Grand Forks herald., 1919-05-20

g amounts to the same thing, calculate
ny what form and degree Of coercion
tney can manage to cxtort on the one
hand work enough to make: enter
Prise profitable. on the other justice
life tolerable. That bad road has
turned out blind ally. It Is no thor.
oughfare to real prosperity, We
must find another landing in another
direction and to very different deg
tinatton. 1t must lead not merely to
but also to a general
cooperation and partnership based
on real community Of interest and
participation in control. There is
now, IN fact. q real community Of in.
terest between capital and labor but.
1t has never been made evident in
action. 1t can be made operative
and manifest only in a new organiza:
ton Of industry. The genius Of our
business men and the sound practical
sense OF our workers can certainly
work such a partnership out when
once they realize exactly what it is
q common purpose with regard to It.
Labor legislation lies. Of course,
chiefly with tho states: but the new
spirit and method Of organisation
which must be effected are not to be
Drought about by legislation so much
as by the common counsel and volun-
tary cooperation Of capitalist, man
ager and workman. Lekislation can
go only q very little way in command
ing what shall be done. The organ
izatton Of industry Is a matter Of cor
porate and individual initiative and Of
practical business arrangement. Those
who really desire a new relationship
between capital and labor can readily
find way to bring it about and per-
haps federal legislation can help more
than state legislation could.
The object of all reform in this es-
sential matter must be the genuine
characterization of industry, based
upon full recognition of the right
OF those who work in whatever rank,
to participate in some organic way in
every decision which directly affects
their welfare or the part they are
expsfo1 to psy in INDUSTRY Some positive
gress has already shown the way to
one reform which should be world
wide, by establishing the S-hour day
as the standard day in every field
OF labor over which It can exercise
control. It has sought to find the way
to prevent child labor. and will. I
hope and believe, presently find It.
leading the way in developing the
means of preserving and safeguarding
life and health in DANGEROUS indus
tries. 1t can now help in the diff
cult task of giving new form and spir-
1t to industrial organization by CO.
ordinating the several agencies Of
conciliation and adjustment which
have been brought into existence by
the dimcu1ties and mistaken policies
of the present management Of indus
try and by setting up and developing
new federal agencies Of advice and
information which may serve as a
clearing house for the best cxperi-
ments and the best thought on this
great matter, upon which every
thinking man must be aware that the
future development Of society directly
depends.
Agencies Of international counsel
and suggestion are presently to be
created In connection with the League
Of Nations in this very field; but it ID
national action and the enlightened
policy of individuals. corporations
and societies within each nation that
must bring about the actual reforms.
Dor in the two houses Will hardly
need suggestions from me as to what
means they shall seek to make the
federal government the agent Of the
whole nation in pointing out and, II
fneed be, guiding the process Of reor-
ganization and reform.
am sure that it is not necessary
for me, to remind you that there is
one Immediate and very practical
question of labor that we should meet
in the most liberal spirit. We must
see to it that our returning soldiers
are assisted in every practicable way
to find the places for which they are
fitted in the daily work Of the coiln.
try. This can be done developing and
maintaining upon an adequate scale
the admirable organization created by
men seeking work: and it can also be
done, in at least one very great field,
by creating new opportunities for in
dtvidual enterprise The. secretary OF
the interior has pointed out the way
by which returning soldiers may be
helped to firid and take up land IN the
hitherto undeyeloped regions Of the
country whichfthe federal government
has prepared or can readily prepare
for cultivation and for many Of the
cut-over or neglected areas which lie
within the limits of the older states;
and. once. more. take the liberty OF
recommending. very urgently that his
plans shall receive immediate and
substantial support Of the congress.
Peculiar and very stimulating con-
ditfons await our commerce and in,
dustrial enterprise in the immediate
future. Unusual opportunities will
presently present themselves to our
merchants and producers in foreign
markets and large fields for profitable
investment will be opened to our free
capital. But it is not only of that !
am thinking; it is not chiefly OF that
that am thinking. Many great indus.
tries prostrated by the war wait to be
rehabilitated, in many parts of the
! world where what will be lacking il
not brains or willing hands or organ.
izing capacity% or experienced skill