The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-01

Industrial and Economic Planks
Are Suggested Rather Than
Political Measures.
PREPAREDNESS MUST BE
BUILT UPON WORKERS
Committee Declares Laborers
Should Have Right to Organ:
: ize and Provide Welfare.

-, ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July lon be-
half of the COMMITTEES on Industrial
Relations, Frank p. Walsh, chairman,
submitted to the platform committee
Of the Democratic national ccnven-
ton the following Industrial program
based on the chief finding ,cf the
main report of the United States
Commission on Industrial Relations.
The program was presented with the
request that it be incorporated in the
party PLATFORM: - = -. =
Economic and Industrial.
'The party in convention assem-
bled declares that the problems of
society and government of this time
are economic and industrial rather
than political. It recognizes peril in
the conditions described in the re-
ports of the Commission on Indus
trial Relations, wherein two per cent
of the people own so per cent Of the
welath of the nation. It accepts as
proved the statement that the causes
of industrial unrest are: =
Unjust distribution Of wealth and
income.
Unemployment and denial of an
opportunity to earn living. O., Z: :.
Denial Of justice in the. creation,
in the adjudication and in the admin
fstration of law. " - -, @.7s-1
Denial of the right and opportunity
to form effective organizations q:
I'VE affirm. that whatever, our
needs of military defense may tie,
preparedness for any emergency in
national life must be built up on the
prosperity of the workers.
I'VE recognize the fact that the
great mass of American toilers and
producers rightly resent any sort Of
mastery, either that which assumes to
do good to them, or that which act
ually exploits them. <->~ -; 'l'.< ls.S.
We therefore declare that the
workers should, as a matter Of moral
7andlegaf right; have the fullest op.: lG.:-
portunity to. form organization
among themselves and to control
their share in industry through the
power Of collective bargaining. /
Right to Organize.
I'VE demand the fullest encourage
ment, both in administrative law and
in the judicial process, of union labor.
To make this declaration effective we
point out that today and in the past
the power of courts and other legal
processes has been used against the
rights of the workers to associate
themselves in labor unions. We con-
denim these practices as being in 'vio-
lation of the spirit, at least, Of the
federal law securing to the workers
the legal right of voluntary associa-
ton. - - ~
1--WE denounce the practice, which
prevails in no other civilized country,
Of permitting private interests both to
employ the state and national soldiery
and to employ armed guards and de-
tectives to crush out unions, which
are organized to promote the indus
trial interests of the wage workers.
I'VE denounce particularly in this
connection the importation from one.
state to another Of such armed
guards and of machine guns, armored
cars, motor cars and the like. And
we pledge the enactment Of all pos
sible legislation to prevent such pri-
vate usurpation Of power.
= I'VE belieye' the statements Of such
men as Prof. Henry r. Seager to be
IluiSpuIdple, tndt no one can queS-
ton but what our Judges have shown
a decided bias in favor Of the en-
ployers." ~ -. .s...1 -
j, I'VE affirm that the attitude Of
government toward industry and
those engaged in industry il not
manifested alone. in the making Of
laws. but in the administration Of
law, both in the administrative and
executive departments. and ip the
courts. We therefore pledge the
party not only to legis1ate IN fairness
to those who produce wealth, but al
so to adopt in every detinable and in- !
definable way the positsAn that the
workers should have the full product
of their toll and that they should
have full liberty. Of action consistent