Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-10-06
GETTING TOGETHER

r Great things are to be expected of the labor conference
that meets in Washington today. The one regret is that Presi-
rnent Wilson will not be able to attend and present his pro-
gram.
But the mere fact of the getting together of representa-
live men of both capital and labor is encouraging. 1t is pro-
gress, to say the least. Persons who go to such a meeting with
The idea that nothing can come of it sometimes find that con-
sitions are not what they had thought them to be. They learn
anat those whom they thought were their bitter opponents, are
not so antagonistic after all.
One of the best features of the present conference is the
presence of a number of men who are seldom heard of in the
struggle between labor and capital, yet who are the most sue
sessful in handling such affairs.
One of these men is H. B. Endcott, who, in all his thirty
five years as a shoe manufacturer, has never had a strike. La
Dor leaders who have visited his factory and talked with his
men have given him a "clean bill of health" SO to speak. He,
apparently, has solved the problem as far as his own industry
Is concerned. Perhaps he can help others to solve it. At least,
he is to be given the opportunity.
Mr.. Endicott hasn't much faith in the profit sharing idea;
neither does he believe in a joint board of directors, giving
labor a representation in the management of the plant. He
maintains that all labor wants is a square DEAL and that he
tries to give it to them.
OF course, the basis of a square deal' is confidence. If
u corporation has been exploiting its employee for years, grind
ing them down with long hours and poor pay; unfavorabIe
working conditions and insanitary housing, the employees are
not going to take much stock in the square deal" principle
until they have had it demonstrated. The burden of proof
rests with the corporations.
1t is all we'll enough for the head of a concern to say that
he will not deal with outsiders and that the only persons he will
receive are his own employees, but when the men have learned
from experience that any committee made up of their own
number who wait upon the factory head with demands are
marked for discharge at the first opportunity, they find that the
only way they can get their complaints before the manager is
by having men not employed at the plant present their claims
for them.
This ought not to be. The boss who says his men are
welcome to come before him at any time and he will treat
them fairly must mean it. When the men have that conf
dence in their employers the problem that now arises between
capital and labor will be practically solved.
It is to be expected that a certain radical element will al
ways try to discredit any such corporation. This element
wants the men to believe that the representatives of capital are
their enemy and always will be their enemy. Demonstrate
clearly to the men that this radical element is wrong and they
will promptly lose their influence.
1t was to encourage just such an undertaking as that that
President Wilson called the conference that convenes in
Washington today. 1t is going to take time to work out a So
luton for, as we have said, the men must gain confidence first
and the burden of creating confidence rests with the en-
ployer.
Indications are, however, that this mutual understanding
is growing. The best element on both sides are getting to-
gether and they are forcing the others to join them. The out
look is altogether favorable. Right and justice will prevail
in this great republic of ours and we will not have to adopt any
soviet government or other Bolshevik tendencies to get it