The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-10-26
PRESIDENTS
MEDIATION
--
COMMISSION
BY +. =. MARSH
President Washington State Fedora
ton of Labor

Pacific Coast for over two weeks,
so do not know how much attention
is being paid by the press in the
Northwest to the work of the Presi-
dents Mediation Commission 1t
might be timely to give my fellow
trade unionists in the state of Wash
ington little insight into our work,
to interpret if l can what the presi-
dent had in mind in the appointment
of this commission.
This commission was appointed to
visit the states of the Pacific Coast
and in the Rocky Mountain region
where there were industrial distrub-
ances which seriously hampered the
production of products needed in the
prosecution of the war. The presi-
dent felt this was too critical time
to have a curtailment of war in
dustrial production. Prolonged in
dustrial disturbances have several
effects. First they curtail produc-
ton of the things Immediately need
ed. Second they disrupt and de-
moralize the working force to such
an extent that when the acute trou-
BILE is over and strikes are declared
ended much time must elapse before
normality in the industry is restored
and production reaches it's maximum
of output.
The president wished the commits
sion to investigate causes of the
strikes, not with a view to stirring
up old bitterness, keeping alive old
wounds (that is the very thing the
president does not want), but only
with view of aiding the commission
to arrive at conclusions which pre-
clude repetition of conditions and
policies which brought about the con-
flicts.
The commission recognizes that the
great bulk of our people are intense
ly loyal to their country. Sacrifice,
that the United States may win this
war, is expected of all classes of
our citizens. When employers and
employees, both classes of whom are
equally concerned in the outcome of
the world struggle, both of whom
are at least patriotic and loyal, en-
gage in these prolonged industrial
conflicts in the face of our coun-
try's peril, there are some under
lying reasons which need studying
that they may be understood, some
misunderstanding that need to be
cleared up, some injustices that need
to be righted
1t is the work of this commission
to bring sympathetic personal rela-
tionship between the government
and all parties concerned in these
controversies. We are not con-
demning nor criticising nor arraign-
ing either side in advance of full
knowledge of all the facts and all
the attendant circumstances. When
criticism seems necessary after full
investigation we intend it to be help
full, constructive criticism From the
President of the United States down
to the most humble citizen, every
man interested in the triumph of
democratic ideals and aspirations
wants to see industrial justice done.
There can be no industrial justice,
however, that is not founded on ac-
curate knowledge of the things in
our human relationship that enter
into industrial life. Those things
can only be determined by SYM
pathetic handling of the whole labor
problem, and this commission hopes
to bring to this work the sympathetic
viewpoint of men who want to see
established broad basis of under
standing between employer and en-
ploye which will pave the way for
future adjustment, at least during the
period of the war, of the differences
which will inevitably arise through
other means than the expensive and
wasteful strike and lockout. And
who shall say that such an arrange
ment having been perfected for the
period of the war that any of us
will care to go back to the old meth
cd after the war is over
The commission, speaking for the
president, wants both employers and
employees to feel that our govern
ment does not want to assume
harsh, dictatorial or arrogant atti-
tude toward either party to any in
dustrial controversy. The govern
ment desires rather to be helpful
to both sides in healing the wounds
caused by strikes and lockouts, help
ing both sides to reach a mutually