The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-16
Famous Authority on Economics
and International Law Says
Employers Must Recognize
Right of Men to Organize.
EMPLOYEES HAVE
RIGHT TO BARGAIN
As Reasonable for Them to Be
Heard on What They Shall
Receive as 1t Is for Employers
to Earn Reasonable Dividends
(BY HARRY p. BuRToN.)
IN. e. A. Special Correspondent.) J

IN. E. a. Special Correspondent.
New Haven, Conn.,, Nov. 15.-Em-
ployers must recognize the right OF
empolyes TO organize, says William
Howard Taft
Employers must realize that en-
ployes have as full right to live.
and as full a right to be heard as to
the question of what they shall re-
ceive and the terms of their employ
ment, as employers have TO earn rea-
sonable dividends on their invest
ments."
Taft said this in his first public in
terview on the great industrial unrest
now seething throughout America.
He added that property right will
survive. that society will resume its
normal pre-war course. and that thrift
will continue to be rewarded by sue
cess and laziness punished by dis
tress.
The former president analysed the
labor crisis In all its phases. economic
and political, and compared it with the
situation abroad.
He took up in detail the various
stands of Elbert H. Gary, Samuel Com
pers, William z. Foster. John Fitz-
patrick and John l.. Lewis in the steel
and mine strikes.
He took no pains TO spare either side,
but struck out whever he thinks
blows are needed.
Wars Disturbance Called Colossal.
In his office overlooking Yale cam
pus, Taft began:
"Ohe war which has just closed was
one which may only be described az
colossal, With the disturbances in bust
ness and in economic conditions as
much greater than have followed pre-
vious wars as the forces engaged and
destructive agencies used and losses
incurred were greater than in any pre-
vious war.
1.-The mechanics of this war were
more important than in any previous
war, and this soon developed the utter
dependence of each country upon its
labor. skilled and unskilled. to supply
the absolute fighting necessities at
the front.
''The war was in certain degree.
indeed, fought in the workshops of the
contendfng countries.
This Indispensable part which man
ual labor played in the war did not.
of course, escape the attention of
workingmen, and 1t gave them such a
any grievance. fancied or real, they
Were anxious to exercise it.
"The high wages they received were
contributing factor in the high
prices they had to pay for living, and
while think wages probably in
creased in greater proportion than the
cost of living among workingmen, who
could, through trades unions and COM
hi ~ .F xrrfxx x1k \
have spoken. it nevertheless, left them
restless and anxious to use their
power TO improve their conditions and
to increase their share in the joint
product of labor and capital far above
what 1t had ever been before.
Many Workers Seem Glad to Make is-
sue of any Difference.
Such a movement for constant in
crease of wages, of course, met resist
ance. That's what has produced our
unrest and strikes. but these strikes
are not confined today TO a mere de-
sire to better terms OF employment
In the present highly ser tive con-
dftion of labor and in its new concep-
ton of its own importance, many
workmen seem glad to seize on ans
difference between them and their
employers which they can make into
an issue.
.fOn the other hand we must recog-
nize that employers. some of them
have made enormous profits; other
good profits, and that business has
been generally very prosperous. Doubt.
less profits have been exaggerated in
so far as the reports of them have
been made TO labor. But by these re-
ports, in part true and in part unsuse
tanned labor has been made to thinI
it is not getting its proper share ant
that il should use pressure and thu