The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-13
new DEAL IS ON.
Secretary Wilson Warns the
Employers Of Labor
That Old Conception Of Prop
erty Rights Is Obsolete.
DAY Of COll ECTIVE BARGAINING
Has Come to Stay, He Tells
American Federation.

And That Condition Presup-
poses Trade Unionism.
Seattle. Wash, Nov. 13.-The Amer1.
can Federation of Labor devoted We'd
nesday to listening t i. addresses the
most notable of which was that OF
Secretary of Labor William B. WI
son. declaring the policy Of the depart
ment of labor and warning corpora
tons Of the new conception OF property
rights.
The secretary spoke of the Indian
apolis car strike and of the trouble in
the Colorado coal fields.
I'm the recent street car trouble AT
Indianapolis we offered our good OF
fces before the strike commenced" he
said, land had q storm of abuse heaped
upon us by members Of the Manufac-
turers' Association. on the ground that
we were giving announcement to trades
unionism by sending our representa-
tive in there. Notwithstanding that
storm Of abuse, the representative went
in there and when the strike occurred
it was ultimately adjusted.
I'VE sent a representative out to Col
orado to the Colorado coal mine strike.
We got into that strike situation be-
fore the strike had occurred. but we
have thus far failed to secure an ad-
justment of the difficulty. We are not
through with it yet. by any means"
Power Of. Organized Labor.
Speaking Of the power Of organized
labor, he said:
"As I look back over my 40 years OF
experience as a trades unionist, I can
see many men that never acquired
prominence in the trades union move
ment. men that might have swayeo
the rod Of an empire, who were crushed
by the wayside by the power of or
ganized capital because they dared to
protest against unjust and unfair con-
ditions. I can see that crushing pro-
cess going on here and there In our
country today and il the department
of labor can do anything to wipe out
that crushing process. that process OF
crushing the toilers because they dared
to protest, the department Of labor Will
utilize everything in its power to pre-
vent it.
THE department of labor as now or
ganized and directed will be utilized
to Cooperate with the great trade union
movement in its effort to elevate the
standard OF human society.
"One Of the general duties imposed
on the department under its organic
law is the duty of promoting the well
fare OF wage workers.
The one great specific duty imposed
ON the department is the duty to act
as a mediator in trade disputes. to ap-
point commissioners Of Cancellation in
trade disputes. There can be no medi-
alton, there can be no Cancellation be-
tween employers and employee that
does not .,resuppose collective bargain
ing and there can be no collective bar
gaining that does not presuppose trade
unionisn.''
The Calumet Strike.
OF the situation at Calumet, the
secretary said it had heretofore been
the custom to investigate the wages,
hours and conditions of labor and re-
port. This time. he said, it had been
determined to go a step farther and
ations involved.
And the little bit Of confidence that
I am koing to give you." he added, lis
an advance statement Of one Of the
items In that situation-that the larg-
est corporation engaged in the pro-
duct1on OF copper in the Michigan dis
trict was organized In 1870 under the
laws of the state of Michigan, that the
face value Of its capital stock is s., $780,
600. The shares are SIS each. They
were purchased at $12 each so that the
actual investment is 8, $50 900.
From that time until one year ago
the last fiscal report that we had, a
period of forty-two years. that corpora
zion declared dividends Of $121. 000, 900
on an investment of s., $50 600 and
made Refreshments out of it's earnings
Of $75.00o.0oO. Nearly 500, 900, 600 Of
actual net profits in a period of forty
two years on an investment of $780,
600 and then not only protest against
meeting committee Of their workmen,
but refuse to accept the good OFFICES Of
the department of labor in negotiating
the difficulty.
'"They say their property is their
own; that they have the right to do
with 1t as they please. Maybe they
have. but those who take that position
have a false conception Of the titles to
property
The secretary said every title was
laW-created and law-protected and that
deprived Of those laws. the property
involved would be at the mercy Of the
first strong and cunning man who de-
sired it.
Tides Created by Law.
Law has created those titles" he
continued, mot primarily for the well
fare OF the man to whom 1t conveys Il.
but for the welfare of the community.
Society has conceived. whether right
fully or wrongfully, that the best
methods OF promoting the welfare Of
! society IL to convey titles to individuals
In real estate and personal effects. It
does 1t, however, not for the welfare
Of the individual, but for the welfare
OF the great mass Of the people and II
any individual or corporation takes the
ground that the property il his own,
that ne has the right to do with 1t AZ
he pleases. fails to take into consid-
GRAFTON the fact that the title has only
been conveyed to him as q trustee fol-
the welfare of society. then he IL
creating a condition that will cause
society to modify or to change these
titles to property, as 1t has a perfect
right to do, whenever in its judxment
!. II deems it for the Kelfare ~ .<,1.so4 =