New-York tribune., 1919-09-16
EmployersSeek
lndust1'ialTrlce
Backed by Law
President of Manufacturers
Association Has Plan
Ready To Be Presented at
Conference in Washington
Joint Board Is Proposed
Congress To Be Asked to
Give Committee Power to
Enforce Its Decisions

Declaring that strikes in the last
eight months have cost the public
$lo,000cOO day in lost wages, rent,
production and trade, and that the
public is becoming heartily sick" of
industrial chickering's and strife, Ste
phen c. Mason, president of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
yesterday made public a plan for an
"armistice' between employers and
employees. Mr.. Mason said the plan
has been sent to President Wilson
with view to its adoption at the
conference to be held in Washington
on Octo Der 6.
Mr.. Mason described his plan thus:
"A joint 'ger.lemen's agreement
armistice. strike truce or preliminary
treaty tor industrial peace, between
organized industry and organized labor
declaring their comAon purpose to be
that of bringing to an early end all
industrial war and agitation NV rag
ing throughout the United States and
avoiding or preventing strikes, lock-
outs or any other cause or means of
interrupting or paralyzing transporta
tlon or industrial production. This
covenant to remain in force until the
President Of the United States shall
have declared the period of industrial
readjustment at an end
Joint Committee Proposed
Five thousand manufacturers are
members of the association headed by
Mr.. Mason.
TO give semi-legal and more bind
ing force to the agreement" said Mr..
Mason, "a joint committee represents
ing organized labor and organized in
dustry, selected by the President from
the groups attending the conference,
should be delegated the duty of form
ulating the agreement (possibly along
the principal lines set forth in the
wartime agreement which was the
basis for the creation of the National
War Labor Board) and cause the same
to be presented in Congress for enact
ment possibly in the form of Joint
resolution. declaring such an agree
ment to be in the public interest and
welfare.
"As two concrete suggestions for
provisions which might be incorporated
in the agreement. (D Organized indus
try ought to agree not to reduce wages
nistice and to q broad policy of liberal
treatment of wake earners as we'll as
a blanket engagement voluntarily TO
submit all matters Of difference. mis-
understanding or dispute to q medium
Of arbitration hereinafter provided for;
90 organized labor ought to agree,
during the life of the armistice, to q
policy OF non-interruption of produc~
ton, by pledging a national truce
against strikes and a general engage
nent voluntarily to submit all matters
OF dispute to medium of arbitration
hereinafter provided for.
National Industrial Board
"In order to provide the unacceptable
means of arbitration required for the
adjustment of many important and
-assgnable rights of peaceful in
dustria disputes, it is further sug-
gested that organized labor and organ
ized industry respectively nominate
end elect seven members fourteen in
ALL Of a National Industrial Adjust.
ment Board. and the President of the
United States to appoint one Cor not
more than two) additional member r
who must be acceptable to and con-
frmed by a majority of the fourteen
dustry.
This board ought to be legally
created (after selection) and vested by
act Of Congress to serve until the
President shall have declared the
period of readjustment at an end. with
adequate compensation provided b.
federal appropriation so az to make
possible the exclusive devotion of it's
mem hers to its work, and have power
Off necessary, by amending the existing
antitrust laws to enforce IT'S findings
or decisions on all matters. when once
the contestants have voluntarily &C
cepted their Offices. possibly through
presentation of evidence to federal dis
trict attorneys for civil Cor even cirm-
inaD court action and penalty, charg-
ing attempted cor actuaI) unlawful in
terruption or restraint of production
or transportation of articles entering
into or used for interstate commerce