The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-21
Against Reducing Wages on
Account of the Tariff.
NO CHANGE IN The ATTITUDE
OF the Administration Has
Taken Place, He Says.
Notes That Threats of Reduc.
tiOnS Have Grown Few.

Flint, Mich, Oct. 21.-Notice was
served on employers of labor tonight
by Secretary Redfield of the depart
ment of commerce, that he had not
abandoned its intention to investigate
reductions of wages, made under the
plea that the new tariff compelled re-
trenchment. The secretary voiced his
warning in an address to the Flint
Board of Commerce.
when it was suggested some
months ago. he said, that the in
quiry powers of the department might
under certain conditions be used to
learn whether conditions in any gen.
eral industry were such as to Justify
reduction of wages when alleged ID
be made because of tari1 changes
there appeared very general comments
on the alleged action, which comments
were chiefly remarkable for their Wig
or in dealing with an assumed state of
facts that did not exist. An attitude
of courteous candor which was not for
a moment misunderstood by the gen.
tlemen who were directly concerned,
was so altered in the telling of it as to
put the department in the position Of
menacing individuals and establish
ments with hostile intrusion, if excuse
could be found for so doing.
He Still Stands Pat.
When the direful results which
prophets of evil foretold did not occur
the facile imaginations of some editors
led them to say that the secretary of
commerce had withdrawn from his at
titude. The secretary of commerce
has done no such thing. He accepts
no responsibility for the vagarious re-
marks they would have had him say
and which they would like to criticise.
The views expressed in the address, be-
cause of which all the dust arose, have
not been changed and the action that
was suggested in that address will be
taken if the circumstances suggested
therein should arise and seem to make
it necessary.
Meanwhile the department will not
be 'bluffed' by those who wish it to
err into action which would have for
the sole basis of it's existence the hope
of some that it might make a mis-
take"
The secretary declared that the
threats of reduction in wages as a re-
suit of the Underwood tariff law had
become few of late. That he attribut-
ed directly to the declaration of the
administration that it would act
promptly where such threats were
carried out.
The fact that powers exist he
said, lin hands that will use them if,
and only if, general and sufficient
cause shall appear for such use and
will then use them conservatively and
considerably if at all, seems to have
had a SOLDERING effect upon those who
would make the wages of the laborer
a fulcrum on which to poise their pol
itical arguments"
Public Utilities.
Investigation of public-utilities cor
porations, said the secretary, was a
line of inquiry his department propos-
ed to begin. The inquiry would be
made by the bureau of standards and
it would be conducted in a spirit of
entire friendliness and with the object
in view of aiding both the corporations
themselves and the public utilities
commissions of the states and cities.
Congress is to be asked to appropriate
100000 to begin the work.
This fund" explained Mr.. Red
field. would be used to enable the
bureau of standards to carry on such
as would fix standards
of service for public utility companies
that would assist the public service
commissioners of the states and cities
and other authorities in regulation
and control of these utilities. There
is no suggestion OF idea that in this
connection the bureau of standards
would exercise any legal authority
whatever; no more so than it does in
it's other scientific standardizing work.
There is, however, wide field for
the activities of this scientific bureau in
carrying on and publishing investiga-
tions of a purely technical character
for the purpose of establishing stand
ards and methods that may be adopt
ed generally by state and municipal
commissions. Uniformity of process
and of requirements is greatly needed
and without some cOordinating agency
which is impartial and disinterested it
is hard, if not impracticable, to secure
such uniformity.
1.-TWO parties, one a city, or a state.
the other a public service company.
may disagree. Who is to be the arbi-
traitor? You say the court, but the
question is technical one and upon
what standard of technical knowledge
4 l.,
ton? 1t is of the greatest importance
that all state and municipal commits
sions should possess full technical in
formation in regard to utilities whicn
they are required to regulate in order
that they may act. intelligently and
justly between utilities companies
and the public. If the public is to have
a square deal there must be just as
good information in the hands of the
public service commissions as there is
in the hands of the public service COM
panies."