New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-18
Inviting Industrial Strife

One of the prime requisites for the sue
cessful prosecution of Americas war IS
the establishment of a practical working
community of interest between capital and
labor. Nothing could be more fatal to
both groups in the community and to the
community itself than to carry into this
war period the industrial strife which too
frequently in peace times has led to vast
loss of money, Of energy, even of life.
This has been recognized by spokesman for
organized labor, who have pledged their
efforts to the prevention of industrial dis
putes and strikes, provided employers
made no attempt to exploit the workers
under the new conditions. 1t has been
recognized by intelligent and public
spirited employers, who have bound them
selves to work for the desired cooperation
and harmony.
In view of this, President Wilson's con-
Germ over any movement which would
smash this unity is manifestly justified.
81 have been very much alarmed at one or
two things that have happened-at the ap-
parent inclination of the legislatures OF
one or two of our states to set aside even
temporarily the laws which have safe
guarded standards of labor and of life" he
declares. Il think nothing would be more
deplorable than that" The President could
not have described more accurately If he
had mentioned it by name the Brown bill
enacted by this states Legislature, en-
towering the Industrial Commission to
suspend all labor laws for the duration of
the war and two months thereafter. 1t
would be, indeed, deplorable if that bill,
mistaken economically and wholly indie
feasible on the humanitarian side, should
become law. Such law would beyond
peradventure produce industrial unrest
and all too probably industrial strife in
stead of cooperation and harmony. 1t
would make a mockery of the endeavor to
unite capital and labor for the nations
rood. II would array class against class,
the great mass of the exploited against
the exploiters.
As the President so truly and eloquently
says, this war is fight for democracy IN
p larger sense than is expressible III politi-
cal terms. To deprive workers of existing
safeguards. does not jibe with that spirit.
The Brown bill would sanction such dep
rivation TO the uttermost limit. Not male
workers alone but women and children,
could be driven to exhaustion. Night work
and Sunday work, all the evils of the
sweatshops and the canneries, would be re-
vived. Safety and sanitary regulations
would go by the board-and all to no pur-
pose, for overwork inevitably lessons pro-
duction, as Great Britan's experience has
proved. The only benefciaries would be
grasping employers who swelled their
profits at the expense of flesh and blood
Of the workers.
These considerations of economics and
humanity were disregarded by the law
makers in passing this bill. 1t is to be
hoped they will not be disregarded by Gov
ernor Whitman, who by vetoing this meas
ure can undo the Legislatures mistake.
The President has pointed out the great
dangers and farreaching consequences Of
such legislation. New York State should
not jeopardize to any degree the safety Of
this nation by placing such needless, such
a shameful, statute ON the law books.