New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

evils which are likely to attend upon
ment, it Is folly to go to tho other
extreme and sacrifice the advantages
and economy which cooperation in
these activities may afford. Reason
able opportunity for concert undergov-
ernment supervision ia necessary to af-
ford the best service and prevent
waste, and if we have learned this les
son from recent experiences it will be
great gain.
Nation Should Avoid Extremes
'We are not left to the choice Of eX-
tremcs--that is, either government
ownership and management or a law
compelled absence Of helpful coopera-
tion among those directing public SER
vice enterprises. The future calls for
expestness in business and good sense
in government, by which we can OBJ
tain the advantages of cooperative ef
fort, wherever that is needed, without
giving play to the special evils which
would attend governmental operations.
And again, If we are to look for
ward to the common prosperity and
lay the foundation for the individual
betterment of men, women and chill
dren which cannot be secured except
by success in production and exchange,
we must give freer course to CO.
operation in industry
1--WE nedd progress in standardized
tion, the elimination of unnecessary
waste, opportunities for trade agree
ments which are helpful alike to the
manufacturer, the consumer and the
laborer by providing stable conditions.
The war has compelled cooperation, and
the government, under this compulsion,
has fostered what it previously de-
nounced as criminal.
is 1T not entirely possible to main
tam governmental supervision which
Will give reasonable opportunity for
doing reasonable things instead Of
seeking to maintain rules of conduct
which shackle American enterprise I?
Neither labor nor the general public
gains anything from denying free
scope to honest business, and to secure
this legitimate freedom it should be
the function of government to pro-
vide intelligent supervision which will
ann at the detection and punishment
OF abuses and not at the crippling of
opportunities rightly used
"The Webb bill is but a slight ad-
vance. 1t needs the background of
large undertakings and wide expert
ence. Moreover, if conduct is essen
TALLY wrong, it is not purged by CIV
ing it fruition on foreign soil; and if
conduct is not wrong but beneficial,
1T ought to be encouraged in the in
terest of industry and trade wherever
undertaken.
Expert knowledge at Premium
"And here let me say hope that
one lesson of the war will be increased
respect for expert knowledge on the
part of those to whom is entrusted the
r # YyJf Of
activities of industry and commerce.
"There are no difficulties in the field
OF industry which cannot be solved if
we insist on methods of Justice.
Il trust that there will be no more
struggles in futile opposition to the
right OF collective bargaining on the
part of employees. The recognition Of
the right of representation and the
prompt hearing of grievances provide
the open doors to reasonable and just
settlements And in returning to peace
conditions there should be the utmost
care to preserve every possible means
which has been found helpful during
the war for the investigation of the
complaints Of labor and for the ad-
justment of demands.
"The indications are that we are fac
ing serious labor conditions-it would
be idle to ignore this-and every ef-
fort should be made to meet them. 1t
has seemed to me that at this time it
would be we'll to have quick survey
of all the important public work in the
various states and municipalities which
has been held up during the war, and
that intelligent effort should be made
to set it going as rapidly as possible
all over the country to take up the
labor slack I assume that this is re-
ceiving the attention of officers of the
government. Certainly, we should not
wait idly for critical conditions to
arise.
81 have been talking Of needs at
home, but our thoughts are perhaps
more engrossed with the coming CON
ference across the sea. 1t is to be ex-
pected that provision will be made for
judicial determination by an appropri-
ate international tribunal of all ques-
tions thus arising and very likely of
other questions which may arise be-
tween the contracting powers. Fur
ther, all needed rules will not be adopt
ed and all questions will not be settled
! at thp Gamma rCp E orapcoV