Denver labor bulletin., 1915-12-18
ompers Answers Mclaughlin

, sept. 4. The letters from the labor
officials clearly indicate that the i'm
preston prevailed that the commission
interpreted it's powers to include au
thority to direct the union to leave til.
card in the window during the 30 day.
specified in the letter. You say yo,
made no ruling upon this point. Tn,
trades unionists assert that they asked
for ruling but could obtain nothing
definite, but were given the impression
that the commission interpreted its pow.
ers to include that course of action
Since there was this general belief that
the commission could order that the
card could not be taken from the win.
dow for 80 days and the commission
did not officially deny this interpreta,
tion, the officials of the union, as they
state, thought they had nothing to loss
by entering into the agreement to Ieav,
the card for 10 days, but had considera.
BILE to gain.
This is the action which you tern
voluntary" Of course force" was no,
used to cause them to enter into the
agreement but certainly they did not
voluntarily choose the line of action a.
being in accord with their best con-
cepts of the welfare of the workers and
lations that would conserve their best
interests. As they assert in their let
ter, they felt that to concede to the In
dustrial commission or any other out
side authority the right to interfere in
the voluntary trade contracts between
unions and employers was to relinquish
result of struggle and of years of en-
- N Ihatt l..
voluntary.
The situation was of the unfortunate
nature that the trade union movem. nj
has always maintained that would re.
suit from policies of political interfer.
ence in industrial relations in private
industries.
You say that the commission did no,
make ruling or an order upon the pow.
er or right to remove union shop cards
and has not assumed Jurisdiction ovel
such matter. From the facts as relat.
ed III the letters which | received, it il
evident that even if the commission did
not voluntarily exercise that authority
it secured the same result by indirec.
tion. Whether the wage earners are de.
prived OF their rights openly and by
action or by the exercise OF
an intangible, isidious force. is not the
question in which they are yitally con.
What they must have and what
they Will have If they are TO rcmair,
free workers is the right to control then
industrial relations with their employ.
ers and in accord with their best con
cepts of what will promote their we'll
beng.
You say that my criticism OF the In.
"A IN
because the law specifically authorized
the commission to investigate industr riai
disputes and endeavor to conciliate aua
adjust them, and that this power vested
IN the commission is compulsory. AL
though you deny exercising the power
which the labor men have stated was
exercised, yet by Interpretation Of YOU,
powers under the law, you assert that
authority to do the action imputed TO
you is given to you under the law. This
Is evidently the same impression that
your commission gave to the members
OF the BARRIERS union OF Pueblo, and you
and they injected this opinion in them
50 firmly that, the commission secured
the voluntary" adjustment of the dis
pute which is SO gratifying to the com.
mission.
n
mental and IA vital one to the trade I'M.
ION movement as well as the basic prin.
ciplc underlying all freedom. Only after
centuries of struggle did the workers es.
tablish the right TO enter into voluntary
contracts with employers. They can not
afford to allow Il precedent to be es.
tablished that an industrial commission
or any authority has the right to in.
terfere in their trade contracts.
By interpretation, If | understand your
position as stated in your letter, You
assert that the Colorado Industrial com.
mission has the right to regulate trade
contracts temporarily. You seem TO
think that the word Temporary" ought
TO remove any objection to the esercise
OF power OF this nature, but if the right
TO control these things concerned il.
trade contracts is delegated 10 the in
dustrial commission Cor 30 days Il prin.
ciple ia conceded under the application
OF which the power could be extended
to go days, 30 days, year, or two
years, or for an unlimited time.
An appreciation and n knowledge OF
the fundamental Importance of this
principle has been ground into the con.
sciousncss Of the workers by the actual
conditions under which they work by
the difficulties that confront them in
their effort to secure higher wages,
shorter workdays and better working
conditions. The wage-earncrs know by
experience the forces that are opposed
to them They know the meaning OF
the desire, the power, the greed for
profits. They know that in industry