Evening star., 1919-12-28
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


| " venes here January IL. it is
expected to settle down to a
hard grind that may result in untold
| benefit to the country. Its members
! left here for the holiday recess with the
understanding that they would give at
tention individually and. perhaps. in
small groups to the problems of indus
trial relations.
| A first report by the commission on
its work SO far is to be made public to-
morrow morning. The country will have
an opportunity to study the report and
undoubtedly employers and employees
will make known to the commission
their opinion of the matter contained
in the first report.
| Has Worked Quietly.
| Appointed November 20 last. and
meeting first December /. this, the sec
ond industrial commission appointed
by President Wilson in the last few
months, has worked quietly. without
hurrah or fuss of any kind. 1t has a
big job on it's hands-quite as big a
job as had the peace conference at
| IL CSldUlSu Ill
league, Of employers and employees,
which will put an end to industrial war
fare in this country will require intelli-
gence and common sense of the highest
order.
And when the commission has com.
pleted its work, it probably will have
quite as much trouble getting the pact
i ratified
with the Senate over the Versailles
treaty and the league of nations
Only the force of public opinion-i1
the public approves the result of the
commissions labor-will ever bring
about its ratification. If the commits
sion is to bring about any lasting
benefits. concessions must be de-
manded of both employer and en-
ploye in the establishment of any pro-
posed new machinery or system Of in
dustrial relations, and both are likely
to scream with rage and pain when
concessions are demanded of them.
Keeps Proceedings SECRET.
1t seems that the Industrial commits
sion has decided for itself that "open
covenants. openly arrived at" are a
delusion and a snare, at least so far
as the formative stage is concerned
All it's meetings are conducted behind
closed doors, and strict injunctions
have been adopted against gossiping
by it's members regarding the work OF
the commission. The first industrial
commission appointed by the Presi-
dent held open meetings. and it never
had 4 chance. With the press pred
ding the animals and asserting that
this or that faction in the conference
had laid down." 1t was natural to ex-
pect the conference would break up in
a row.
| So the seventeen members of the
second commission are taking counsel
among themselves. Though they were
| in session here for almost three weeks
before the holidays. little was heard
Of them or from them. At first the
commissioners, which include the Sec
retary of Labor, several former gov
ernors of states. two former Attorney
Generals, college professors. business
men and a couple of newspaper men,
met in the n-American Union build
ing. But whether it considered this an
ill-omened meeting place after the
Aasco of the first conference. OF
whether it desired larger and more
permanent office space, the commls-
sion has moved bag and baggage to
| corner in the old food administrator
building.
| Tho+ the commission is likely to be
| working for some time to come is sug-
| gested by an estimate submitted 10
Congress just before the holidays for
$4,000 to enable it to carry out It's
work. The commissioners do not re-
ceive any compensation, and 1T ap-
pears that $25.o00 is good round sum
to request. Much substantial work
NAV be expected. But if the confer
ence really brings out anything tan
pible and workable. it will be cheap
( at any price.
pre.ident Explained Purpose.
| In his letter appointing the commits
sion the President explained that the
conference was called, not to solve
existing industrial strife where it had
broken out in the open, as in the coal
| fields and the steel mills. but to work
out a plan for putting an end to in
dustrial disturbance in the future
through the removal of the causes
of such disturbances.
While the commission is reticent
about it's work and its plans. ana
rightly so, until it has them in shape
to present for approval, there are
some outstanding features in the in
dustrial problem that undoubtedly are
occupying the attention of the COM
missioners. Certain plans and pro-
posals for ending industrial STRIFE
and with it the so-called unrest IN
this country are forcing their way to
the front. Among them are:
Questions Being Considered.
l. Permanent tribunals to pass upon
the merits of the contentious of en-
ployer and employe-with or without
power to enforce their mandate.
2. Permanent commissions to study
conditions in all industries and to pre-
pare and report the data collected
:. Betterment of conditions Of labor.
including hours of labor. compensation.
housing and sanitation.
4. Collective bargaining 'as funda-
mental principle in dealings between
employees and employers.
). Profit-sharing systems whereby
the workers may share in the earnings
of the business or corporations for
which they work.
6. Workers to share in the actual
control and policies Of the industries,