Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-26
WHY THE WAR LABOR BOARD
SHOULD CONTINUE ITS WORK
Many Important Questions After the War
Will Require Judicious Handling
(From Todoy's Public LEDGER
By WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

CoptrsDht, 1918, bu PubIc Ledger Co.
THE National War Labor Board submitted
i to the Secretary Of Labor and the Presi-
dent the question whether. in view Of the
cessation of hostilities by the armistice. its
labors should be considered at an end. 1t
noted the fact that there were about one
hundred cases before It which had been heard
and which Justice required should be dis
posed Of before the board ceased to function.
There are, however. some three hundred more
cases In which evidence has not been heard,
in which the remedial action of the board has
been sought, and new cases are being filed at
the rate Of twenty a day.
The Secretary of Labor. after conference
with the President, has advised the board
that they deem 1t necessary for the board to
continue In life and in action until peace
shall be declared by the President after the
ratification Of the treaty OF peace. The Secre-
tary points out the undoubted fact that
legally there is no status Of peace and war
continues until such ratification. The con-
ciusion Of the President is n wise one. In
deed the experience OF the National War
Labor Board justifies the conclusion that a
board Of somewhat similar jurisdiction should
be created either by the President or by law
as an instrumentality for the peaceful set
tlement of Industrial disputes during the
period Of readjustment after the war; II not
thereafter. The board should be constituted.
as this one is. OF representatives Of organised
labor, chosen or nominated by organized
labor and Of representatives Of the employer
group, chosen or nominated by the associa-
tons OF that group. Then, II such can be
found, there should be put upon the board
men Of intelligence with no prediction for
either side The difficulty of easily reaching
n decision in q board 30 constituted. on any
industrial issue, ID manifest but II both sides
have an earnest desire to reach a conclusion
ana serve the purpose Of their creation. 1t IL
not Impossible. OF course the decisions are
often compromises rather than judgments
based on clearly reasoned considerations.
- he ahla tuatify to
by logical steps. the decision; but after a
while. by the constant recurrence OF cases Of
similar character, rule or decision will be
reached which approxinates practical justice.
when this IL made clear employers and
workers will base arguments on 1t without
resort to the tribunal
while Il IL an anomaly to have tribunal
of ouasi- judicial duties composed OF partisans.
the great advantage Of such q board Is the
confidence on the part OF each side that with
such nartisans on the board real injustice
VIII not be done that side. In many indus
trial fehts II IL more important that peace
should be established than that there should
be a nice weighing Of exact justice between
n In very difficult to say. for instance in
the matter of wages, what shall be the divi-
sion of the joint product OF labor and capt.
tai The theory of labor Is that 1t has
never been adequately paid. and that any
means of increasing it's share is only step
toward real Justice. The law of supply and
Demand will not be entirely ignored In
vases any more than the law of gravita-
tio,, IN the physical world While by the
Co. NJ strtkes and other pressure which or.
ssn,ssa labor is able to bring its force may
he mitirated for the time ultimately II
.a mot be excluded as factor Still. the
or~anixaticn Of labor has demonstrated that
..esa. may be made higher through col.
,.c.,vs barsaining and group dealing than
49, would be were there no such massns
and eoncentration of the interests Of in.
| dividuai laborers.
| ORGANIZATION OF labor has become recog-
r,ssa ,nstitution In all the civilized countries
~ ,hs world II has come to stay, It ID
| suu OF usefulness and is necessary to the
iahorer. II shows serious defects at timei
I'D IN some unions. These are an apparent
,y;ii,neness to accept Dement'S enforced
| throush I. fear Of lawlessness' "A disposition
- ,,ss durees to compel iaborers to joir
,,n,ons and efforts to limit output. and tc
c..st. n dead level of wages and thus wip,
| ~, the necessary and useful difference II
campensation Of those who are industrioui
| "a sSiiIfui and Of those who are lazy and
a. not strive to increase the products o
.ra employer whom they serve. These ct
svsls that AZ the unions grow IN wise AM
,ntsliirent leadsrship We may well hope ar
~su bsins minimtpsd, 3.
Much can bs dons " su7!oxsrs N sntiol
osfinr 1u1k 6Qspends q ernploycH Worker
t(have ~ ~ menx ~ 9 R''o'us O*o