Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-27
SHALL THE LABOR BOARD
CONTINUE AFTER THE WAR?
Its Efficacy Would Depend on Its Power 10
Enforce Its Decrees-Difference Between
Peace and War Conditions Is
AllTmportant

Labor Board until peace is actually de.
Clared and for the creation of similar
body to function during the period of.
industrial readjustment, contributed to
the Public Ledger and reprinted in this
newspaper yesterday, deserves the
thoughtful consideration of labor leaders
and employers alike.
1t is admitted that the board has done
excellent service thus far. It's DEGREES
have, in the main, been fair, considering
the exigencies, and they have been ac-
cepted in good spirit by both sides to the
controversy. IF labor troubles could be
adjusted so successfully in peace times
nothing better could be asked.
But why has the board been so sue
cessful? The answer is: Because it was
a war board.
If the employees refused to work for
the wages which the board decided were
fair they were exposed to the charge of
giving aid and comfort to the enemy
The President himself protested against
a threatened strike of carpenters and
told them that if they struck they would
be traitors to their country by deliber-
ately interfering with the prosecution of
the war The carpenters decided to re-
main at work.
If the employers refused to pay the
wages decreed they were exposed at
once to coercion from Washington. The
Government had, or assumed to have,
the power to close their plants by draft
ing their employees into the army and by
refusing to permit any other men to
work for them or by depriving them of
fuel and raw materials. Rather than
expose themselves to such punishment
the employers accepted the awards.
In other words, the Government was
supposed to have the power to enforce
the DEGREES of the War Labor Board and
no one dared or cared to question its
power.
Although peace has not yet been de-
clared, it is doubtful if decree unsatis-
factory to either the employees or the
employers could now be enforced. When
the peace treaties are signed and the
technical state of war which now exists
comes to an end there will remain not
even the ghost of the war power of the
Government over the relations of en-
| ployer and employe.
Still further, the American Federation
of Labor, which patriotically decided that
it's members would abide by the boards
settlement of all disputes until peace
was declared will be released from its
! pledge-and rightly so-when its condi-
tions are fulfilled. That means with the
coming of peace.
The ability of new labor board to
function in peace times depends on its
power to enforce its decisions. Such
arbitration awards as have been made in
the past by the entirely neutral United
States Board of Mediation and Concilia.
tion under the Department of Labor have
been accepted, if accepted at all, because
of the force of public opinion behine
them, not because of any authority resid
ing in any court to enforce them. A
new board composed of an equal mum
Der of representatives of the worker!
and Of the employers, with an impartia
third party to cast a deciding vote
would still be dependent on the force O.
public opinion to compel respect for it
decisions. But it would probably be ;
divided public opinion, one section of thu
public holding with the views of the EN-
ploying members of the board and an
other section holding with the views O
the representatives of the workers. Thi
would be unfortunate, but experience
with past efforts at industrial concilia
ton does not justify any other conclu
sion.
Nevertheless, the effort to discove
some way for preserving industria
peace should not be slackened. 1t is o
transcendent Importance at the presen
time, when large masses of labor are t
be returned to peaceful pursuits and ar
to be fitted back into the industries iron
which they were drawn by the war. Tn
soldiers can be disposed of much NOR
easily than those men and women VIII
have been receiving in munition work
and shipyards twice what they eve
earned in peace times. In order to re
uuce ulInCulJies U Iie HliilliluiH lhe lapu
leaders and the employers will have t
, be wise and patient and, withal, so fai
i that public opinion will condemn tn
trouble makers.
: Public opinion is, after all, the onl
force which We have to compel respe'
: for any labor award, however it is mad
-
l ri, yNh ata
8 Ohio has already begun to echo In Readln
| yyhan win IL reach Erance2