Denver labor bulletin., 1916-04-29
Compulsory Investigation of Industrial
Disputes Under Colorado's New La,u
Williams Before the Ma
ionaCo of Industrial Columbus, Ohio. April 2o 1916

The one overshadowing internal prob
lem confronting the federal government
and the forty-eight states is presented
by the disputes between employers and
employees. 1t involves the reconciliation
of the hitherto conflicting interests of
capital and labor. 1t is the most i'm
portant, the most fundamental and the
most vexing problem that has ever con-
fronted public officials and the citizen
ship of state. 1t is closely analogous
to the one overshadowing international
problem, which is reconciliation of the
conflicting interests of sovereign nations;
the establishment of world peace; the
institution of an international tribunal
of justice to do away with war
To the former problem, the one involv-
ing industrial peace in this nation, the
state of Colorado offers a new solution
and invites her forty seven sister states
and the federal government to consider the
law and the methods and recommended
tions that are being worked out under
that law, as offering a new solution Tor
this difficult problem, and we invite the
attention of the nation and the patient,
sympathetic consideration of all thought
ful American citizens to the operation OF
this law, as developments are made un-
der it.
Functions of the State.
The bitter industrial strife in Colorado
caused thinking men to see that the
state representing society in its organ
ize dform was:
l. necessary party in all industrial
disputes.
| 2. That the state must, by some con-
structive method, enter into and handle
the disputes before they spread beyond
legal restraint into the arena of warfare.
To those who say that the state has
no right to participate in industrial
troubles and that it is too large an eN-
/ tension of the functions OF government,
/ / answer. that question Is foreclosed;
that it is too late to discuss academic
ally the functions OF the state; that The
[ state always has been Il party and al
ways has interfered with Industrial dis
putes but usually too late to accomplish
ANYTHING. Every American citizen Is Ia
miliar with the usual course of n strike.
/ 1t begins with the walkout. it fingers
thru the early stages, II assumes an
angry mood when non-union workers are
brought in. and then too often It results
in violence and disorder. when the pas
sions of men are aroused and bitter ha-
tired has taken the place OF calm reason
ing.
| The state stands idly by with folded
hands. awaiting the gathering storm
clouds. until warfare is actually threat
ened or breaks out. Then the state gets
into the controversy; troops are called
out; guns are brought into use; there l.
bloodshed, death, more bitterness, charges
and eountercharges, suspicious, and the
seeds are sown for future industrial dis
content. Now, if the state is gong to
get into the controversy at all, why not
get in earlier! Why not enter the dis
pute at the beginning instead OF at the
Iendy This is the practical question which
the lawmakers of Colorado faced.
Colorado Blazes the Way.
Colorado is the first state in the Union
to follow the Canadian law and to pro-
vide for compulsory investigation OF in
dustrial disputes and to prohibit both
sides from participating in either a strike
or lockout until that investigation has
been finished. 1t is interesting to note
that this principle is the same one that
has been embodied in the peace treaties
prepared by William j. Bryan, while
secretary of state. and adopted by the
United States and thirty other nations OF
the world. These treaties provide for
compulsory public investigation OF the
points in dispute between the nations and
for waiting period during that invcs-
tigation in which neither nation shall
prepare for war, or engage in war.
Thus We see a further anology between
capital and labor and the disputes be
tween nations The plan and principle
involved in this Colorado act is work
\ ing so well that I predict the same prin-
ciple will work when applied under the
BRYAN peace treaties. This method may
not always work it may break down
here and there, but in the main it will
work well; it is based upon sound psy-
I.I, mn
upon a practical realization OF the facts
of life and the way in which men do
things.
This law embodies certain fundamental
principles which it will be well to state
| These principles make clear the working
theory OF the law and have furnished
the motive for its enactment and the
administration of the law itself, brings
out in clear light the actual operation
of these principles.
How the Law Operates.
In brief. the law operates in the fol-
lowing manner: The employees of a man.
ufacturing plant desire raise in wages,
or shorter hours. Under the old system
they could or could not give notice to
their employer as they might desire.
They could go on strike without a
warning, and they could be locked out
without any warning. There was no
central body to appeal to, no one to in
vestigate the dispute or find out the
actual merits; there were charges and
counter charges, rumors and accusation,
and more or less chaos and anarchy gen.
orally; the plant tied up the men idle
and their families suffering, bitterness
increasing every hour; importation OF
strike breakers, disorder and often terri
BILE consequences. This is not the his
tory of every strike, but of many strikes
Under the operation OF the Colorado