Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-12-11

satisfactorily heard. In such cases
also, the workers, being prevented Dy
thelr employers from organizing on a
business basis, tend to fall away from
the paclfying influence Of conserva tive,
constructive, and responsible labor or
carnations and to come under that of
irresponsible revolutionists AS most
TABOR lawlessness is trace able TO this
cause, responsibility for it cannot be
wholly diverted from the policy-hardly
patriotic in time of war-of arbitrarily
obstructing labor organization of the
conserN ative type.
The department is of course aware
OF proposals, more popular earlier in
the war than now, TO settle labor dis
rutes by coercing wage carriers. But
these proposals are both unfair and i'm
practicable. They are also widely re-
garded, and not without reason, as un-
patriotic. 1t is enough to say Of them
here that in the view Of this depart
ment public sentiment cannot be OK
pected to tolerate conscription of labor
for private profit. Should industrial
cCnscription become really necessary in
order effectively to prosecute the war,
policy less likely TO b. considered one
sided would be desirable. 1t would
Seem-that is, if workers We're TO be
cOnstripted fer industrial purposes
t''at the working opportunities to which
they were assigned ought to be COM
manCeered, SO as to make such work
erS not coerced servants of employers
hut employees of the government itself.
There is. however, no reason for ap-
pretending a necessity for any kind Of
labor conscription in order to settle or
prevent disputes between employers
and their employees which may inter-
fere with a vigorous prosecution Of the
war. In every case in which respon-
sible representatives of disputing am-
Lioyers are willing to negotiate consld-
crably with responsible representatives
Of conservative labor organizations
which represent their disputing en-
ployces i'll the spirit in which they
would negotiate with business competi-
tors, labor disputes can be settled
speedily, effectively, and without fric-
ton through the mediation service of
the department of labor. BY simple
and fair systems of collective BAR
gaining between the government, labor
organiza tions, and business organiza :
tionS all labor disputes pre- ejudicia! t"
an effective prosecution ot the war can
be promptly eliminated from war prob
lens Not only can this be donI. but
it can be done to the satisfaction OF all
CO ncCrncd and in harmony with every
pa atliCtic purpose,
Our erta;esl need is the spirit of
self-sacr.ftcr for the common Good-a
sacrifice Of onr pride, sacrifice of our
ii. riff !iIa nt n1lt
agai!le- each utntr, sacrifice Of our ma
teriai comfo:ts. sacrifice of our lives, if
reed Ee--to cary on unimpaired the
democratic institutions handed DOWN
to us by cur fathers
The report makes an announcement
or tho much discussed pay and privi-
leges being allowed TO the inte'ned
German civilians in the camps con-
trolled by the department of labor.
ut was agreed by the department to
remurerate those OF the interned aliens
vi no should perform labor of any KIND
in connection with the construction or
mana 9 ement of the internment camp at
the rate of SO a month: those who
served in the capacity of foremen, etc.
to receive s23 a month The interned
officers, however, have been allowed to
receive from any source only $40 a
month and the scamen 50 month. re-
ccipts in excess of these amounts being
placed in the Postal Savings Bank to
the credit of the Interested parties, or
otherwise disposed of as desired. Pur-
c.lases of clothing, etc, can be made
with the funds of the interned aliens,
under the direction of the inspector in
charge of the internment station.
The departments work in mediatine
in wage disputes. enormously increased
by war activities, have affected practi
cally a million men and have been emf
nently successful.
THE number of labor disputes calling
for government mediation increased
suddenly and enormously with the be-
ginning Of the war" says the report
In a large number of instances the
conciliators have been able not only to
bring about agreement in cases of eX-
listing differences-often arising from
Observation-Disclosures to avert the
threatened strike altogether.
"The success which has attended the
departments representatives in the
great majority of disputes has been
most gratifying. In many instances
through the efforts of the department
strikes which would have involved
thousands Of workers engaged in great
operations were quietly averted and In
dustrial peace maintained. All this
was accomplished without publicity
and the consequent excitement which
invariably attends industrial distur-
hances when heralded in the press.
Great plants thus secured uninter-
rupted production for stated periods
some of the agreements running for a
year and others for the period of the
var
Labor has discovered that it has a
standing in the government machinery
Cf it's country whenever its demands
are based on its industrial and consti-
tutional rights. Employ ers, on the
other hand. have found in the depart
ment a defender against unreasonable
eXaction.
Reports now at hand indicate an
impending call for not less than loo,ooO
skilled workers of many classes. in
\olving over so mechanical trades. ~
serve in the. various shipyards engaged
in constructing vessels for the ship
ping board To secure the workers nee
essary a centralized employment sys-
tenn is highly desirable if not absolute
lv essential. Consequently it has be-