Denver labor bulletin., 1917-08-25
by LAURENCE TODD
Especial Washington Correspondent The
Denver Labor BulietinD

Denver Labor BuIi-tin.l
WASHINGTON. August 20.-John
Walker, president of the Illinois Fed
Grafton of Labor. and John ]. Fitz-
patrick and Ed. Nockels, president and
secretary of the Chicago Federation Of
Labor, were accompanied to the White
House, yesterday, by Samuel Gompers,
for a talk with the president on his
labor policy. 4 lot Of hard words have
been spoken, in the Illinois labor
movement this summer. Of the failure
Of the government 10 do anything TO
safeguard labor standards or 20 pro
tect even the civil rights Of trade un-
ionists, during the war period. While
all who took part in this conference
refuse 70 talk Of IL, II may be guessed
that Mr.. Wilson got some straIght-
from -thc-shouldcr advice as 10 what
the workers Of this country want, and
what they will insist upon.
For example, there is the promised
industrial adjustment commission,
which the council of national defense
announced on August 9 would be
named by the president TO deal with
labor disputes on new war contract
work in certain lines. II seems that
the class of work TO which this board
will actually apply its powers, II il is
ever established, is so narrow rs TO
make the board itself of only slight
Importance to the war industries as n
whole. The biz problem of living
wages, reasonable hours, proper safety
and sanitary conditions, in the indus
tries producing the raw materials. the
transportation, the fnbricating and
finishing of supplies and munitions of
all sorts, is still cyaded by the gov
crnmcnt. The effect of this condition
upon the sentiments of workers in all
the great industries is what might
have been expected.
Voice in War Industries.
What Walker and Fitzpatrick and
Nockels want, and what they may be
assumed to have told the president
they want, is direct representation of
the workers in the war industries in
all of the effective contract-handling
committees of the council of national
defense. such as the representation
already won by the United Mine Work
ers of America in the coal production
committee. Then they want the pres
ident to announce policy of handling
all war work on a basis of n living
wage, the eight hour day and union
conditions. They do not ask for the
closed shop. but they do ask that the
council of national defense quit send
ing big contracts TO the most notorious
anti-union concerns and TO the sweat
shops.
As for n national tribunal for ad-
justment of industrial disputes on war
work. they favor the creation of one
in which labor will have half Of the
members, and over which n chairman
who will not be prejudiced against the
workers shall preside. They do not
propose to give bond against all
strikes: they are glad to agree that
organized labor should take advantage
of all machinery for fair mediation
and conciliation and an advisory award
by tribunal in which labor's view
point is not discounted. They are not
Interested in pieccmeal treatment of
the condition; they know that prac-
tically every trade unionist in America
is interested. on the economic side, in
the bettcrment of labor conditions dur
ing the war.
Conditions in the West.
Another situation which may have
been talked over at this White House
conference is the series of |. w. w.
and trade union strikes in the West.
During the past two weeks the copper
mining corporations have become more
and more confident of their power to
"swing" both the council of national
utittlSt anu NorlETtSS lNStli llAo k'h-
cral war of determination against, not
the Industrial Workers of the World
merely. but against all trade union
organizers, officers and members, in
the entire Rocky Mountain and Pacific
coast country, as well as in Minnesota
and northern Michigan.
James Lord, president of the min
ing department of the A. +. of L.,
now in England to attend the inter
allied labor conference, was the first
to point out that the Wholesale kid
mapping of workers and of strike
sympathizers Mt Bisbec, followed by
the kidnapping at Gallup, was aimed
at the miners belonging to his own or
ganization quite ms much as Mt the
"Wabblies." Samuel Gompers and
Frank Morrison came out with strong
statements denouncing these lawlcss
acts by the Phelps-Dodge and other
mining concerns. The Loyalty League,
organized first Mt Bisbee and then Mt
Phoenix, and whose spokesman in con-