The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-17
Discussion Similar.


Inside the public group the discussion
was carried on along lines similar to
mat In the committee Of is. But the
public group, after all, consists of men
OF employer type and some in close
sympathy with them as well as socialist
ana academicians and a lawyer or two
IN close sympathy with the labor group,
so that agreement inside the public
group is almost as difficult as agree
ment between the capital and labor
groups themselves.
ACQUISITIONS that national politics is
palying a part in sympathy OF some Of
he men on the public group with the
demands OF labor have been stoutly de-
nounoed on every side, but a few would
dispute that there is a good deal Qf in
d~ustrial politics involved, for instance,
there are employers who feel that il
would not be appropriate for them to
grant organized labor any concessions
or anything that might give the I'M
preston of a surrender and especially
In moments when the employees are be-
ing convinced the public in America has
tended ito swing away from organized
labor on account of an imprudent call
for q steel strike as well as its vexing
stand in the police strike in Boston,
The feeling that organized labor is get
ing weaker and not stronger pervades
the employer group.
But after all that is minority opinion
n If put to a vote there probably
would be unanimous agreement on the
part Of members of the public group
as we'll as the albor group, that II Is
bad industrial politics to regard the
mistakes of organized labor In the steel
strike or the police strike as a fair ba-
sis for the denial of rights that sooner
or later organized labor is going to be
strong enough to obtain. The words
of Secretary Of Labor Wilson are still
pertinent in that they express fears OF
a majority OF the conference as well as
the people In the government itself
He says there can be no more perma-
nent industrial peace that is not based
upon industrial justice,
Just as international wrongs may &C
cumulate to the point where war Is
necessary to bring relief so industrial
wrongs may make industrial conflict
preferable to the further endurance Of
the wrong imposed. Nor is 1t sufficient
that either side to an industrial con-
troversy should be the sole judge OF
what constitutes justice. The means
must exist by which all men may know
what justice has been secured. So II is
a fundamental issue Of justice that is
uD.
Harmony Sought.
Action on the resolution proposed by
Samuel Gompers asking that the confer
eilce IequesJ tne sleel employers anu
employees to go back to nokmal 0Ondi-
tions till the issues of the industrial
conference are settled, has been indefi-
nitely postponed. The conference IL
trying In the meantime to get harmony
on the principle of collective bargain
ing than is the general committee Of
Is in the latter conference, the employ
ers stoutJy opposing anything but an
organization created by their W men
In their own shops and having no au-
thority outside their shops.
In the public group two classes of
opinion prevail-those who would grant
the right of wage earners to elect their
own spokesman and duly accredit them
as their representatives in dealing with
employers, but the labor group served
notice that they wanted the right rec
ognized of wage earners to associate
in trade or barter unions" so as to
deal with employers and to be permitted
to employ counsel or anybody else Ia
represent them In all negotiations. A
compromise plan whereby the right of
workmen ito associate in any organiza-
lions whatsoever" is being suggested so
as to avoid a direct recognition Of any
particular methods such as trade union
and to include any lawful body that
the workmen may desire to set up.
There is a feeling among some EN- =
ployers that 1t would be worth while
granting to the workmen the right
to form any organization or association
whatsoever, provided 1t also was agreed
and understood that the granting OF
such a right requires corporate respon-
sibility on the part of the organizations
so formed. Employers Of this type be-
lieve that II would be more economical
in the long u to recognize labor un
ions, or any other trade organizations
provided the individual workers could
be held responsible for contracts, made
and agreements signed by their repre-
sentatives for them. That's the cruz
of the trouble
While it looks like a controversy owe
language or phra seology, 1t is actually
an issue of justice-shall workmen have
the right to associate az they please
without coercion, or influence. or inter
ference by employers, and when once
they are organized an employers dc
recognize them, can they be held re-
sponsible collectively for the sum totaI
Of their individual action? Labor vii
probably get its rights to organize, bun
not without a pledge to accept respon-
sibility for its organized actions.
Copyright 1913, by David Lawrence.