New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
ME last two weeks have seen labor
rise to point of dominant interest

rise 10 point OF dominant interest
IN Americas preparations for war
AS The New Republic" says. "The nation
mas discovered at last that labor is the
fundamental element of production" :"
AND production has got to be speeded up
II America does her part in the war.
The cry of Chairman Hurley of the Ship
ing Board epitomizes the situation:
"The Shipping Board has the money, the
housing of men is being arranged for, the
yaros are being completed and the materials
provided. All that is now lacking is the
spirit in the nation that will send the best
ana most efficient mechanics into the yards"
1nls new significance of labor is at
tested by at least six recent events in
the daily news which, seen together, indi-
cate the Importance that labor holds to-
oay IN America. One is the publication
OF the findings of President Wilson'S
mediation commission, which has lust
completed a survey of the labor unrest
west of the Mississippi. Another is the
drive during the the last week to enroll
25o,O00 skilled workmen for shipbuilding,
and the simultaneous celebration of
Labor loyalty week. At the same time
Congress appropriates S5O,O0O,O0O to
house the shipworkers, the question of
farm labor for the coming crop is raised
and arrangements are made with Canada
so that neither nation will be adversely
affected by the distribution of available
floating labor.
The members of President Wilson'S
Mediation Commission were w b. Will
son, Secretary of Labor, chairman; Felix
Frankfurter, secretary and counsel: Max
Lowentha, assistant secretary; Ernest p.
Marsh, Werner z. Reed, jackson L.
Spangler and John H. Walker.
Whsnoo ~ the p.l, Commission @n Got
The specific troubles investigated were
the copper strikes in the Arizona district,
the California oil fields dispute, the Pa
cific Coast telephone dispute, the unrest
In the lumber industry of the Pacific /
Northwest, and the packing industry dis
rute. Briefly summarized, the commits
sion discovered among the causes of un~
rest that American industry lacks
healthy basis of relationship between
AHS~A1S SAHSliC anu HIGH lIldC IileIo is 4
widespread lack of knowledge on the part
of capital as to labor's feelings and needs. .
and on the part of labor as to the prob
lens of management that America must
attribute industrial difficulties "to uncor-
rected specific evils in the absence of
healthy spirit between capital and labor"
and that ''the overwhelming mass of the
laboring population is in no sense dis
loyal" Further, it is stated:
'.'Too often there is glaring incon-
sistency between our democratic purposes
in this war abroad and the autocratc con-
duct of some Of those conducting industry
at home. This inconsistency is emphasized
by such episodes as the Bisbee deporta- (
tions"
The recommendations, briefly stated,
We're:
The elimination to the utmost practicable
extent of all profteering during the period
of the war.
Some form of collective relationship be-
tween management and men is indispensable.
continuous administrative machinery for
the orderly disposition of industrial issues
The eighthour day an established
policy.
Unified direction of the labor administers
ton of the United States. (Since this re-
port written the direction has been dele
gated to the Secretary of Labor.)