South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-05
SCHWAB BELIEVES
IN LABORINC MAN
He is Heard by 1000 at Bic
Reconstruction Congress
in Atlantic City.

ATLANTIC CITY. y. J., Dec. s.
Four thousand men. representing
virtually every branch Of business
sembled here Wednesday in a re-
messages on readjustment prob
lens delivered by Secy OF Com
merce William c. Redfeld; Charles
NJ. Schwab head OF the Bethlehem
Steel corporation. and director gen
eral OF the Emergency Fleet cor
poration, and Harry A Wheeler.
president OF the chamber OF com
merce Of the United States.
Mr.. Wheeler amid great applause
urged that American business should
be represented at the peace confer
ence in France. Mr.. Schwab made
an appeal for a great merchant ma
rine 10 give outlet 10 surplus Amer
lean products. and declared that
labor should be permitted to organ
lie in individual plants and share in
the prosperity of the country. Sec'y
RedheId said that no rash hands
should be laid on wages; that the
proper spirit Of trade is not Excess
sive profits, but service, and that the
American business man should take
into account moral values when
dealing with his customers in all
lands
Stay Send Delegation.
There is some talk here tonight
that a committee of American bust
ness and industrial men might be
sent TO Europe during the peace ne
gotiations.
Sec'y Redfeld prefaced his speech
with the statement that his remarks
were not TO be taken as an official
announcement Il am more and
more impressed" said Mr.. Redheld.
lin reading current discussions and
rejecting upon them with the truth
that readjustment is very largely
state of mind-that il requires not
so much a program of "A fixed line of
procedure as an evolution. While
we are discussing II the process OF
readjustment is proceeding almost
silently about US"
He made a plea that a helpful
hand be extended to the countries
that suffered through the ruthless
ness of the central powers.
Mr.. Schwab's appeal for a mer
chant marine struck a responsive
chord. A great merchant marine is
essential for the ultimate success of
the United States, he said. and its
successful operation is not for the
benefit of any one man or class of
men or any one branch of business,
but for the good Of every citizen of
the country
Schwab i'm Labor Comment.
Taking up the question of labor,
Mr. Schwab said:
ct am one of the men who believe
in the fairness of American labor. 1
am one of the men who believe the
only foundation upon which any
thing can permanently rest is the
economic use of everything, whether
Il be labor, material manufacture, or
what not Any foundation Of or
ganized labor or capital that is on
a false basis must fail We started
in some 90 years ago on a series Of
explorations that many people call
ed trusts, and there were many such
concerns organized that had as their
prime motive the artificial idea OF
either restricting production or in
creasing the selling price. You have
seen them, one after the other, fail
and fade away That was on a
wrong basis. Our congress realized
1t and rightly and justly took steps
to correct It.
What has been true Of capital
will be equally true Of labor, and
therefore the education Of the
American laboring man must be TO
have him realize that his perma-
nency and success, and the success Of
the nation will depend upon labor
conditions and capital conditions
that are founded on economic prin-
ciples first of all"
Thirty-six related industrial
groups met tonight and considered
questions affecting their particular
interests in the work Of reconstruc-
ton. The views of these groups will
be passed along 20 10 major groups
tomorrow. who will consider resolu-
tions that may eventually reach the
floor OF congress.
Bernard NJ. Baruch. chairman OF
the war industries board, IN a letter
read to the congress said the cancel
lation Of contracts does not mean
reputation OF contracts. The gov
eminent will not, I am sure" he
said. take from the industry OF the
country anything 20 which II Is en-
titled 10 under each and every con-
tract"