Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-11-01
RECONSTRUCTION
BEGINS TO LOOM

e"iis parliamentary triumph by tn
labor movements Of England, Franc
: and Italy. as well as by the wOrkin
class in Germany, this does not com
as startling bit of news.
Yet so little discussion OF after
the-war conditions has been had i,
this country that even the modes
proposal today of few Fundamental
conditions for the wage workers, dur
ing the next few years, seems to BIZ
resented by the anti-labor lobbies
that eat their four-dollar meals in
the chief hotels of the city of Wash
ington.
During the coming session of the
l'Outgoing congress, the legislative
committee of the Federation, along
with the legislative committee of the
railroad Brotherhoods, will watch
with keen interest the fight between
the Republicans who want to put a
bipartisan committee of the senate
and house in charge of all recon-
struction plans, and the administra-
ton, which wants to establish a re-
construction commission, whic h
would be named by President Will
son. Organized 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 debate, which would
give no show at all to real recon-
struction such as the Labor Move
ment demands. President Wilson,
on the other hand, would name
commission that would perform its
task, probably, as we'll as the Indus
trial Relations Commission. the Fed
eral Trade Commission, or he Ma
ional War Labor Board have per-
formed heirs.
For example there are the mer-
chant marine and new government
yards. The politicians want to sell
them. Organized labor sees chance
of getting a better wage standard,
better hours, better conditions in
every way, through having the gov
eminent operate it's own steamship
lines. its own docks, it's own ship
yards. When the war is past the
issue must be fought out. The or
ganized employers are going to de-
mand that the government sell its
~ snc
will demand the abolition of the
rules for American industry set by
the War Labor Board. Labor will
be in a dangerous position if the en-
ployers gain both points.
Government operation of railroads
will proceed for p months after the
war, but then it will stop unless con-
gress shall vote to continue it. The
Brotherhoods and the Federation
men employed in the railroad service
are not at all convinced that govern
ment operation has brought the mill
lenium, and certainly they have been
very resentful of the order issued by
the director general forbidding them
to exercise the right of running for
political Office, abut still they do not
want to 60 back to the old scheme
They are going to have something to
say to congress, when the return of
the roads to private hands is threat
ened.
What shall be done in order to fit
the returned soldiers and sailors,
after the war, into the most appro-
pirate jobs in American life. is
question that the labor legislative
committees Lave not yet really
tackled. They are studying the plans
drafted by British and Australian
labor, and the proposals made in
France and Italy. but since American
conditions are unlike the conditions
any where else. the question cannot
be answered so easily.
For one thing, they are favorable
to a constructive scheme of improv-
ing the arid lands, the swamp lands,
and the cut-over lands, and the max
ing of great numbers of farms, ready
| and equipped for use by practical
farmers when the farmers take Off
the khaki or the navy blue. The
more real farmers are helped to start
raising food, the easier will be the
living problem for city workers, and
the greater will be the incentive to
congress to meet the industrial prob
lem in the same big way. If congress
can prepare farm jobs for soldiers
after the war, then congress can pre-
pare shop jobs for shop men. Once
get the thing started and a nation
! wide program Of cOmmon-sense de-
mobilization. without any unemploy-
ment panic, will be developed.
More labor members are needed
for the new congress to be elected on
November 5. Yet every possible in
fiuence has been brought to bear in