The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-01-18
EXPERTS
To Discuss Government Con-
troll In Industry

the domination Of the belligerent gov.
ernments will be urged, among other
things, at the annual meeting OF the !
National Civic Federation, which |
opens on Monday next Adequate
preparedness for national defense,
effects of the war in Europe on i'm
migration into the United States, the
attitude Of labor and capital, the we'll
being OF wage-earners, and the pres
ent standards of business ethics are
also timely topics for the civic ex-
Derts who will attend. The fedora
tion will be in session for three days.
The federation is an organization
of prominent representatives of cap
ital labor and the general public,
formed with the object of reaching a
solution for some of the great prob
lens of society and industry, to crys-
tallize public opinion, to promote pro
gressive legislation, and provide for
the study of big questions from an
unpreJudiced standpoint. 1t has an
industrial conciliation department to
deal with strikes, lock-outs and trade
! agreements, and more than five hun.
| dred cases have been investigated.
An economics department has been
organized to promote discussion of
| practical economic and social prob
lens. It is now making a survey of
the changes in the social, industrial
and economic conditions in this coun-
J try during the past thirty years. A
preliminary report on this survey will
be presented on Monday, and a sum
mary Of the changes that have taken
place in the national life of America
will be set forth.
The new commission suggested at
the gathering of leaders here prelimi-
nary to the general meeting will
make a study of the question, How
far shall the government in this
country enter into private Industry"
In Europe, as an emergency MEASURE,
the governments are now more and
more talking over private industry.
The commission will be called upon
to decide if this has resulted in "such
benefit that, despite It's waste, graft
and inefficiency, it will become the
permanent policy, or, if it is tolerated
only as a military necessity, to be
abandoned at the close of the war"
Reports will be submitted by spec
ial committees at the convention, CIV
ing an analysis of more than a hun
dred profit-sharing plans now in oper-
alton in the United States, as we'll as
description of many abandoned
ones, and the causes of their failure.
The conditions of labor in America
today will receive exhaustive consid-
GRAFTON. Following are some of the
questions to be touched upon: How
do wages, hours of labor, and the
physical conditions of the factory and
the home compare with those of thir-
ty years ago? Have the work of the
American Federation of Labor, the
Railway Brotherhoods and the social
reform organizations, and the legisla-
tion secured by them regulating con-
ditions in factories, mines, bakeries,
really benefited the wage-working
men, women and children of this
country? Has child labor increased
or diminished in recent decades?
What has been the effect of state leg
islation upon age limits, hours work
ed and opportunity for education?
What is the significance to the
wage-earner, the employer and soci-
ETY. as a whole, of the widespread
adoption of the principle that indus
try shall bear the burden of industri-
al accidents? Does the workman re-
ceive prompt relief when it is need
ed? Have more amicable relations
been established between workmen
and employers than existed under
previous systems
In its consideration of business
ethics, the federation will compare
the standards of business honor with
those of a generation ago, and some
interesting views are looked for.
Some of the most noted men in
America are officers of the National
Civic Federation and take live in
terest in its activities. Hon. Seth
Low of New York is president, with
Samuel Gompers and DR.. Benjamin
Ide Wheeler as vice presidents. Hon.
William H. Taft heads the list of
prominent citizens who are members
on the part of the public, and the
heads of many large industries and
the officials of the big labor unions
are gathered under the federation as
meeting ground for the discussion
of their views in the settling of large
problems.
| Coincident with the federation
work Is the valuable service being