The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-20
LABOR COMMITTEE NAMED.
CAPITAL AND LABOR To BE
BROUGHT TOGETHER.
Announcement Of Personnel Not
Made Until all Members Accept
Duty Imposed.

Washington, Feb. 15.-Capital AMI
labor have named the five representa-
tlVes each was asked by the govern
ment to appoint to outline q basis Of
relations for the period of the war.
First sessions of their deliberations
probably will be held next week af-
ter each side has named one other
man to represent the public, making
Il board of II.
Announcement of the personnel of
the mon who were chosen by the ma
tional council for industrial safety and
the American Federation OF Labor is
being withheld until the acceptances
Of several of the men asked to serve
have been received. The department of
labor is endeavoring to expedite con-
stitution of the board in the hope
that unrest would be allayed.
Stories Of large profits and cxorbi-
tant salaries in war contracts have
caused an undercurrent OF dissatis-
, faction in the nations Industrial life
which officials regard with uneasiness.
Allegations of disloyalty made agains.
workers by some employers have add
cd to the bad feeling. Department Of
ilcials say many of the charges were
unfounded, that the large turnover
Of workers at certain shipyards have
Been due largely to impossible living
conditions. A widely circulated s;ory
OF $50 rivets being the limit Of work
or less than half the former amount
the officials point out, failed to men
ton that inefficient management has
left the men ct some places without
tools or compressed air to drive moro
than that number.
Fundamentals of the labor question
hours, wages, condition and meth
DDS of settling grievances-will b,
discussed by the new board in tn,
hope of reaching an understanding il
IL general way which can be apple:
ir all parts of the country
Unofficial suggestions for conscrip
zion of labor have not found respons,
III government circles according t,
well informed officials. The power O
the government to compel q man t<
work for the national safety, just a!
much IS to compel another under thc
draft law to fight for the country, i:
conceded, providing always that the
enforced work is for the government
and not for private capital.
The belief expressed in official
quarters that the 18th amendment tc
the constitution prohibiting involun-
tary service would protect a mar
against labor under duross for a com
pany deriving profits from a mans
labor but not against work in a
government factory, where the resul:
made for the public good and the ma
tiOnal safety.
1T is unthinkable" Louis F. Post.
assistant secretary of labor said to-
day, that man should be forced to
work for the private gain of any 9TH
er person.
Suggestions of coercion of labor re-
ceived official notice from the depart
ment Of labor before Americas mar
ticipation in the war was many
months old. Such suggestions were
termed unfair impracticable "and
unpatriCtic." In Secretary Wilson's
annual reports he took into consider
alton the possibility that conscription
might become necessary and an
nounced the departments policy as
follows:
1T would seem-that is, if workers
we're 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 coerced serv
ants to employers. but employees of
the government itself"
Mr.. Post said today that that decla-
ration did not mean the department
sanctioned conscription but that if
conscription became neceSsGry> il
must be preceded by conscription o.
industry.
FIRE IN JACKSONVILLE.