New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-10
WASHINGTON. Feb,

"AoHINGION, February 3.
The conclusion cannot be esco ned
that the available man-power of the
nation, serving as the industrial arm,
OF Wor, IS not employed to ats full
capacity nor wasely directed to the
energies of avar."
This is the finding of President
Wilson's mediation commission.
which has just completed a survey
of the labor unrest west of the Miss
issippi River-unrest which the gov
ernment considered most menaeing
to the successful prosecution of the
! war.
William 5. Wilson, Secretary of La
Dor, is chairman Of the commission.
The other members are: Ernest P.
Marsh, Werner z. Reed, Jackson l..
Spangler, John II. Walker, Felix
Frankfurter, secretary and counsel, and
Max Lowenthsl, assistant secretary
For this unrest, the commission
blames industrial evils, the absence Of
healthy spirit between capital and
labor and "ansound industrial struc-
:ure." Sinister influences I. ".
w., among others-the commission
finds, have taken advantage of this
situation TO spread their propaganda.
Labor Not Disloyal
"Ihe overwhelming mass of the la
hn Y>rxY1, 1Ir,4t
loyal" the report adds.
To correc. such conditions. the COM
mission outlines these means:
The elimination to the utmost
practical extent of all profit
eerlng during the period of the war
is prerequisite to the best morale
in industry.
" Modern, large scale industry has
effectually destroyed the per-
sonal relation between employer and
employe-the knowledge and cooper
alton that come from personal con-
tact. 1T is therefore no longer pos
slble to conduct industry with en-
! ployes as Individuals. Some form of
collective relationship between man
agement and men is indispensable.
The recognition of this principle by
the government should form an ac-
nation.
e. Law, in business as elsewhere.
depends for its vitality upon
steady enforcement. Instead of wait
ing for adjustment after grievances
come to the surface. there is needed
the establishment of continuous ad-
>mlnlstrative machinery for the dis
position OF industrial issues and the
avoldance of an atmosphere of con-
tentlon and the waste of disturb
ances.
The e!ght-hour day is an estab-
lished policy of the country:
experience has proved justification Of
the prlncipie also in war times. Pro
/ VISION must, of course, be made for
longer hours in case of emergencies.
Labor Will readily meet this REQUIRE
/ ment If its misuse is guarded against
py appropriate overtime payments.
s. Unified direction of the labor adj
ministration of the United
! States for the period of the war
should be established. At present
there is an unrelated number Of sepa-
rate committees, boards, agencies and
departments having fragmentary and
conflicting jurisdiction over the la
Dor problems raised by the war. A
81" .iiedueu administration s need
! ed, with full power to determine and
estabilsh the necessary administra-
tive structure
! g. When assured of sound labor
conditions and effective means
for the just redress of grievances
that may arise, labor in its turn
should surrender all practices which 7
tend to restrict maximum efficiency
| Uncorrected evils are the ereat-
est provocative of extremist pro-
paganda, and their correction in It.
self would be the best counter pro-
| paganda. But there is need for more
affirmative education. There has been
too little publicity of an educatiye
sort in regard to labors relations to
the war. The purposes of the gov
eernment and the methods by which
it is pursuing them should be
brought home to the fuller under
standing Of labor Labor has most
at stake in this war, and it will
eagerly devote its all, if only IL he
treated with confidence and under
standing, subject neither to indul-
gence nor neglect. but dealt with as
part of the citizenship of the
state"
The commission went West prinei.
pally to look into the copper strikes in
the Arizona district and the /. W. w
activities in the lumber. districts Of ths
Pacific Northwest. 1t included in it's in.
vestigation, however. tie dispute ia
the California oil fields, .he threatened