Denver labor bulletin., 1915-12-18


seeks to humanize all conditions OF IN
dustry, and that that power is the vol
untary labor movement, the unity ol
all those who toll for wages.
Therefore, the wage-earners are moi
willing to concede to any outside au
thority the right to dictate, control oil
regulate industrial relations for 30 days
or for one minute They are unalter.
ably opposed to the compulsory princi'
pie as applied to any phase of working
conditions for free workers. Compulsior
means slavery. Upon the wage learners
of all ages has fallen the burden OF the
fight against compulsion. In the pres
ent day in various countries We see
them making splendid fight against
every effort to foist upon them com
pulsion under any guise. The fight OF
the Colorado wage-earners against dele
eating to the Industrial commission any
compulsory power in connection with in
dustrial relations is but u part OF the
world wide, age-known struggle for free
dom.
In summing up the three beneficial
features that you attribute to the law
creating the Industrial commission ana
defining its powers you place as first
the fact that the law compels employ
ers and employees to come together III
| conference. | have tried to emphasize
Indicate why compulsion is and Will al
ways be failure. Until employers and
employees meet voluntarily because they
know their own best interests are in
volved, conferences will fall short OF
desired results. Only when there is a
democratic recognition of common inter.
est and common benefits, such as are
assured under the voluntary agreements
entered into by trade unions and EN-
ployers, will there be any progress in at.
tanning industrial justice.
In the second place you assert that
the Industrial commission provides NJ.
impartial means of ascertaining every
fact in any industrial controversy. /
need only to refer to the controversy
under consideration to demonstrate how
far this agency fails OF impartiality.
In the third place you state that the
law provides waiting period in which
both sides have a chance TO cool off ana
calmly consider matters before indus
trial war actually begins. Surely. you
do not think that wage -earncrs viii ol
ought TO cool off under conditions OF
industrial injustieei
a careful investigation OF trade union
history. will disclose to you the fact
that trade movements are not the re-
suit OF rash, hot-headed, ill-adyised de-
cisions. Industrial disputes are entered
upon only when it is impossible to se.
cure just demands in any other way.
Wagc-earnprs know what strikes are
they know the dangers and the hard-hips
and they do not enter upon them lightly
Strikes are demand for justice. They
are not an evil In themselves, but AZ.
indication Of existing evils that ought 10
be remedied. Wherever the waiting per
iod which you term the cooling off per
iod is prescribed by law, experience has
demonstrated that that period is used
by employers in preparatiou for indus
trial war, in arming their industry. ia
bringing in strike breakers, and in max.
ing every preparation to break the will
and the desire OF the workers for better
conditions. Thirty days time for en-.
ploSers means so days preparation to
defeat a strike-mean 80 days time
within which employees must defer a
i, strike or 20 to jail--m mean 80 days OF
constantly declining power TO enter upon
n strike. In other words. IL is u period
OF preparation to prevent industrial pro
gress.
1t seems to be the general and we'll
founded opinion that the only way To
project the interests of the wage-earn
ers of Colorado is to repeal the Law
deleguting TO the Industrial commission.
powers which can be interpreted or per
verted to authorize the commission to
stipulatc industrial relations. Even th.
brief time which the commission In :
been in existence has given ample con
firmation of this opinion. That opinion
is augmented by the fact that tho com.
nissioners desire TO be impartial ana
profess to have at heart the best In.
tcrests of the wnge-carners. 1t confirms
the principle of the trade union move
nent that the workers must rct.iif.
within their own hands power over work
ing conditions and the right TO direct
their industrial, political and social wei
fare.
/ shall publish in the December issus
of the American Ecderationist your re-.
/ ply to the editorial in the October issue
entitled Invasion by Commission to.
gether with the correspondence upon the
matter. This | think is necessary. due
to the great,importnnce OF the principle
involved and the necessity for giving
publicity 10 the contentious of the trade
unionists in view Of the fact that YOU
gave such wide publicity in the Colora.
do press to your letter to me in regard
TO the matter.
Very truly yours.
| SAMUEL GOMPFRS.
President, American Federation of Labor