New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-22
A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
Sharp Criticism of the Indust trial Rela.
tons Commission.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: l attended the department store
hearings of the Industrial Relations
Commission recently held at the City
Hall, and ] was amazed that the
United States government would send out
a commission which, TO all intents and
purposes seems committed to the most
radical trade unionism and socialism.
When this commission was announced at
Washington great promises were made by
the promoters Of the movement, not the
least being those made by Frank p. Walsh,
the chairman, and Mrs. ]. Borden Har-
riman, the resident chairman, that Ii was
going to conduct a thorough, non-partisan,
comprehensive inquiry and that 1t was
going to the bottom of things and tell us
what is the matter.
Well, II the other hearings have been
productive of as little OF value as the
ones l attended. then the American
Congress owes the people an explanation
as to why 1t is throwing money away on
such stuff. The attitude Of all the CON-
mlssioners who asked questions, and espe-
cially that Of the counsel when interrogat-
ing the large employers who represent
great mercantile establishments. was OF
the same badgering tone used in the police
courts by shyster lawyers. OF course, the
great business men of the country whose
time Is all engrossed with their work,
cannot face hostile attorney and hos
tile lot of people and acquit themselves
with credit. They are not looking for
traps, and frequently can be led into max
ing ridiculous statements that they do not
mean, which was done in this instance, 20
the great glee Of the socialist and ]. w. w.
audience. There are very few business
men or persons in any other class VINO
are equipped to parry with police court
methods.
The three trade union representatives
were put on the commission for partisan
purposes; they were expected to take care
OF their side, and they certainly are doing
II, to the extent OF capturing the whole
commission and dominating the entire pro-
ceedlngs, but where are the three employer
representatives? Were they picked out
because they were union sympathizers
and was the pretence Of fairness simply a
political game?
The counsel for the commission (the
partner of Clarence barrow, generally
known as the Chicago anarchist lawyer
and why was he selected?), the counsel
seemed by his questions. In addition TO
trying constantly to entangle the wit
nesses, to try persistently TO get the en-
pioyers TO agree to unionize their stores.
When did the United states government
go into the business of officially organiz-
ing unions? It could be brought out In
the hearings that the particular union that
the commissions official counsel is boom
ing Is not union at all. arm told that
II has been denied a charter by the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor and also by the
Central Labor organization in New York
City. and that it's hackers and promoters
are not clerks but alleged society women
looking for notoriety and excitement !;
that. I am told. is the reason the labor
movement would not recognize II. And yet
here is this whole department store hear
ins cooked up by that element. and here