Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
ILLS OF LABOR NOT
UNDERSTOOD AT ALL,
COMMISSION FINDS
Industrial Relations Investi-
gators in Trip to Pacific
Coast Receive Illuminating
Testimony as to Conditions.

| u.
commission on Industrial Relations has
,elt for Washington, where IL will draft
| us preliminary report to Congress- iIt,pn
| tne remarkable series of Inquiries into
! american labor conditions which II began
| last april and has continued almost with
OUT interruption ever since Further pub
| lie hearings are intended, together with
| trip through the South
In many respects the Western trip.
| "ihch mas Just ended here at Los An
Eeles, mas been the most Illuminating of
ihe series. Here In the Far West the
ISSUES have been clean-cut and elemen-
.arN. And out of all the mass of con-
licting testimony, charges and counter
cndrses, stands out one ineXorabIe fact.
All of the agencies and organizations set
up by man, looking to the accomplish
ment Of justice In Industrial matters.
nave In one place or another broken
down.
In Butte the commission found con-
o,tions In turmoil, where with "closed
sh4p, blocdshed and anarchy had been
let loose because, of an internal fight in
a union which for one reason or another
had been unable to control itself or so to
organize itself rs to adjust disputes sat
lstactorily or to secure an Improvement
or working conditions commensurate with
the advance in standards of comfort
BOTH SIDES DISSATISFIED,
In san Francisco 1t found closed
shop and unions strong enough and we'll
enough organized to adjust grievances
In a manner satisfactory to the workers
ana TO secure a constantly Increasing
share of the fruits of production. But
here, too. the commission found dissotis-
faction and Ill feeling. There were evil
dences of an abuse of power by GONE of
the unions. There was bitter dissatis-
faction among some of the employers in
San Francisco, who found themselves
confronted by unions SO strong that the
usual course of labor controversy was ut
torly reversed. and employers actually
came before the commission and stated
that their grievance against organized
labor was that employers were not per-
mitted to bargain collectively! They
charged, too, that reasonable profits could
not he made because of union exact
ments
On the other hand, The commission came
to Los Angeles, controlled from bust
ness point of view by a militant group
OF open-shcp employers. who not only
will not deal with organized labor, but
Will not employ union man: here the
commission found low wages, long hours,
abuse OF power upon the part of the en-
lloyers and exploitation in a number of
forms.
MUCH SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT.
Throughout the Pacific coast, regardless
of organized labor or the open shop, is
found seasonal employment men working |
at top speed In the orchards and vine |
yards and hop fields during one season of |
the year, and Crowding into the cities |
idle and often penniless and hungry, at |
another period of the year. It found that |
upon the shoulders of these itinerant, un-
skilled iaborers rested the basic prosper |
ity of the Pacific Coast States. With |
out them the industries that have made |
the coast In business way would fail,
and vet no constructive efforts have so
far been made no far-reaching plan has
been developed looking TO the solution of
the problem of seasonal unemployment.
1t seems likely that when the Commits
sion makes a final report 1t will advo-
,ate the establishment of free employ
nent bureaus under the auspices of the
State and National Governments. which
Will serve as clearing houses of informa-
ion as to the demands for labor in. all
sections of the country.
1t seems likely, also, that they will pro-
)ose some scheme of Government inves-
igation of labor disputes. with functions
# mediation and voluntary arbitration
IS additional features.
These things will undoubtedly help
But If one thing was impressed more
han another on this Western excursion,
seemed to be the crying lack of under
tanding on the part of both employers
nd employees, but mostly on the part of |
Employers, of the fundamental causes of |
Industrial unrest. And this seems to be
he most serious aspect of the question;
or no matter how many Government !
gencics may be set up nor how many |
AVS passed. what shall 1t avail If en- |
oyers who study the technique of in
ustry and of trade In order that they |
lay produce efficiently and prohtaby, do
OF understand nor study the technique
( the human machinery In their charge?
When Job Hartman, who was one of
ne attorneys for the Mcnamara broth
rs and former Socialist candidate for
layor OF Los Angeles. was on the stand, ,
commissioner Weinstock tried TO draw
'om him some statements regarding the
ttitude of organized labor toward vio-
nee The Commissioner wanted to know
hy organized labor seemed to condone | 7
olence, and why II keeps men in office
I'm positions of trust who have been
1nvicted of violence or of crime.
Hartman acknowledged that oganized
Dor did stand by its members even Il
hen they had been convicted. He said
lis was necessary. because II they were
ot always ready to fight when attacked,
le employers who, he said, controlled
lie Government and the courts, would
instantly pick of their leaders and thus Il
pple the movement, 1T is necessary
fight TO keep innocent men from being
mt to jail" But. in spite OF this, inno-
mt men are convicted, and, of course he
i'd, labor will continue to give them its "a
nfdence and esteem.
But he admitted also that very often
bor continues to support its members
en when II knows they are guilty. And
is is because the Justification OF their Ii
is lies in the sacredness of the cause" "a