The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-21
WESTERN LABOR
TROUBLES WILL
BE INVESTIGATED
Wilson Names Commission
To Confer With Work
ers and Employers
(By Associated Press,

Washington, Sept n.-Labor trou-
bles on the Pacific coast and the
western mountain states will be in
vestigated by a special commission
headed by Secretary Wilson, ap-
pointed yesterday by President VIII
son to represent him personally.
The commission will leave soon
and probably win spend several
weeks comforting with governors,
labor leaders, employees, j. w. w,
| agents and others. The President an
nounced he was anxious to learn the
truth of charges OF injustice made by
employers and labor men against
each other and to work out some fair
basis for avoiding the interference
Of labor disputes with industry dur
ing the war.
The present strikes in Pacific
coast shipbuilding plants, which the
federal shipping board is trying to
settle to avoid further delay in its
shipbuilding program, are only one
phase of the situation TO be investi-
gated. II is understood special at
tention will be given to charges Of
American Federation Of Labor ON
Gals that employers in Arizona have
encouraged and even financed / w.
w. activities for the sake OF dis
crediting the labor movement among
miners and other employees. Recent
deportations OF workers also will
be the subject of inquiry.
Seeks Change.
The following memorandum from
the President for the secretary OF
labor was made public:
Il am very much interested in
the labor situation in the mountain
region and on the Pacific coast l
have listened with attention and
concern to the numerous charges Of
misconduct and injustice that repre-
sentatives both of employers and
employees have made against each
other. am not so much concerned,
however. with the manner in which
they have treated each other in the
past as am desirous Of seeing some
kind Of a working arrangement ar
rived at for the future, particularly
during the period of the war, on a
basis that will be fair to all parties
concerned.
ITO assist in the accomplishment
of that purpose, / have decided to
appoint a commission to visit the
localities where disagreements have
been most frequent as my personal
representatives. The commission viii
consist Of William B. Wilson. secre-
tary of labor; Colonel j. L. SpangleI
| of Pennsylvania; Verne G. Reed OF
Colorado; John H. Walker, Of I'LL
| nois and e. P. Marsh Of Washing
| ton. Felix Frankfurter of New York
will act as secretary Of the com
| mission.
Deal With Governors.
'It will be the duty of the commits
sion to visit in each instance the
governor of the state, advising hin
/! that they are there as the persona.
representatives Of the President
with a view OF lending sympathetic
counsel and aid to the state govern
ment in the development Of a bet
ter understanding between laborers
and employers, and also themselves
to deal with employers and employees
in a conciliatory spirit, seek to com
pose differences and allay misunder-
/ standing, and in any way that may
! be open To- them. to show the actlsJ
| interest OF the national government
in furthering arrangements just to
| both sides.
wherever 1t is deemed advisable,
conferences of employers and work
men should be called with the pur-
pose of working out a mutual under
standing between them which will
insure the continuous operation OF
/ the industry on conditions acceptable
to both sides. The commission should
also try to learn the real causes for
any discomfort which may exist on
either side, not by the formal process
of public hearings, but by getting
into touch with workmen and en-
| ployers by the more informal process
Of personal conversation. / would be
pleased to have the commission re-
port to me from time to time such
information as may require imme-
data aftantion"