Evening star., 1914-04-07
UNION THE WAY TO
INDUSTRIAL PEACE
Federal Commission Hears
Testimony From Organized
Labor Today.

Trade agreements between capital and
| labor, in which both sides will have an
opportunity for full discussion. will
bring about industrial peace. This is
the remedy recommended by Joseph
Valentine of Cincinnati, president Of the
International Molders' Union, who was
witne-.s before the United States in
dustrial relauons commission. inquiring
into collective bargaining, concluatfon
and arbitration.
MIR. Valentine approved labor oreani-
cations and claimed that many Of the
benefits obtained by workingmen in
recent Years have been due to the good
offices of labor organizations. He said
he did not approve of bringing in an
outside arbitrator to solve labor and
| capital disagreements.
IF we wait for the average en-
ployer to shorten our hours and in
crease our wages" he said, I'VE might
as We'll wait until we go to heaven !"
The natural desire Of the workingman
for better wages and better working
conditions, he said. is the cause of in
dustrial unrest. The wife goes to the
gone up. The husband tries to get
his wages raised to correspond. He
rails and there is trouble.
Definite Legislation Planned.
Relations between the international
Molders' Union, the National Founders
Association and the Stove Founders
National Defense Association was de-
scribed by Mr.. Valentine, who said that
there has not been a strike against the
Stove Founders Association for TWEEN
ty-four years. while there has been
constant trouble with the National
| Founders Association
He denied that the Stove Founders A.
| sociation controls prices.
1t was made clear today that the COM
| mission expects to recommend definite
legislation to Congress to solve troubles
between capital and labor, and that no
| vague report will be made
! Thomas j. Hogan of Chicago, secretary
of the Stove Founders National Associa-
ton. was witness before the commission
| this afternoon.
Divergent Views at Hearing.
| Widely divergent views regarding the
benefits of collective bargaining In the
coal mining industry were expressed al
the hearing yesterday afternoon. The
witnesses were John Mitchell. former
president of the United Mine Workers OF
America; Frank Peabody of Chicago, a
mine operator; Frank ]. Hayes, vice
president of the United Mine Workers
and o. p Briggs of Chicago. former presi-
| dent of the National Founders Associa-
| ton.
| Mr.. Peabody criticised the present trade
agreements in force between mine oper-
| ators and workers in Illinois, saying they
were based on artificial conditions. and
not on the earning capacity of the min.
| ers. He advocated the establishment OF
a board of arbitration decided on between
| the operators and the miners to decide
| controversies.
Both Mr.. Peabody and Mr.. Mitchell ad.
| vocated allowing the operators to com
bine to fix prices. Mr.. Mitchell adding
that this should be done under proper
| government supervision. In the Illinois
coal field IS per cent of the coal mines
| are insolvent at the present time, accord.
| ing to Mr.. Peabody, who declared tina,
! the operators did not get along better
because they did not organize as well as
| the miners
Miners Unions Defended.
Mr. Hayes. who said conditions were
much better in the coalfields where the
| miners are organized. The miners were
not organized in the Connellsville field ol
| Pennsylvania, he said, because Of the
"murderous system of the operators. who
employ large number of gunner undel
the name of guards and dominate the
political situation. keeping the workers ir
| the condition of slaves" He added that
the miners have offered to arbitrate many
strikes. but that the offers have been re.
fused by the operators. Speaking Of SO.
| cialism, the witness said it had cotton
quite hold. but had no dominating in
fiuence among the miners organization.
| The Industrial Workers of the World he
said. was discouraged and its aims were
totally different from the aims of the
miners organization.
| Mr.. Briggs told of negotiations between
the founders organization and the mold
| ers and criticised the American Fedora
ton of Labor and unions connected with
it, II believe" he said. there have been
more increases in wages and better work.
ing conditions brought about through the
personal dealings between employers and
| employees than through labor unions. The
| closed shop is detrment.''