Bisbee daily review., 1918-02-17
CRv Review Leased wlrel


 ton of profiteering. the eight-hour day. less inconsistency between 'our democratic purposes in this war abroad and the conduct of some of those guiding industry at home, and the recognition of some form of col lective relationship between capital and lahor as a principle in a national labor policy, are the principal recom- mendations of President Wilson's me diation commission which just has fin- ished a survey of the labor unrest west of the Mississippi river, which the government considered most menacing 10 successful prosecution of the war.
 In return for this. the commission holds. labor should surrender all practices which tend to restrict max imum efficiency" when it is assured of sound conditions and effective means for just redress of grievances.
 The commission. headed by Secre- tary Wilson of the department of la bor. went west principally to look into the copper strikes in the Arizona dis trict and the l. W. W. activities in the lumber districts of the Pacific north west. It 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 railway 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 "an unsound industrial structure" were the main causes of the industrial diff faculties arising since the war began. The commission says that while sin ister influences and extremist doc Urine" have availed themselves of these conditions, they have not ere ated them.
 The overwhelming mass of the la boring population is in no sense dis loyal" says the report.
 A means of correction suggested by the causes or the unrest itself the commission outlines as follows:
 "l. The elimination to the utmost practical extent of all profiteering dur ing the period of the war is a pre- requisite to the best morale in indus try.
 "2 Modern large-scale industry has effectually destroyed the personal relation between employer and en- ployee-the knowledge and co-opera- ton that come from personal contact It is, therefore. no longer possible to conduct industry with employees as individuals. Some form of collective relationship between management and men Is indispensable. The reeogni- tion of this principle by the govern ment should form an accepted part of the labor policy of the nation.
 a. Law. in business as elsewhere, depends for its vitality upon steady enforcement Instead of waiting for adjustment after grievances come to the surface. there is needed the es- tablishment of continuous administra- tive machinery for the disposition of industrial issues and the avoidance of an atmosphere of contention and the waste of disturbances.
 "4. The eight-hour day is an es- tablished policy of the country: experi- ence has proved justification of the principle also in war times. Provision must of course be made for longer hours in case of emergencies. Labor will readily meet this requirement. if its misuse is guarded against by ap- propriste overtime payments.
 "5. Unified direction of the labor administration of the United States established. At present there is an unrelated number of separate com mittees, boards. agencies and depart ments having fragmentary and con flicting jurisdiction over the labor problems raised by the war. A single headed administration is needed. with full power to determine and establish the necessary administrative struc- ture.
 "6. When assured of sound laboi conditions and effective means for the just redress of grievances that may arise. labor in its turn should surren- der all practices which tend to re- strict maximum efficiency.
 NNAAc AAC NnC greatest provocative extremist propa- ganda. and their correction in itsels would be the best cOunter-propaganda But there is need for more affirma- tive education. There has been too little publicity of an educative sort in regard to labor's relations to the war. The purposes of the government and the methods by which it is purusing them should be brought home to the fuller unedStanding of labor. Labor has most at stake in this war. and it will eagerly devote its all if only 1t be treated with confidence and un- fuller understanding of labor. Labor gence nor neglect. but dealt with as a part of the citizenship of the state. !" At length the commission records ifs aaarssh for tha ssreal cauSe" of the