The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-02-07

WITHIN t0lS StdJe Willle JHe wal was
on. Immediately after the war
arose, word came to me that at
Washington they looked upon Hi
nois as the most difficult state in
the nation to hold in line, because
it was remote from the seaboard,
with therefore more pacifist senti-
rent, and because of the existence
IF this great city within our bor-
der with so large a foreign popu-
lation. But the State Council of De-
Tense, made up in the way | have
told you. has gone on, and it is
generally conceded, | think, that 1t
| is the most efficient State Council
of Defense any state has had dur
ing the war. And these men, rep
resenting all elements of society
and inspired by a common purpose,
worked together in harmony and
we held old Illinois steady while
the liberties of the world were be-
ing won.
So, if we can only preserve the
spirit which we captured during
the war, haven't any doubt about
our meeting the problems Of read
justment just as successfully as we
have met the problems of war. But
| if we are going, upon the one hand
to organize into a hostile camp,
and on the other hand, into an
other hostile camp, with "No Mans
Land" between, don't know
whether we shall meet the prob
lens of reconstruction safely or
not. 1t is double war that we have
been waging. 1t is a war against
military, despotism, but it is a war
also again that other form of des-
potism, which is no less a menace
to our liberties, and that is, the
despotism of the mob. And when
we can find an ally in fighting
that despotism, it is just as import
ant that we should welcome that
ally as it was when we were fight
ing the crowned despots of the
Central Empires.
There are other labor leaders in
this state who, during the war have
taken the same high stand as Mr..
Walker and Mr. Olander. | have
told you that the President and
Secretary of the Federation of La
Dor worked shoulder to shoulder
with the other members of the
State Council of Defense in every
problem which was involved in this
contest. told you something about
how the miners and operators have
stood together in common council
to frame legislation affecting them
both. And | want to say, that as a
result of that spirit, Mr.. Frank
Harrington was of valuable assist
ance to this state during every
month of the war. Our coal out
put increased in larger precent-
age than that of any other state in
the union, as | am told, and it was
because of his insistent and inces-
SAINT efforts to keep those mines
going, regardless of differences be-
tween the miners and operators,
that we accomplished that result.
Now that we have these new
problems upon us, isn't it possible
that in some sort of way, the peo-
pie interested from different angles
in the industries of this great state
can get together? | have no pan
acea for all the ills of the indus
trial world. | think that those ills,
however, will be cured, and that
the problems which they involve,
will be worked out in Illinois, If
we Sudil lOllOW THESE exam pies Vi
cooperation which | have mention
ed.
| remember that two years ago
we had a State Board of Arbitra-
tion, which had so far as | can re-
call, seldom succeeded in arbitrat-
ing differences between employers
and employees. ! proposed that we
abolish that board, and confer its
powers upon the Industrial Board
and for this reason: The Industrial
Board is composed of five men,
bers. Under the law, two of those
are selected from the employers
and two from the employees, and
the fifth from the public at large.
My theory was that those five
men, sitting around the same board
day after day, adjusting differences
of one kind, would get into a diff
ferent relation one to another from
what they. had felt before, and
that they, thereforesxjh case OF
strike or other industrial disturb