Rock Island Argus., 1919-12-29
HAS Plan To
BRING PEACE
IN INDUSTRY
Second Board Named by
President Proposes
Regular Tribunals.

AV~N S44S84 - - Az W44Ss4S0
Washington, Dec. 29.-The Gre
alton Of a national industrial tri-
bunal and regional board Of in
quiry and adjustment for the settle !
ment Of all disputes between labor
and capital is the chief recommen- |
dation in the preliminary report Of
President Wilson's second indus;
trial conference.
Asserting that the public has
long been uneasy about the power
of great employers and is fast be-
coming uneasy about the power Of
great labor organizations, the re-
port, which was made public yes
terday, says the community must
be assured against the domination
OF either, and provision is made for
the representation Of the public onl
the proposed industrial tribunal.
The plan Of the conference II inl
reality a proposal for the creation
Of q national industrial court with
subsidiary agencies to assist It mi
maintaining peace between labor
and capital and thereby safeguard
ing the public interests.
Open for Discussion.
While the plan is now In :ts ele-
mentary stages the purpose Of
making 1t public at this time 10 to
invite the fullest discussion from
men and women in every walk OF
life. The conference desires criti-
cism especially, and when it re-
convenes on Jan. IL, It intends to
take up all ideas that have mean
time been submitted to 1t.
The report says:
THE national industrial tribunal
shall have its Headquarters In
Washington and shall be composed
of nine members chosen by the
president and confirmed by the
senate. Three shall represent the
employers Of the country and shall
be appointed upon nomination OF
the secretary of commerce. Three
shall represent employees, and
shall be appointed upon nomiDa-
ton Of the secretary Of labor.
Three shall be representatives Of
the public interest. Not more than
five of the members shall be Of the
same political party.
THE tribunal shall be. in gen.
eral, a board Of appeal. Its deter
minations on disputes coming to 1t
upon an appeal shall be by unan-
imous vote. In case 1t is unable to
reach a determination, it shall
make and publish majority ard
minority reports which shall be
matters Of public record"
In providing for the operation OF
the proposed system the conference
suggests the division Of the United
States into II districts, similar, 70
far as boundaries are concerned. to
those established under the fed
eral reserve system. Z
Chairman for Each.
Each of these regions would have
a chairman appointed by the Pres
ident. He would be the represen-
tative of the public interest and
would serve for a period Of three
years, with the chief executive ex-
ercising the privilege Of reappoint-
ment. AS a bulwark to the reg
ional chairman the national indus
trial tribunal could. at its discre-
ton, choose one or more vice chair
men and provide for the establish
ment of additional regional boards.
Plan Panel System.
Somewhat akin to Jury service is
the method suggested for the selec-
ton of Representatives of employ
Iers and employees for the regional
boards. The secretary Of commerce
and the secretary of labor would
be authorized to prepare panels
for the approval Of the president
and upon service on q regional
board mans name would auto
matically go to the bottom Of the
list, thus insuring a complete 70
tation.
There will be three members on
each regional board, including the
chairman, and all decisions must be
as the result Of an unanimous vote
In the event it cannot do this 1t II
privileged to select an umpire
whose decision shall be final, ol
appeal the case to the nati0na
tribunal.
Provision is likewise made fol
the transformation Of Regional
board Of adjustment into a board o.
inquiry at any time either side to
controversy fails to name a repre-
sentative and also for its re
transformation back to an adjust
ment board.
In connection with the Goa
strike, and the rumblings of I
threatened railroad strike, the re-
port has some striking things Il
say. It would vest its boards will
powers now held by certain
branches Of the government.
Views On Subject.
This is what 1t has to say on th,
subject:
"The plan here proposed presents
greater difficulties in application t.
certain public utilities than to com
! petitive industry. The continuous
operation Of public utilities IL vita
to pubic welfare. Al the capita
invested 10 employed In public use
SO II the labor engaged in publ,
service: and the withdrawal o
either with the result Of suspendiu,
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