New-York tribune., 1918-02-25
Meeting of Capital and
Workers Opens To-day
at Washington
End of Lockouts
And Strikes Urged
Wages, Price Fixing and
Piece Work To Be
Discussed

meet here tomorrow at the call Of the
government to lay down a basis OF rela-
tions between capital and labor during
the war. Out of their conferences gov
ernment officials hope will grow the
foundation of national labor policy.
The representatives were named by
the National Industrial Conference
Board, representing employers. and the
American Federation of Labor, repre-
senting employees, at the suggestion Of
Secretary of Labor Wilson, who has
been directed by President Wilson to
formulate labor programme for the
war
The representatives of employers are
Loyal A. Osborne, New York, vice
president of the Westinghouse Electric
and Manufacturing Company; Charles
r Brooker Ansonia, Conn, president
of the American Brass Company; w. G..
Van Dewoort, East Moline, H., presi-
dent of the Root G. Van Dervoort En-
gineering Company; L. f. Loree, New
York, president of the Delaware e.
Hudson, and c. Edwin Michael, Roa-
noke, Va, president Of the Virginia
Bridge and Iron Company.
Representatives Of the workers are
Frank j. Hayes, Indianapolis, president
of the United Mine Workers; William
l.. Hutcheson. indianapolis, president of
the Brotherhood OF Carpenters; j. A..
Franklin, Kansas City, president of the
Brotherhood OF BOilermakers; Victor
Oiander, Chicago, representative Of the
Seamen's Union, and T. A. Rickert, CHI
cago, president OF the United Garment
Workers.
Two Will Represent Public
The ten men will name two others to
represent IN thu conferences the gen.
eral public.
The conferences viii begin, officials
declare, with the essential points of
difference few in number. The first
aim IN getting the two sides together
Is to reach an arrangement that Will
do away with strikes and lockouts and
make possible a government labor pro-
gramme which Will operate so that it
5 Will BECOME necessary neither for the
government to take control of war in
dustrles nor to commander labor for
+ war production. If an entire agreement {
+ is not reached, officials say, both these
( steps are within the range of posi-
! bilities
Besides strikes, other important sub
Jects to be dealt with include bases for
wage determination, price fixing and
plecework prices, elimination Of re
5 strictions on output and measures to
prevent the cutting of piece rate pay
practices to govern dilution of labor,
{ discrimination against union or non
+ union labor, admission of union agents
to plants, methods of adjusting dis
3 putes and rights of workers to or
f. ganize.
With opportunities for better un-
derstanding between capital and labor
unlimited, officials declare that the re-
sponslbility on both sides is heavy.
Strike Question Important
The subject of strikes is regarded as
perhaps the most important to come
before the conference. The govern
s ment is hopeful that disturbances may
be prevented before they take place,
and is searching for means of doing
away with their causes. Strikes called
since the war began have been large
factor in slowing up production of war
materials, and Department of Labor
reports show they have been more nu-
merous since the war began than at
s
tory.
In the shipyards alone strikes have
produced more than 100000 idle days.
. which is equivalent to more than $4,000
tons of ships.
In other war Industries they have
been nearly as numerous
- On the subject of strikes and lock-
outs, both capital and labor have made
declarations as to their attitude. The
National Industrial Conference BOARD
. has stated that any interruption to
production operates to the advantage
=. of the enemy, and the American FEEDER
ssation of Labor has subscribed to the
same principle, but added the quail
fcation that strikes should be under
taken only as Il last resort
= Both capital and labor agree that
there should be no discrimination
either against union or non-union men,
and this principle, it is believed. un-
doubtedly will be included in the
closed where it is possible to obtain
sufficient supply of union labor and
no effort Will be made TO close open
shops, although labor undoubtedly will
be given full rights to seek recruits
Workers Health to Be Guarded
Both sides are in accord on the poin+
that all legal existing standards for
safety and health of workers should
sbe maintained throughout the war
Capital, with the support of the gov
ernment, insists that there shall be
no limitation put by the unions on
the amount of work a man should do.
and labor, evidently willing to concede
this point, insists that the rate of
pay for piecework shall not be cut if
the limitation is raised
a. Capital asks that wage increases be
; reckoned on a basis Of increases in
costs of living, and labor asks that
the following additional considera-
tions be made factors: The equity of
the established wage. the question as
to whether the rate was obtained by
collective bargaining. a comparison Of
the rate with similar establishments
in which the rates were established by
collective bargaining. and compari,
: son with rates in other" districts
Equality Of representation on ad-
. iustment boards is demanded by cap
;tal and labor. Labor. in addition, in.
sists that If the membership on an
adjustment board is uneven in num-
Der the odd person should represent
the public.
Labor asks that there must be good
will and demands recognition by en-
ployers of the common interests of
employees. 1t further demands applica-
tion of democratic principles, as op.
posed to autocratic authority, in in
dustry.