The Washington herald., 1919-04-18
LABOR. TO PLAN
FOR FAIR PLAY
Holland Says 1t Is Duty
OF Employers to
Arbitrate. 4

ralied Tor Europe Tor the purpose
OF Investigating the labor situation
ne was the guest at luncheon of
man of wealth Who has had long
experience in the financial district
NJ the table were two or three in
dustrtal leaders. several men of
nnance and some who have aehiev-
ed success in trade
Mr.. G0mpers was received as an
honored guest he spoke informal
~ but at some length. setting forth
his real view respecting the labor
sttuation and the method by means
% which IL may be satisfactorily
adjusted. When he sat down he
was asked how 1t happened that he
was able TO talk as he then did and
In such = different vein or manner
from the one which commonly char
scterizsd his addresses to laboring
men
Should Know Audience.
HIS reply was that II was essen !
Rial. n a speaker were to make his
|peiHt, that he consider the character
|or his audience and adapt his words
Pc their understa nding. For that
|resson he spoke 40 labor in terms
(which he would not use IL he spoke
Fo the leaders in Industry and men
always tried to speak to men who
represented capital in terms which
Sh ey would understand and he hoped
WOULD appreciate the meaning of.
This statement explains what some
|have thought to have been the
rather radical. sometimes even un-
|reasonable attitude. which Mr. Com
|pers has taken when he has spoken
|as a leader OF labor to men who
|work with their. hands But Ito
W. however he spoke Mr. Gompers
w a. always careful to let it<be un-
|derstood that he recognised the in
4 kerests of labor and he akso recog-
|nized athe true and just relation
(which capital should bear to labor
|apd labor to capital and both to-
production.
II is a fact that within two or three
years and especially since the United
|Ststes became one of the belhgerent
hsatiOns in the European warMr. Com
pers> has gained respect which Few
Years ago men of capital were not
Willing TO accord to him. Now he Is
IL welcome guest at gatherings whose
|lucmbers are made up of men OF IN
huence and authority and who are
representa- tive capitalists Upon nus
Ireturn from Europe a few days ago
he spoke for publication with earnest
fsss and emphasis. first OF his UNDER
|ktandinE OF the true nature OF the Ger
man leaders and Of his fear that they
cannot be trusted or the racial IN
stincts Of the German people changed.
at least for a long time. He also
spske with horror Of Bolshevism.
IasseFtinE with eaTnestDess that -the
spirit which characterizes this move
ion IN
which chaTacterizes the workers and
|those who are leading them toward
new relations which may prove to be
n solution Of the perpiexfng andsons
times dangerous problems which,
unsoIved. have led to frie-
ton sSeat Joss of wages and Of pro
duct i66 a ~, depreciation of capital
civic Federation.
4 few days later Mr. Gompers was
guest at a luncheon which the
|NationaI Civic Federation gave In his
honor and that of those who were
associated with him inSthe labor mis-
sion OF the American Federation OF
\ abor few years ago Mr.. Com
pers would not have been thsu recog-
n,zed The men who listened to him
were leaders in industry, some OF them
men of great wealth One OF them
was vice president Of the New York
Central lines. Perhaps of even great
or distinction than any OF the others
vas william II. Taft. and before the
torrner president of the United States
6nisbed hi. address, it was made evi-
dent that bs Is in full sympathy
with the purpose of Mr.. Gompers
to estabiisf firm community of in-I
terest betveen labor and capital. each
recognizing the other. each supple
nnentinesthe other and both anxious
TO perect such understandings as
will b. and by completely solve the
labor problem.
4 NJ. Taft, among other things. said
I'd after he had finished his re-
,,,rks Mr.. Gompers spoke OF 1t with
gpurovaI-that II is the duty of en-
! |ployers to seek every means possible
WHEREBY rules can be adopted under
n hich terms. wages, environment can
|he discussed and acted upon. labor
fbeing represented by leaders whom
the working men themselves have
chosen.
4fIJow great the interest Is In this
8ew movement can. perhaps best be
jeaIized when il is said that " Everit
.kIacy is president of the National
|Civic Federation He is a man Of great
wealth. ana ne Is utlhziHE lhe "edi'h
|as well as all OF his time in endeavor-
ing to bring about a better and at last
perfect understanding between en-
|ployers and employees.
II N 40 happened that upon the day
h. hen Mr.. Gompers was thus honored
kby the Civic Federation and by the
|oresence OF a company of able leaders
In Industry and also in labor the
STANDARD Oil Company Of New Jersey
held its second annua. joint confer
|~nce and dinner.
The conference was with representa-
Hives of the employees of the New Jer-
Ikrv r~fneries who had been chosen by |
| ne employees themselves and the di ,
|-eetors' OF the company. Ten years I!
90 a gathering OF that kind w0I'ii ,
have been regarded as impossible. To- /
tIav n proves the great advance which ,
has been made in establishing just +,
nd satisfactory relations. and a true
community OF interest between the 4
k,any thousand employees OF this CON- /
knany and the company itself I
1 only a few weeks after Walter 1
Lark Teagle was elected president /
I,f the Standard Oil company OF !
Kew Jersey. he discussed infor-
hnallv some of the plans which he I,
bad in mind. Mr.. Teagle. although ,
hinder 40 years of age when choseni
Eor this highly responsible office. 1
nevertheless had made himself a !
master of many of the details and I
I,f the general principles which
characterized the management OF