The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-02-05
By Secretary Wilson of the De-
partment of Labor in His
First Annual Report.
REGULATION Is REQUESTED
Use of Firearms in a Species
of Private Warfare Calls for
Serious Consideration
d AaseeIArEp ~,

cay AssoeIATEp eREs0
! WlASHMaGToN, Feb. 5-Protest
against the use of firearms and
the employment of armed guards
and private detectives in labor dis
putes and strikes was made by Sec
rotary w. b. Wilson, OF the Depart
ment OF Labor in his first annual re-
port just submitted 10 Presd dent
wilson. He recommends that Con-
gress enact legislation within us
constitutional limitations to regulate
this business in the interest OF pub
lie peace and order"
The use of firearms said Score
tary Wilson, ".n species of private
warfare in connection with labor
strikes. calls for serious considera-
ton. Groups of men on both sides
without military or police authorlty
for it, have used firearms with tatal
effect in the coal strike in southern
Colorado. These arms and the am
lmunition have doubtless been pro-
cured through interstate commerce..
and many OF the armed men are
said to have been Imported into Gol-
orado from other states through
business concern engaged cotmmerc
ably across state lines IN supptylgElg
corporations with an aired ana
Grained private soldiery or police in
numbers running into hundreds ana
even thousands. In connection Win
I the Pere. Marquette strike In M-cni-
Egan, armed guards, furn.shed Dy
agencies in other states supplylng
men to take the place or local
strikers. accompanied those men 10
Grand Rapids. They were there
turned back by the United States
marshal under Instructions from the
district Judge. In the Calumet cop
per mining region, armed guards
under contract with the employe rs
were forwarded to the locality by
agencies in other states.
4 On relations of capital and laDor,
prodnfl!i The relation of employer
and wage Garner" says he, sis no
longer personal or individual I: De1
cause both, employers and opera
tives act In, groups.
lEpaTt rs OBVIOUS the report says.
i'sthat this mathod of employment
generally necessary for. success ~
modern industry, may give the, en-
ployers great contractual advantages
over wage earners. gniess 49,
eaTners also act collectively throuen
Their own agents, they are often az
IA practical disadvantage. hsnnploy-
;ers .HshS1 act collectively In hiring
wage earners are often averse TO
dealing with agents of wage. earnefs
who collectively OFFER their services.
{. They desire to contract with wage
earners Individually. It Is: upon Ems ems
noint that labor disputes frequently
enrriiI1e' IL and become acute. In
lt1nlbstT instAntHs in which employers
accord ,Wor4fmen practaeal59 reeegnl7
! ton Of tha right of collective. par
! gad1iiTE witch they themselves Elk
ercises fair relations are maintained.
Gin any circumstances, d8nerences
must be expected to arise In sucn n
cases the Department OF LABOR
ground for agreement which the DIS
putants,. In their eagerness for al
vantage or in the heat of their con-
troveTsy. had overlooked. =
In that connection 1t IS suggest d
that congress clearly define the
functions OF the Department of La
bor in the mediation of labor DIS
putes and vote an appropriation aae-
auate to meet the requirements o.
y;tediation work. IN that way, it was
snggesfed "the welfare OF wage
easTneris could; be fosteTad while the
nrosnerfty Of, employers ) and 0he
1eace and good order Of society at
large were conserved. ATdicable set
element between the parties them
selves. without mediation, are man man
ifestly first in the order OF prefer
euSe.. M9u.AJAO1 SO44A0s SSs1s..y - 60 Z
tration third. But any OF the three s.
is preferable to strikes or - lock-
outs" - = ~, ~
Fhe success already achieved py
4he Department of Labor, in the ad-
iustnrent of labor controversies, det1ll-
onstrates. in the Judgment OF Secre-
tarv Wilson. that such disputes near
~ aIfways may be adjusted to the
proft OF all interests; and he De-
I.eyes that the department. properly
eouiDped. should be able to make
mediation progressively popular Win
both the employing and the wage
earning interests OF the, country
The report contains a review o.
4he labor controversies IN which the
good Offices OF the Department OF
n ,ator we're exercised during the ten
months Of its existence. In prac-
tfcayiy all of them, agents OF me
denartnent were successful, al
thouqh in the Colorado coal strlKe
and in the Michigan copper strike
NO peaceflII solutions yet have neen
reached. because, 1t was pointed OUT
haTfiess TO the controversies could not
he induced to accept mediation.
During the fiscal year ended June
go 1918. 1.197.ST2 tmml grants
came to this country, an increase o.
( 80 ,72O over the previous year. VI
those 986, 9l55 were between Ia ana
IA wears OF age, 147S15S were un-|
d,ar IA and 64J379 were IS or over.
T.wenty-six per cent of the aliens
a OMITTED were totally illiterate. Ihe
mix Of the immigration came from
the countries OF southern and east-