Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-11-20
.LABoRITEs HEAR WILSON
Secretary Of Labor Addresses American
Federation Convention ~ D;.eu.s..
Arbitration and says Industrial
Peace L impossible Without Indus
& trial Justice. .z

trial Justies.
PhiIadelphia, Nov. zO.-aThere can be
no permanent Industrial peacet,that n
not based on Industrial justice" de-
clared william B. Wilson. secretary OF
the federal department Of labor today
to the delegates of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
Introduced to the federation by
President Gompers as "our Bilr' and
addressing the delegates as Fellow
trade unionists," Secretary Wilson said
that he had been criticised for state
ments he had made at the federation's 8
convention at Seattle last year and de-
clared that he reaffirmed what he said
there.
The secretary said he also had been
accused of partisanship in conducting
his department. IF securing justice for
those who earn their living by the
sweat Of their face is partisanship," he
said, then count me partisan on the
side of the man who labors."
Mr.. Wilson in telling Of the work of
his department said the last eighteen
months It had handled scores Of trade
disputes, except Pere Marquette
strike and the strikes at Calumet and
in Colorado. The department. he added,
takes the stand that the employers and
the employees have mutual interest in
creating a greater amount of produce
ton with given amount Of labor.
They differ only to the share that
should go to each and under the meth
cd it should be produced. When the
employer and the employe reach this
stage, then it is the proper thing to sit
down and solve the problem
The department Of. labor also has
been accused Of partisanship." Mr..
Wilson continued, ION the theory that
IN acting as mediator in labor disputes
1t Is performing judicial function.
That is not true. It performs diplo-
matte functions. There is no more
reason why the department Of labor
should be barred from handling d:s-
putes In a diplomatic manner than
there IL from barring the state de-
partment from handling International
disputes.
What we want in handling lab or
disputes are men OF experience and
level headed, and who understand the
technicalities involved. In carrying
out its work the department takes men
who are experienced and who have the
technical knowledge Of the employees
side and who have the knowledge Of
the employers side and send them out
to perform their work.
Secretary Wilson declared that tho
labor features In the Clayton anti
trust law "are the greatest step taken
by labor and for labor in the last two
generations Labor at last the secre-
tary said, has been placed where 1t
ought to be as a part Of the commun-
ity. I'VE recognize thai the employ
ers have the right to ,vvn land, plants
and machinery" he said, "but we con-
tend that they do not own the men
and for the first time in the history
OF this country labor is declared not
to be a commodity. or an article OF
commerce"
IN concluding he said that he would
use every force to promote the well
fare OF those who toll. :hat he would
use the most effective .nea sires to that
end, and added that In his experience
the most effective force to improve the
conditions OF the working people were
the trades unions OF this country.
.