Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-02-19
TO ADJUST LABOR QUESTIONS
Commission Selected at the Request OF
the Government.

Capital and labor have named the
| tive representatives each was asked
| by the government To appoint 10 out
| line Il basis OF relations for the Pc
riod Of the war. First sessions uf
| their deliberations probably will h"
| held this week after each side has
| named one other man 10 represent
the public. making Il board of u.
Announcement Of the personnel Of
| the men who were chosen by the ma
| tional council for Industrial safety
and the American Federation of L,-
| bor Is being withheld until the ac-
ccptances OF several Of the men ask
| ed TO serve have been received. The
| department OF labor Is cndcavoring TO
| expedite constitution OF the board in
| the hope that unrest would b" allay-
ed.
Stories Of large profits and cXorbi-
/ tant salaries In war contracts have
caused an undercurrent of dissatisfac-
| tion in the nations industrial life
which oficia,gi regard With hIlncasir:ss-
Allegations OF disloyalty made against
workers by some employers have add
ed to the bad feeling. Department
officials say many of the charges
were unfoundcd. that the large turn
over Of workers at certain shipyards
living conditions. 4 widely circulat-
ell story of $50 rivets being the limit
of work. or less than half the form
er amount. the officials point out.
failed to mention that inefficient
management has left the men al
some places without tools ur com
pressed air to drive more than that
number.
Fundamentals of the labor uuus-
tlon-hOurS wages. conditions and
methods Of settling grievances will
be discussed by the new board in the
hope Of reaching an understanding i'm
general way which can he applied
specifically To the varying conditions
in all parts Of the country.
Unofficial suggestions for consCrip-
tion OF labor have not found Response
In government circles according To well
informed officials. The power OF the
government to compel man TO work
for the national safety. just as much
as to compel another under the draft
law to fight for the country. is con-
cedcd. providing always that the en-
forced work is for the government
and not for private capital.
The belief expressed in official
quarters that the 18th amendment to
the constitution prohibiting inrolun-
tary servitude would protect u man
against labor under durcSS OF q com
pany deriving profits from mans
labor but not against Il work in "a gov
ernment factory. where the result made
for the public good and the national
safety.
1T Is unthinkablc" Louis +. Post, as
sistant secretary OF labor said
that man should be forced TO work
for the private gain Of any other per
SON"
Coercion Of Labor.
Suggestions OF coercion OF labor re-
ccived official notice from the depart
mcnt of labor before Americas par
ticipation In the war was many months
old. Such suggestions were termed
unfair" impracticablc "and unpatri-
otic." In Secretary Wilson's annual re-
ports he took into consideration
the possibility that conscription might
become necessary and announced tn"
departments policy as follows:
1T would seem-that Is. II workers
were to be conscripted for Industrial
purposes that the working opportu-
mites to which they were assigned
ought to be commandeercd. so as to
make such workers not cocrced scrv-
ants to employers. but employers Of
the government itself"
Mr.. Post said today that that decla-
ration did not mean the department
sanctioned conscription but that IL con-
scription became necessary II must b.
preceded by conscription Of industry.