The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-08-28

Themselves to Blame
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, August IS. i
Low wages was found to be the basic
cause of industrial unrest in the report
which Frank ?. Walsh, chairman of the
federal commission ON industrial rela-
tions, and the labor members of that
body, will present to congress as a re-
suit of the commission s two-year in
Vestigation into the subject.
The report, embodying the personal
findings of Mr.. Walsh and c0ncurred
in by Commissioners John B. Lennon,
James O'Connell and Austin B. Garrett.
son, was made public here today.
"The workers of the nation, through
compulsory and oppressive methods,
legal and illegal, are denied the full
product of their toll, - it was declared
in the report, and the resulting indus
trial dissatisfaction was said to have
reached proportions that already men
ace the social good viii and the peace
! of the nation
| Responsibility for the condition un.
der which they live was placed primarily
upon the workers themselves, who
blind to their collective strength and
oftentimes deaf to the cries of their
followers, have suffered exploitation
and the invasion of their most sacred
rights without resistance -
The report in part follows:
owe find the basic cause of industri-
al dissatisfaction to be low wages. or
stated in another way, the fact that
the workers of the nation, through
compulsory and oppressive methods
legal and illegal are denied the full
tproduct of their toll.
owe further find that unrest among
the workers in industry has grown t
proportions that already menace tn,
social good viii and the peace of thu
nation. Citizens numbering million
smart under sense of injustice ant
oppression.
"The extent and depth of industrial
unrest can hardly be exaggerated
State and national conventions Of labo
organizations, numbering many thou,
ands of members. have cheered tn
names of leaders imprisoned for partiC
ipation in campaign of violence, cor
Quoted as one phase of a conflict wit
: organized employers.
4 employers have created and mair
. tanned small private armies and use
/ these forces to intimidate and suppress
f their striking employees by deportin!
: imprisoning, ASSEMBLING and KILN
: their leaders. Elaborate spy system
L are maintained to discover and for
stall the movements of the enemy. II
: use Of state troops in policing STRIKE
= has bred bitter hostility to the mil
|, tia system.
r Courts, legislatures and governo
J. have been rightfully accused of servir
t employers to the defeat of Justice, an
q while counter charges come from e1
= ployers and their agents. with almo
~ negligible exceptions, it IS the wa;
i. earners who believe, assert and pro,
* that the very institutions of the
= country have been perverted by II
power of the employer.
"To the support of the militant al
aggressive propaganda of organic
labor, has come, within recent years
small but rapidly increasing host
" ministers, college professors, write
= journalists and others of the professiO
. al classes, distinguished in many
stances by exceptional talent viii
they devote to agitation, with no no
pa of material reward.
. owe find the unrest here describ
II to be but the latest manifestation
II the age-long struggle of the race t
II freedom of opportunity for every
II dividual to live his life to its high,
II ends.
II "The unrest of the wage earners
il been augmented by recent changes a
II developments in industry Chief
= these are the rapid and universal int
duction and extension of machinery,
which unskilled workers may be subs
tuted for the skilled, and an equa
rapid development of means of raj
e. transportation and communication,