The Washington herald., 1919-04-09
UNITE LABOR
WITH CAPITAL
Holland Suggests Better
Relations Between Wage
Farmers and Employees.


the administration at Washington ap-
pears TO be indisposed to summon
now into the service of the govern
ment business men and men OF finance,
who, in the war days, demonstrated
fheir capacity for handling some or
the most important problems. This
apprehension was put into words this
morning by one Of the ablest OF
American business men who said. Il
am sorry to be compelled to say that
ths administration at Washington Is
not getting or seeking the assistance
Of the ablest business men of the Unit
ed States In working out the very
dlf'icult problems of readjustment
which must be solved before real and
permanent prosperity Is assured
He called attention to the impasse
or breach in the Washington admins
tratton which has been occasioned by
the attitude of some who are i'm ex-
ecutive authority over the prices for
steel which were recently fixed upon
by the Industrial Board OF the De-
psrtmsnt OF Commerce. These prices
nave been spoken OF as acceptable to
the leaders in the steel industry.
Judge Gary has intimated that with
the establishment Of them the industry
VIII be greatly stimulated and the de-
mand for steel products which will
come from Europe and from domestic
sources will probably be as heavy as
, was the emergency demand which was
occasloned by the war and which was
made by the government, for war
commodities
s Hines Action Irritatcs.
. However. the chief cause Of anx-
, iety, even Irritation. on the part OF
= the leaders Of the steel industry. at
; the action of Director General Hines,
; OF the Railway Administration. in re-
O fustng to aCCept the steel price which
was fixed by the Industrial Board.
refers to the labor situation. Almost
| all of the Industrial leaders speak OF
the relation of labor to production
as perhaps the most important queS-
tion which must be answered at this
time. They admit that the relation
Of labor to production hereafter is to
be different from the one that was
maintained before the war. Labor
leaders and the Intelligent men who
work for wages are now persuaded
that labor must have a larger share
In the earnings Of industry than II has
heretofore secured and furthermore
that labor must be recognized by per-
mitting It to share in consultation
upon policies. in the discussion Of dis
puted questions, and in the reaching
Of agreements that are satisfactory
to both sides
The Steel Industry and Labor.
The leaders in the steel industry.
especially in the United States Steel
Corporation, whose mana cement
shows the way by which the industry
can be well maintained and made
prosperous. have given more thought
TO the labor situation than to any
other question, although they have
been careful not to say too much
about the subject. The steel corpor-
alton, when il was seriously con-
cerned over the falling off in busi-
ness. nevertheless maintained wages
and upon several occasions yolunta-
-rily increased them.
Walter Clark TeagIe. president Of
the Standard Oil Company OF New
Jersey. perfected a plan which rep
-resents community of interest be-
tween employers and employees. Who
would have dared to predict ten or
fifteen years ago that representatives
OF labor would be asked to sit at the
consultation table IN the offices of
the Standard Oil company, and to
meet upon equal terms 50 far as dis
CussiOn is concerned the managers OF
this company?
The leaders in the steel industry.
particularly the United States Steel
Corporation, sought to have prices
for their commodities so established
through agreement with the Indus
trial Board of the Department of
Commerce and the steel leaders
themselves as to max il possible to
me- IN
lime causing an increase in demand
for the products to be made.
Further Reduction Impossible.
The prices which were fixed
would. it is believed, make possible
maintenance Of high wages and pos
sibly hereafter an increase in them.
Now these steel men are much dis
turbed over the decision OF Direc-
tor General Hines not to accept the
price which was fixed at the confer
snce between the Industrial hoard
and the steel leaders. They are ap-
prehensive lest the policy which Di-
rector General Hines purposes fol-
lowing will make il impossible to
maintain wages. That is also un-
drrstOOd to be the view OF the lead
ors in the coal industry. Should
such action he taken by the govern
uent with respect to prices at this
time as Director General Hines ad-
yocatrs then the steel leaders and
tho coal mining leaders fear that it
must be followed by a reduction in
wages.
A reduction at this time might
seriously interfere with the sat
Isractory settlement Of the rela-
1ion between those who work for
wages and those who pay them.
The working men Of the United
states now have fair-and some
,f them have cNcellent-under-
stardiRS of the reasonable and
economic strength which labor now
posscsses. They are determined
upon such action as will lead to
an excellent understanding between
those who pay wages and those
who earn them
Labor md Socialism.
The Intelligent leaders of labor
Are as strongly opposed to Social
ism of the kind that leads to Boil
sbevfsm as are men OF capital At
present it would be impossible, so
il is said to carry on such pEopa-
Eanda among the wage earners
who are receiving satisfactory pay
Ar who are investing some part of
their earnings in the securities of
The corporation for which they
work.
Labor. considered as whole
throughout the United States, can. and,
il is believed. il 1t is reasonably recog-