The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-12
lADORS' NEED IN THE
RECONSTRUCTION ERA

- o.1kry, :, SIX 4 1870, :. aAnl
in .tte, reconstsuctiou., period was ana,
lTzed today g. a luncheon given at the
Midday club 20 A. F Bemis, OF Boston,
and A. Parker Nevin, delegates OF the
foreign comTnis sion OF tho National
! civic federation, Major August Bel
mont a0i Pomeroy Burton, director OF
the London Daily Mail, were among
the principal speakers, Major Bel
mont said IN part;
THE relation Of Industries TO Dor
rowed capital ts one OF the most strik
Ing develo pments OF the war. We
cannot have my proper restoration OF
industry and permanent return for
labor and capital without return to
an economic basis. This Ia funda-
mental and I'm our reconstruction we
must consider this most seriously.
Another feature Is the government
relation to Industry. In the war the
government went into business on Dor
rowed capital Irrespective OF any re-
turn. utterly disrepardinE the eco
nomic basis That. too. must be re-
adjusted. and the sooner the better
FOR all De not think that / mean
there should be any reduction IN
wages. for I do not, But industry
must he placed on a proper economic
basis. so that capital may get It's fair
should try 10 correct the evils of tho
profit IT helps to create"
"Reconstruction viii take the best
Franye And when we are at Il we
should try to correct the evils Of the
past Things were not all right be
fore the war. but they should be made
right now. I believe cooperation be-
tween capital and labor IL more ueces-
sary now than ever before, because OF
tine spirit Of unrest We have among us.
Capital must begin to recognize the
( distinction between the real. bona
| fde labor movement as typihed by the
american Federation of Labor. and
deal with 1t fairly To obtain this CO.
! operation. If they do not resolve to
! do so they viii have to face The other
the l. w W. and the BolshevtkL
That sort Of labor does not recognize
employers at all, nor does it believe in
/ CO operation or anything else
! Ralph NJ. Easley, in telling what the
comm ission is seeking abroad, said:
What has England learned that
can be of benefit TO us? What Is the
truth about the Whitley system? Does
shop stewardisru mako for peace or
chaos? What Of the proposed schemes
whereby employees are to have q voice
I'm the manage ment of tho business ?
What ia meant 10y characterization OF
Industry?
rs the whitley system, hailed as
r new discovery. anything more than
what now exists in this country under
the name of collective bargaining, the
general principles of which form tbs
basis Of the United States war labor
program? Is not shop stewardlsm an
Iother name for I. w. w. and If per
mitted TO function will II not destroy
nor only the American Federation oil
Labor ana tho railway brotherhoods
but private ownership as well 2"
Mr.. Nevin said;
7 hope We may bring home 20 yot
something that may he called The
.statesmanship of industry, This is
collective octiou by the people ant
~ cur studs "a abroad atd in uniting In,
Dor and capital more closely our mis-
ision viii have been more than jusu
ifed"
Mr. Burton when asked to tell this
departing commissioners about condi
ttions IN England, said:
Make no mistake about The extern
land seriousness IF this world wide In.
dustriaI movement. II is not merely
Q, how NJ new strength on the part OF
ilabor agaiHal capital II Is not merely
q matter OF hours ana wages. Under,
lying is a determination to better the
human conditions OF labor all over the
two~ld Their. IS great need in England
ana the United states for Il govern,
mental publicity bureau to make the
people undoratsn3 the industrial stu.
iation. Sens bic publicity IS tho one
and only antioote 10 Bolshayisn"