The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-11
To CURB UNREST
Presidents Mediation Commits
sion Analyses Situation.
Must Heal Breach Between
Capital and Labor.
TO ELIMINATE PROFITEERING
Board Draws Up Code for Cor
recting Discomfort.
Endorses Union, but Strikes
Must Become Unnecessary.

Washington. Feb. illumination
OF profiteering, the eight-hour day, less
inconsistency between "our democrat
ic purposes in this war abroad and the
conduct of some of those guiding III
dustry a. home and the recognition or
some form of collective relationship
between capital and labor as prln-
ciple in a national labor policy. are the
principal recommendations of Presi-
dert Wilson's mediation commission.
which Just has finished a survey of the
labor unrest west of the. Mississippi
river. which the government consid-
cred most menacing to successful pros
ecution of the war.
TraiIed 1. w. W. Disorders.
in return for this, the commission
holds. labor should surrender all
practices which tend to restrict maxi
mum efficiency when it is assured OF
sound conditions and effective means
for just redress of grievances.
The commission, headed by Secre-
tar.r Wilson OF the department of la
Dor went west principally to look into
the copper strikes in the Arizona dis.
trict anG the !. w. w. activities in the
lumber districts of the Pacific north
west. 1t included in its investigation.
however. the dispute in the California
oil fields the threatened strike of Pa
cific coast telephone operators, the
threatened strike of packing house
workers in Chicago and the street rail-
way trouble. in Minneapolis and St.
Paul.
Generally The commission found
that uncorrected specific evils and the
absence OF a healthy spirit between
capital and labor. due partly to the
evils mentioned and partly to IAN I'M
sound industrial structure" were the
main causes of the Industrial difficult
ties arising since the war began The
commission says that while sinister
influences and extremist doctrine"
lad flaaaw Il,
olt2ons, they have not created them.
Labor, in the Main. Loyal.
A means of correction suggested by
the causes of the unrest itself, the
commission outlines follows: !
/. The elimination to the utmost
practical extent of all profiteering
curing the period of the war is a pre-
requisite to the best morale in indus
try.
Modern large-scale industry has
EFFECTIVELY destroyed the personal re-
ldtlon between employer and employe
the knowledge and cooperation
that come from personal contact 1t
49, therefore. no longer possible to
conduct industry with employees as in
dlyiduals Some form of collective
relationship between management and
men is Indispensable. The recognition
OF this principle by the government
should form an accepted part of the
labor policy of the nation.
JuStif1cs S-HOur Day.
Law. in business as elsewhere,
depends for it's vitality upon steady
enforcement. Instead of waiting for
adjustment after grievances come to
Inc surface, there is needed the estab-
ishment of continuous administrative
machinery for the disposition of indus
trial issues and the avoidance of an
atmosphere of contention and the
waste of distur Dances
4. the eight-hour day is an estab-
Eshed policy of the country; expert
ence has proved justification of the
principle also iE war times. Provision
must, of course. be made for longer
hours in case of emergencies Labor
VIII readily meet this requirement if
its misuse is guarded against by ap-
propriate overtime payments
.. Unified direction of the labor
administration of the United States for
the period of the war should be estab-
lished At present there is an unre-
lated number of separate committees
boards, agencies. and departments
having fragmentary and conflicting
Jurisdiction. over the labor problems
raised by the war. A single headed
administration is needed. with full
power to determine and esta blish the
necessary administrative structure
Agitators Have Weapon.
50. When assured of sound labor
conditions and effective means for the
just redress of grievances that may
arise. labor in its turn should sur
render all practices which tend to re-
strict maximum efficiency.
u. Uncorrected evils are the great
est provocative extremist propaganda
and their correction in itself would be
the best contemporaries But
there is need for more affirmative
education. There has been too little
publicity of an educative sort in re-
gard to labor'S relations to the war
The purpose of the government and
the methods by which it is pursuing
them should be brought home to the
fuller understanding of labor. Labor
has most at stake in this war and it
Will eagerly devote its all if only it be
treated with confidence and under
standing. subject neither to indulgence
nor neglect. but dealt with as a part
of the citizenship of the state
Lacks Industrial System.
At length the commission records
its search for the real cause" of
labor unrest and comes to these con-
illusions:
The conclusion cannot be escaped
that the available man power of the
nation. serving as the industrial arm
of war. is not employed to its full
capacity nor wisely directed to the
energies of war.
The effective conduct of the war
suffers needlessly because of INTERRUPT
ton of work due to actual or threat
ened strikes, purposed decrease in
efficiency thru the strike on the job.
decrease in efficiency due to labor un-
rest. and dislocation of the labor sup
rNlx