The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-01
'UNCLESAM WORKS
AS PEACEMAKER
Has Settled Great Many Dispute,
Between Employers and
Employees.
WILL LISTEN TO GOVERNMENT
Both Sides in Labor controversi..
Unwilling to Yield to Each Other,
Will Accept Federal
Mediation.

OuCIe odHl, Ill IcCeut years, mas been
playing an increasingly important role
of peacemaker between employers
and employees who become involved
in disputes that result in strikes Or
lockOuts.
Uncle Sam has acted chiefly through
the division of mediation and concilia.
ton Of the department of labor, but IN
some cases other agencies are brought
into service. The work of this dlyl.
sion of the department Of labor Is Of
purely industrial character. CUES,
tons affecting railway operation ara
specially excepted from the jurisdic.
ton of the department of labor and
placed under the United States board
of mediation.
The work Of the departments me-
diation and Cancellation division ha,
been rapidly increasing. Since the
department was created on March 4 |
1913, approximately 100 labor dis.
putes, involving actual or threatened
strikes, have been amicably adjusted
In approximately score Of cases tho
departments efforts have failed. hl
the cases adjusted more than 10000
workmen were directly affected and
more than 100000 Indirectly affected
1.-The reason why the department Of
labor Is so often successful in pre-
venting or settling strikes by media.
ton and conciliation," said Secretary
of Labor Wilson the other day, lies
in the fact that both disputing par.
ties recognize the government as q
superior agency. They will listen to
the government when they will not
listen to any individual or agency"
No Hint Of compuIsion.
One of the curious things is that
neither in the law authorizing this
new work for industrial peace, nor
in the methods pursued under the
law, is there the slightest hint OIL
compulsion. The government agents
do not even seek to arbitrate. Here
is the working plan:
putant or upon its own initiative, the
government steps up to the combat
ants, and, without even going between
them or attempting to pull them apart,
says, Here, don't you think this
ought to stop? II so, let's all get to-
gether and fix up some kind Of agree
ment." 1t generally works.
A strike is little war. All the pas.
sion entering into war enters into
strikes. The difference is that the
government now supplies between
groups of citizens the superior agency
for settling disputes lacking between,
nations.
A strike is not only like war; it is
like any kind of fight. Both sides
want to OUTPUT quit winner! In
the ordinary course, surrender" is
not considered until the one or the
other side is down and out. Compro'
mise is disliked because compromise
is not victory"
The would-be peacemaker must DO
vastly superior person than either
combatant or he'll get beat up. d.
plomacy enters in choosing the ways
and means of pointing out how all
hands can clay down arms" and still
save their faces Though unwilling
to yield direct to the other an inch
in position or a comma in their respec'
tive demands, both disputants are
generally willing TO concede much at
the suggestion of the government.
Common Sense Big Factor.
Experience has convinced the au'.
thorities Of the department Of labor
that successful strike settlement Is
generally a matter Of inducing all par
ties concerned to use common sense.
The labor spokesman are not always
Informed Of the general conditions IN
the business Of the employer. They
may also not be Informed as to wage
and time conditions at other points In
their own industry. They frequently
do not know that the same issues for
With IuCy arc lighting uuNC uSS"
fought out before.
TO lay ,all such facts before labor,
is part of the duty of efficient concilia-
tors when the demands are exorbitant.
To kill the goose that lays the golden
egg. e., to unfairly harass TIE en-
ployer and perhaps drive him out Of
business-to furthe~ limit the market
for any ore kind Of labor-is bad
business for labor. This is always a
factor when the agents Of the depart
ment Of labor deal with particular
strikes. The tendency lies towards
a big industrial development-the
Standardization of wages and working
conditions in the various industries.
AS cases multiply, record upon
which to build standardized struc'
ture is being created.