Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-01

that argues desire obstruct at critical time
Conditions abnormal and almost unprece-
dented.
Never has there been such a demand for skilled
labor of almost every class. On the other hand,
the cost of living Is steadily climbing skyward
And finally the laboring of America, especially
the factory workers. have been working under an
abnormally high tension for two years past
There has been a steady pressure from every
side to increase the output to make every machine
and every man turn out the maximum amount
Mills clamorng for raw material, orders go peg
cling, and those who place the orders shout for
speedy delivery. 1t works down at last to a con-
tinual appeal to the workman to speed up his out
put until, official of the department puts It,
the workman acquires "feather-edge. He gets
nervous and irritable. 1t is well enough for the
economist to treat of labor commodity but
labor a matter of fact is a mass of humanity
with nerves and temperaments. The workman goes
ten hours at top speed, and pods home to find that
prices have gone up until his high wages begin to
look inadequate. His family calls for more money.
and his foreman calls for more speed. Finally he
throws up his hands and says by heck, they'll have
to raise my wages and be content with my present
output I'll strike.
Such at least is more less the state of mind
that is responsible for good deal of the present
unrest, according those in a position to know.
There are, of course, other There are
bound to be cases of legitimate grievance on both
sides. There cases where side or the other
both being human-wl even play the present
situation to it's advantage. Labor knows that
its efforts are more essential than ever and It's
position correspondngly strong. Capital tells labor
that this is no time for patriotic body of men
to tie up an important industry account of some
local grievance. But it is gratifying to know that
there has been little of such tactics by either
side.
The expert analysis of the situation shows that
what restlessness exists is due to very dsqufet-
ing causes 1t seems to be largely the reaction
from high tension and forced draught, coupled with
labor scarcity with its continual temptation to
move, and the high cost of living. All these prob
lens are serious, but they open up no such grave
vista as would be indicated by deep hostility be-
tween the forces in question.
Thus the department look forward to sue
cessful Cancellation work, although 1t is being called
upon for such work with increasing frequency.
These threatened strikes that are settled without
ever coming to the point of actual break attract
little attention, but their settlement is vital now
to the nation.
The department has no authority to arbitrate,
to Judge, to enforce its own opinions of the
merits of the In fact it carefully refrains
from having any opinions 1t is authorized to con-
ciliate and mediate, and it waits for invitation
before going that far. Sometimes the en-
poyer invites the department to tackle the prob
lem, sometimes it is the men, and of late the coun-
ell of national defense has been keeping sharp
eye out for labor troubles, and speaking for the
public, has called the department to try and
find solution The official conciliators then try
to get the disputing parties together some COM
mon ground. They take it for granted that both
sides want agreement, and they try to find
basis. If cancellation tails they may resort to me-
diaion but either party insists fighting it out.
the department cannot stop them. So far however.
efforts at Cancellation have been remarkably sue
cessful.
sit is hoped that they will continue So War
calls for measures in the last necessity and
if an industry vital the nation crippled byF
disputes, the government would have to create
machinery for dealing with the situation. But
Cancellation. the appeal to the reason and the patri-
otism of both parties is the truly democratic meth
od and if the country make it serve throughout
the war the feat will be vindicaton of the eff
cheney of democracy