The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-09
| AB0R PLEDGES
 FULL SUPPORT
 TO GOVERNMENT
Danger Of Strikes During War Is Now Reduced to
 Minimum.

Washington, April By an agree ment reached at a special meeting of the Council of National Defense and its Advisory Commission, and made public last night, Samuel Gompers, in effect, pledges American organized labor ito a full and loyal support of the government in the war with Ger many"
 Under this agreement it is believed that the United States will be spared in the national crisis the strikes and lockouts which have been most em- barrassing and even menacing in Great Britain and other belhgerent countries for two and half years.
 To quote ". s. Clifford, Director. of the Council, MT. Gompers and organ ized labor have "come all the way across, and are lined up solidly be- hind the government. MT. Clifford re- gards this development as one of the most important in the present emer- gency.
 < Appeal to Both Sides.
 A report to the council by the Com mittee on~La'bor of the Advisory Com mission, of which committee MT Gompers is chairman, urges all em- ployes as we'll as employers not to seize upon the nations present needs to "change existing standards Of em- ployment."
 The recommendations of the com mittee were unanimously approved and adopted.
 The committee recommends that the governors of states whose leglsia- lures are now in session should urge the passage of legislation empowering them to suspend or modify existing labor laws to meet defense emergen- cies when requested to do so by the council This would mean the sus- pending of an eight-hour workday and substituting a 10-hour day when the National Council finds such de- parture "essential for the effective pursuit of the national defense" The recommendations of MT. Gompers and his committee say:
 The defense and safety of the na- ton must be the first consideration Of citizens. To avoid confusion and to facilitate the preparation for national defense and give a stable basis upon which the representative of the Gov ernment may operate during the war we recommend:
 Against Changes, Now
 I. That the Council of National Defense should issue statement to employees in our industrial plants and transportations advising that neither employers nor employees shall en- deavor to take advantage of the coun- try's necessities to change existing standards. When economic or other emergencies arise requiring changes of standards, the same should be made only after such proposed changes have been investigated and approved by the Council of National Defense.
 2. That the Council of National De- fense urge upon the Legislatures of the States, as well as all administra- tive agencies charged with the en- forcement of labor and health laws, the great duty of vigorously main taining the existing safeguards as to the health and welfare of workers and that no departure from such pres ent standards, in States laws or State rulings affecting labor, should be taken without declaration of the Council of National Defense that such departure is essential for the effective pursuit of the national defense.
 Change In Labor Laws.
 g.. That the Council of National De- fense urge upon the legislatures of the several states that before final ad- jeurnment they delegate to the gov ornors of their respective states the power to su spend or modify restric- tions contained in their labor laws when such suspensions or modified tions shall be requested by the Council of National Defense: and such a sus- pension or modification, when made, shall continue for a specified period and not longer than the duration of the war.
 The committee, headed by MT. Gompers, is composed of the follow ing: William B. Wilson, Secretary of Labor; V. Everit Macy, president of the National Civic Federation, New York; James Lord, president of the Mining Department, American Feder-' y alton of Labor, Washington, D. G. :; Elisha Lee, general manager, Penn sylvania Railroad Co.,; Warren s. Stone, grand chief, International Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gineers; Frank Morrison, secretary of the American Federation of Labor: Dr. Frank K. Frankel, third vice pres fdeht Metropolitan Insurance Co.,, New York; James O'Connell, president Metal Trades Department, American Federation of Labor; A. Parker Nevin, National Association of Manu- lecturers, New York; Louis B. -Schram, chairman Industrial Accid ent Prevention Department. the National Civic Federation, New. York.