The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-10
Should Such Action Become
Necessary Workers Would
Be Government Employees
SECRETARY WILSON
MAKES HIS REPORT
Department Work i'll Mediating the
Wages Disputes Has Increased War
Activities and Has Affected Prac-
ticallY a Million Men.

ton Of labor, Secretary Wilson told
Congress in his annual report today. is
not likely to bc necessary for the wiz
ming Of the war but he suggests that
should it become necessary for the
government to cons"lipt labor, il should
at the same time conscript the indus
tries ON which they are engaged.
Almost nsuperahlc obstacles
arise. says the secretary Of labor, I
when labor disputes occur under cir
emstanycs in which employers permit |
organization by their workmen only !
ON PAIN OF dismissal Since in such |
cases the workmen have no responsible |
business representatives. only one !
party To controversies can be conven-
ieutlr or satisfactorily heard. In such
cases, also, the workers. being prevent
ed by their employers from organlz
ing on business basis, tend to fan
away from the pacifying influence of
conservative, constructive. and respon
e.blt labor organizations aud to come
iundcr that Of irresp onsiblc revolution
1 lists. As most labor lawlessness is trace
4 able TO this cause. responsibility for il
/ cannot he wholly diverted from the
! policy hardly patriotic in time Of
4 war-of arbitrarily ohstucting Labor
organization OF the conservative type.
The department is of course aware
I of proposals, more popular earlier IN
i the war than now TO settle labor dis
putes 10y cocrriug wage carriers. But
4 these proposals are both unfair and i'm
practicable. They are also widely re
!. gardcd, and not without reason, as I'M
4 patriotic. 1t is enough to say Of them
here that in the view Of this depart
mcnt public sentiment cannot be cN
pcctgd To tolerate CONSUMPTION Of labor
for private profit. Should industrial
CONSUMPTION become really necessary
in order effectively to prosecute the
war, policy less likely to be consid-
cred one-sidcd would be desirable It
, would seem that is. il workers were to
BE- eou,eriptcd for industrial purposes
that the working opportunities 70
which they were assigned ought to BE
Communicated, 50 as 10 make such
workers not coerced servants Of employ
crs not employees of the government
itself.
Il
apprehcnding q necessity for ans kind
of labor CONSUMPTION in order to settle
i GT prevent disputes between emf lovers
4 and their employees which may interfere
a with a vigorous prosecution Of the war.
4 I'm every ease i'm which responsible rep
rcsentativcS Of dIsputing employers are
/ willing to negotiate considerably with
responsible representatives OF con
l.l.
/ resent their diSputing employees in the
spirit in which they would negotiate
with husincs, competitors, labor dis.
putes can be settled speedily. effective
lv. and without friction through the
mediation service of the department of
labor. BY simple and fair systems Of
collective bargaining between the COY
eminent, labor organizations. and busi
ness organizations all labor dispute
Il pre- judiced to an effective prosecution
Of the war can be promptly eliminated
from war problems. Not only can thi
be done, but it can be done to the sat
n ~faction Of all concerned and in har
mony with every patriotic purpose
"Our greatest need is the spirit oi
self sacrifice for the common good:
sacrifice OF cur pride, sacrifice Of on
\ PrciudiceS, sacrifice of our Suspicion
l against each other. sacrifice of our ma
4 terial comforts, sacrifice Of our lives
ii need be-to carry on unimpaired tn,
. democratic institutions handed down t,
: ~ by our fathers
4 The report makes the announcement
|: on the much discussed pay and priv
|: legcs being allowed to the intcrncd Ger
!: man civilians in the camps controlle,
/: by the department. Of labor
1T was agreed by the department
to remunerate those Of the interne
aliens who should perform labor o
!: any kind in connection with the con
! struction or management Of the intern
mcnt camp at the rate of 500 month
|: those who served in the capacity O
|: foremcn, etc, to receive So a mont
|: The interncd officers, however. hay
i: been allowed TO receive from any SQUIRE
/: only SO a month and the Seamen !;
/: 2 month, receipts in excess Of thes
/: amounts being placed in the posts
/: savings bank to the credit of the il
]: tercsted parties, or otherwise dispose
+: OF as desired. Purchases of clothin.
II etc, can be made with the funds !
|: the interned aliens, under the directio
!; OF the Inspector in charge Of the intern
= ment station.
-, The department. i work in mediatin
in wage disputes, enormously increase
by war activities, have affected pra,
tlcally a million men and have bee
eminently successful.
Reports now at hand indicate a
impending call for not less than 1j0
600 skilled workers of many classe
involving over 30 mechanical trades, I
!
III constructing vessels for the shippin
board. To sccure the workers nece
sary centralized employment syste
is highly desirable if not absolutely c
sential. Consequently it has becon
necessary TO establish several additions
war emergency offices Of the Unite
! States cmplovmcnt service and TO cl