The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-02-04
SECRETARY LABOR
SUBMITS REPORT.
PROTESTS AGAINST EMPLOY.
MENT OF ARMED GUARDS IN
LABOR DISPUTES.

against the use of firearms and the
! employment of armed guards and pri-
vate detectives in labor disputes and
strikes was made by Secretary w. b,
| Wilson, Of the department of labor,
in his first annual report submitted to-
day to President Wilson. He recon-
mcnds that congress enact legisla ion
"within its constitutional limitations
to regulate this business in the inter
est Of public peace and order"
The use of firearms" said Secreta-
ry Wilson. lin species of private
warfare in connection with labor
strikes, calls for serious consideIa-
tion. Groups Of men on both sides,
without military or police authority
for it, have used firearms with fatal
effect in the coal strike in southern
! Colorado These arms and the am
munition have doubtless been procur-
ed through interstate commerce; and
many Of the armed men are said to
have been imported into Colorado
from other states through a business
concern engaged commercially across
state lines, in supplying corporations
with an armed and trained private
sOldiery or police in numbers running
into hundreds and even thousands.
In connection with the Pere Mar
quette strike in Michigan, armed
suards furnished by agencies in other
states supplying men to take the
place of local strikers, accompanied
those men to Grand Rapids They
were there turned back by the United
States marshal under instructions
from the district Judge. In the Calu
met copper-mining region, armed
guards under contract with the EN-
ployers were forwarded to the locali
ty by agencies in other states"
On relations of capital and labor
Secretary Wilson takes advanced |
ground The relation of employer ]
and wage-earner," says he, rs no |
longer personal or individual" be
cause both employers and operatives
act in groups.
1T is obvious" the report says |
that this method of employment, gen
orally necessary for success in mod .
crn industry may give to employers
great contractual advantages over the
wage earners. Unless wage earners
also act collectively through their own
disadvantage, Employers who act col
lectiycly in hiring wage earners are
often 9yCrsC to dealing Wita agents
OF wage earners who collectively of
Ter their services. They desire to
contract with wage earners individu-
ally II is upon this point that labor
disputes frequently spring up and be
come acute In most instances in
which employers accord workmen
practical recognition of the right OF
collective bargaining which they
themselves exercise, fair relations are
maintained.
In any circumstances, differences
must be expected to arise In such
cases the department of labor might
possibly find a common ground for
agreement which the disputants, in
their eagerness for advantage or in
the heat of their controversy, had oy-
erlooked"
In that connection, it is suggested
that congress clearly define the func-
tions of the department of labor in
the mediation of labor disputes and
vote an appropriation adequate to
meet the requirements of mediation
work. In that way, it was suggested,
"the welfare of wage earners could be
fOstered while the prosperity of EN-
ployers and the peace and good or
der of society at large were consery.
ed Amicable settlements between
the parties themselves, without media
llOl, are ildulltSllN HISJ III lue Olutl
of preference. Mediation comes next.
Arbitration third. But any of the
three is preferable to strikes or lock
outs"
The success already achieved by
the department of labor in the adjust
ment of labor controversies, demon
strates, in the judgment of Secretary
Wilson, that such disputes uesrIy a
ways may be adjusted to the profit
of all interests; and he believes that
the department properly equipped,
should be able to make mediation
progressively popular with both EN-
ploying AMI the waga-earuing ,nle'
ests of the country"
The report contains review of the