Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-18
PHILANTHROPY AND WAGES
Federal Industrial Relations Com
mittee to Look Into Big
Pending Issues.
IS REGULATION NECESSARY

NEW YORK. Jan 17--Whether re-
sources OF approximately a quarter Of a
l'bnlion dollars. controlled by four great
philanthropic institutions should be em-
ployed without government regulation In
the promotion OF enterprises affecting
public welfare, especially that of wage
earners, is one of the questions which
the Federal Industrial Relations commits
sion will bring TO the front here during
its forthcoming hearings. Investigators
have for the last two weeks been prepar-
ing data upon which 20 base the examin-
alton OF witnesses.
The four institutions are the Rookie
Teller. Sage Cleveland CoD and Baron de
Hirsch foundations, the latter represented
In this country by Jacob H. Schiff. Their
chief officers have been summoned to
testify and VIII be asked It was said
today at the commission headquarters. TO
tell what policies govern the distribution
Of their charities. their attitude toward
| labor problems. the nature OF their
schemes for social bettorment; in sum.
to disclose in deail the character Of all
their activities.
MRny-sided Issues.
In view Of the fact that the immense
chiefly derived from the profits OF indus
trial enterprises. and that they are now
employing them in many ways affecting
the conditions OF wage earners. 1t was
the desire OF the commission, 1t was ex-
planned. TO determine whether their pol
icies we're In every respect consistent with
the public welfare. IL was pointed out
THAT the institutions were under no legal
81 a.
| lie, and that II was a pertinent question
TO determine whether such immense re-
sources were potentially dangerous, when
not subjected to government supervision.
! In raising this question no Implication
was intended, IL was explained. II was
simply the purpose of the commission TO
call attention without, prejudice, to the
power which these institutions were in
position TO exercise. rightfully or wrongly,
especially In shopping public opinion.
Whether. after the facts have been
brought out such institutions shall and
can be regulated. will be left to congress
after the commission has reported. II
was pointed out that in England, the So
called charity trusts are required by
law TO make public reports.
To Cali MIA Men.
The commission also plans to call the
directors and chief stockholders of sew
eral OF the large industries TO obtain
discussion OF their relations with en-
ployes: also members OF the National
Civic federation and the New York Char
ity Organization society.
Nearly fifty witnesses have been sum-
moned. most of them persons OF national
prominence.
They include John d. Rockefeller. jr. /;
j. p. Morgan, Jacob II. schiff. Charles
STEELE George w. Perkins, George r.
Baker. Andrew Carnegie. Daniel Guggen-
helm, Z. J. Berwind. Adolph Lewisohn
August Belmont Al Barton Hepburn and
Samuel McRoberts. New York fineneier
Julius Rosenwald, Chicago merchant;
Henry c. Ford Detroit, automobile
manufacturer; Samuel Gompers. president
Of the American Federation of Labor.
and John Mitchell, vice president. Jane
Adams OF Chicago social welfare
worker Seth Low president Of the Ma
tional Civic federation; Samuel Inter
meyer, Robert w. dc Forest. Now York,
engineer; Charles w Eliot. president
emeritus OF Harvard university; r. Full
ton Cutting and Amos Pinchot. identified
with philanthroplc work In New York
Prof, Jacob II. IIollapder of Johns Hop
kins university. and Profs Franklin II.
Giddings and George W. Kirchwey OF
Columbia university; Morris IInlqult,
socialist and labor publicist; John M.
Glenn OF the Russell Sage Formulation,
Frederick II. ooft of the Cleveland
Foundation, Jerome d. Greene of this
Rockefeller Foundation, Paul U. Kellogg.
editor Of the Survey; Charles b. Going,
editor OF Engineering; Rev. John Haynes
Holmes, New York; Charles p. NELL,
former commissioner OF labor; James
Maekaye OF Boston. writer on ethical and
political subjects. aud Roger Babson OF
wellesley Hills, Mass statistician.