The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-21
Commission Headed BY Sec.
retary Wilson Coming
West for Inquiry.
GOVERNORS TO LEND
NEEDED ASSISTANCE
Will Investigate Particularly
Strikes Hindering Gov.
ernInent Work.

Washington. Sept 20.-Labor trou.
lies on the Pacific coast and the west
rn mountain states will be investi
lated by a special commission, headed
y Secretary Wilson. appointed today
" President Wilson to represent him
The commission win leave soon and
will spend several weeks con-
erring with governors. labor leaders.
employers. !. w. W.. agents and others.
rhe president announced he was
anxious to learn the truth OF charges
II injustice made by employers and
ahor men against each other.
Will Investigate Charges.
The present strikes in Pacific coast
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 Investigated. 1t in un-
fersood special attention will be given
to charges OF American Federation Of
Labor officials that employers in Ari.
zona have. encouraged and even fl
nanced l. w. W. activities for the sake
Of discrediting the labor q, movement
among miners and other employees. Re-
cent deportations OF workers also will
be the subject OF inquiry.
The following memorandum from
the president for the secretary Of labor
r,-,,, j, ,,1oAo v1,,hlSc. =
Concerned With Present and Future.
Il am very much interested In the
labor situation in the mountain region
and on the acific coast. l. have liS-
tened with attention and concern to the
numerous charges OF misconduct and
injustice that representatives. both OF
employers and of employees. have made
against each other. ! AM not so much
concerned. however, with the manner
In which they have treated each othel
in the past as am desirous of seeing
some kind Of II working arrangemen,
arrived at for the future, particularly
during the period OF the war, on {
basis that will be fair to all parties
concerned.
Personnel Of Commission.
ITO assist in the accomplishment O
that purpose, have decided to ap
point a commission to visit the 10
calltiSs where disagrccments have bee,
most frequent an my personal repre-
sentatives. The commission will con
sist Of William B. Wilson, secretary Q
labor: colonel J. L. Spangler Of Penn
sylvania: Werner z. Reed Of Colorado
John II. Walker Of Illinois. and r.. I
Marsh OF Washington. a
Fred Frankfurter OF New York wi
act ak secretary Of the commission.
Win csunse, Governors.
1T win be the duty OF the commits
sion to visit in each instance the gov
| ernor OF the state. advising him thu
| they are there AZ the personal repre-
Isentatives OF the president. with a vie,
to lending sympathetic counsel an
aid to the state government in tn
development OF u better understandin
between lahorers and employers.
| Wherever 1t is deemed advisab
conferences OF employers ana employs
should be called with the purpose. 4
working out mutual understandable
between them which will insMre u
continuous operation of the iisdistl
on conditions acceptable to both sides
| Labor and cspitF Represented.
Labor and employers interests al
equally represented on the president
commission. Colonel Spanglef az
Mr.. Reed are businessmen and NJ
Walker and Mr.. Marsh are president
respectively. OF the Illinois and Was
ington labor federations. Mr.. F'ranl
furter Is a special assistant Of Sc
retary Baker and has acted cont
dentinlly in a number OF labor stu
tions involving the war department.
gin its investigation an about a wee
Strikers May Return TO Work.
: Seastiee, Sept. :k--.S state,ne
signcd by II, T.. wciland. president
I the International Union Of .Tiiuf
Workers. George Mason. secretaE
treasurer. and four vice presideu
practically ;suspends the strike In
timb0r industry on iray's Harb
,While the statement says that
strike Is not called off and will not
until the eight hour day In won. it
clares that 'since many strike
/. especially the married men, hi
,e reached the. limit Of possible sas
ia lfice, W win net stand In their way,