The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-05
WILL IT BE A WAR BOARD OR JUST
ANOTHER WIND BOARD?

WILL IL BE WAX BOAKD OR JUSl
ANOTHER WIND BOARD?
On top of the tremendous victory Of the pack
ers' employees, who win their basic 8-hour day and
Az per cent increase in wages, comes government
movement that's Of the very highest Importance
to workers everywhere throughout the nation.
For over month, commission, consisting OF
six representatives Of labor, six Of capital and ex-
President Taft and Frank p. Walsh, representing
the public, has been working on a plan under which
to deal with industrial disturbances" affecting
the production OF war nccessaries and Secretary
OF Labor Wilson announces the program.
There shall be a National War Labor Board,
composed as was the body above mentioned, to-
gether with subsidiary local boards to deal imme-
diatey with local controversies
The principles and policies to govern workers
and employers are to be as follows, and we ask
every labor and capitalist reader in our lists to
study them seriously:
There shall be no strikes or ck-outs during
the war.
Right OF workers or employers to organize in
unions or associations and to bargain collectively
is recognized and affirmed.
Employers shall not discharge workers for
their uni0nism, nor shall workers exercise coer-
Give measures to induce persons to join their or
ganizations ~, ....:.
Union shops shall continue such, under the
union standard as to wages, hours, etc. Continu-
ance OF the open shop system where such is now
established 'shal not be deemed a grievance"
Equal pay for equal work by women.
Eight-hour day in cases where existing law
requires It, In other cases, the hours to be fixed
with due regard to governments war necessities
and the welfare health and proper comfort Of the
workers.
Maximum production in all war industries shall
be maintained.
"The right Of all workers, including common
laborers to living wage is hereby declared"
I'm fixing wages, minimum rates of pay shall
be established which will insure the subsistence Of
the worker and his family in health and reason
able comfort"
We confidently believe that, while this plan
does not concede all that organized labor wants or
has struggled for, it is the farest, most advan-
tageous offer yet made to labor in this wartime
emergency We state this for the reason that we
are going to express an adscititious opinion to the
effect that neither this fine program nor any
other OF merit will get anywhere without full gov
ernmenta authority to enforce its provisions 1t
is proposed that this National War Labor Boards
functions and powers shall be:
ITO bring about a settlement by mediation and
Cancellation of every controversy etc.
Mediation and cancellation are all right but they
are SLOW and often utter failures. ......
What is our most precious thing, at this crisis? ?
Not more plans, not more conferences not more
soldiers, CT arms, or war food But,
Time time, TIME!
we ROD ana outrage lmperlled civilization every
time we waste an hour. Any plan that does not
bear with it power of prompt executionis deadly
risk that we arrive at Armageddon only to find
our glorious cause bloody corpse.
Involved in all industrial controversies are
three partes-the worker the employer and the
public. In this war emergency, the public-the
country as a whole-must come first. j.,
1t isn't a matter Of unionism, or of capitalism,
or OF any other ism, save patriotism.
Our national existence as 4 free country is at
stake, and, If we waste time and handle our prob
lens with kid gloves We'll 80 under, and with US
oil the possessions and demands that either union
ism or capitalism ever got or hoped for. A strike
or lockout in the forests of Oregon or the mines
OF Arizona means waste Of precious time all along
the industrial line, clear to the blows of the rivet
ers in the Norfolk or Hog Island shipyards.
No strikes or lockouts, says this War Labor
Board plan. Very good. If such come and media
ton fails to promptly adjust matters let the gov
eminent commander the guilty concern, from din
ner pals to office furniture -a..e ev-.tvJ
Since labor, capital and public agree on this
War Labor Board, it should have power to act
promptly, decisively and efficiently. -. a