Denver labor bulletin., 1918-10-26
MILLIONS OF MEN IN Ma
TIONAL ARMY MUST BE
PROVIDED FOR.
Workers Soon to Realize the Inn
perative Need of Friends in
the House and Senate; Old
Methods Are To Be
Made New.
BY LAURENCE TODD
| Especial Representative The Denver Labor
Bulletin.l

Bulletin.)
WASHINGTON, Oct 19.-Recon-
struction problems are beginning to
engage the attention of the American
Federation of Labor, now that the end
of the war seems to be in sight. In
view of the prospect of an early par
liamentary triumph by the labor
movements of England, France and
Italy, as well as by the working class
in Germany, this does not come as a
startling bit of news. On the face of
the political map the American labor
movement stands to have less infiu-
ence in the making of national legis-
lation in the coming two years than
does the labor movement of almost
any other first class nation.
Yet so little discussion of after
the-war conditions has been had in this
country that even the modest pro-
posal today of few fundamental con-
ditions for the wage-workers, during
the next few years, seems to be re-
sented by the anti-labor lobbies that
eat their four-dollar meals in the chief
hotels of the city of Washington
Business Of Reconstruction
Henry Sterling, who has come to
the legislative committee at A. F. of
L. headquarters after fifteen years as
legislative representative at Boston
for the Massachusetts, State Fedora
ton of Labor, points out that after
all the wage worker has a vital con-
Germ in this business of reconstruction.
The labor movement has grown up to
voting age, SO to speak, during the
war. 1t represents the element that
Will suffer most from any bungling of
the job of reconstruction. If millions
of men are discharged from the army
and navy in the next two years with
out any provision being made before
hand for their getting jobs, or if men
untitled for farming are planted on
the land, these mistakes will bring suf-
fering to all with whom these dis
charged soldiers and sailors must
compete for jobs, and to all who must
buy the products of farms that are
not efficiently operated.
Two Schools Of Action
So, during the coming session of
the outgoing Congress, the legislative
committee of the Federation, along
with the legislative committee from
the railroad brotherhoods, will watch
with keen interest the fight between
the Republicans who want to put
bipartisan committee of the Senate
and House in charge of all reconstruc-
tion plans, and the administration.
which wants to establish a reconstruc-
ton commission, which would be
named by President Wilson. Organ
lied labor is not at all pleased with
the Republican scheme. 1t knows that
the bipartisan joint committee would
be run as a sort of political Joint de-
bate, which would give no show at all
to real reconstruction such as the
labor movement demands. President
Wilson, on the other hand, would name
commission that would perform its
task, probably, as well as the indus
trial relations commission. the federal
trade commission or the national war
labor board have performed theirs.
For example, there are the mer-
chant marine and the new. govern
ment shipyards- The politicians want
to sell them. Organized labor sees a
chance of getting better wage stand
ard, better hours, better conditions in
every way, thru having the govern
ment operate its own steamship lines,
its own locks, its own shipyards. When
the war is past the issue must be
fought out. The organized employers
are going to demand that the govern
ment sell its properties. At the same
time they will demand the abolition of
the rules for American industry set
by the war labor board. Labor will
be in dangerous position if the en-
ployers gain both points.
Don't Want Old Scheme.
Government operation of railroads
will proceed for twenty-one months
after the war. but then it will stop
unless Congress shall vote to continue
it. The brotherhoods and the Fedora
ton men employed in the railroad
service are not at all convinced that
government operation has brought the
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