broad as the expanse OF
American capitalistic enterprise and
American industry. The delay In the
first place whereby the commission
was prevented from getting down to
business was due to the fact that
President Taft was slow appointing
commission When he did appoint one
last winter the senate would not con-
firm it. Then, President Wilson took
months to make his selections. Now.
the senate is showing no hurry about
combinations. The net result is that
year has been frittered away that
might we'll have been profitably en-
,ployed in investigation.
Union Labor Not Enthusiastic.
AS matter Of fact, there was never
any great enthusiasm on the part OF
6a MI
Leaders of organized labor feel there
lis light enough to warrant legislation
on most Of the things they are de-
manding. However. they supported the
measure, known in congress- as the
Hughes -Borah bill, on the theory that
1t would turn on the light and that
they could only be benefited by sucn
a process.
The purposes Of the commission are
little understood. judging from the
constant inquiries which are heard or
received at the capitol about It AS
a matter Of fact, the commission ID
one OF the most important ever created
in this country. providing 1t lives up
to the possibilities Of the law creating
II II originated with some Of the
ablest thinkers and Industrial students
OF the country at the time OF the NC
Namara exposures In Los Angeles.
They felt It was time for compre-
hensive study OF the relations between
capital and labor with view to md
ing out what was at the bottom OF
such violence as that engineered by
the McEamaras and other troubles be-
tween capital and labor and that a
great commission should be named by
the government for the purpose.
Commission Of Nine.
The law provides for a commission
Of nine, three representing employers
of labor, three the public and three or
eanized labor Compensation amounts
to expenses and a per diem OF $40 per
day while actually engaged in work for
the commission. The commission ID
given inquisitorial powers and thus Is
armed with weapons for investigation.
The commissions duty is to inquire
into the general condition OF labor In
the United States In all the principal
| Industries including agriculture and
| especially into the industries controlled
| by corporations; to study the effect OF
| industrial conditions on public vel
| fare; to study conditions OF sanitation
and safety of employees; to study labor
| organizations and associations and
| employers organizations; to study the
probler, OF how 10 adjust disputes be-
| tween capital and labor; and in gen
eral to study the whole vast problem
of the relations between labor and
capital in It's many aspects and the
relation of the public thereto and sees
to discover the underlying causes OF
ases.t ctton in the industrial stu
Iation and report its conclusions.
President Wilson's Appointments.
1t is apparent that a commission OF
nine persons. II 1t 10 busy every day
Of the mex: two years. can do little
more than scratch the surface Of all
the problems involved. Hence the
growing demand that the commission
be set to work. The nominations fol
the commission are as follows:
/ Representing labor-James O'Con-
nell, president of the metal trades de-
Ipartment Of the American Federation
Of Labor; John B. Lennen, treasurer
Of American Federation Of Labor; A
b. Garretson, head Of the Order OF
Railway Conductors.
Representing the public-Frank p
Walsh, of Kansas City; Prof. John n
lCommons, Of the University. of Wis
lconsin; and Mrs. ]. Borden Hartman
of New York.
Representing the employers-Frede.
rick A. Delane. president Of the Wa
bash railroad; Harris Weinstock, mer'
chant, Of California; s. Thurston Bal.
lard, manufacturer, Of Kentucky.