Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-20

with a ship council or a trade union
orfboth.
Must Bring Compromise.
Eventually this point will be
compromised with the understand
ing that employers are obliged to
deal with any organization of their
employees whether it be shop
council or a trade union 1t is on
the Introduction of influences out
side the ship that the hitch comes.
The labor leaders claim the work
ers in any plant can bring in out
side representative such as trade
union officials Immediately. The
employers would prefer to deal di-
rectly with their own men. The
compromise which is being discuss
ed would provide for industrial
councils somewhat similar to those
provided by the Whitley plan in
England, but would not permit the
calling in of outside representatives
until an absolute disagreement had
arisen between the employer and
his employees and after certain
agreed upon processes of adjust
Inent had been exhausted.
Would. be MediatOrs.
Thus the labor union officials
would come in as a sort of me dat
ing influence gradually until in the
case of an absolute disagreement,
the employees would be able to leave
their case to the trade union Off
Gals to work out.
The responsibility of the employee
TO his shop would be maintained
and the contact between employer
and employee would be unimpaired
by any outside influence There
would of course be no objection to
aff1liation with labor unions out
side and to the exchange of infor-
nation about shop conditions and
wages, but on the other hand, the
employer would face his men and
arrange schedules of wages and
hours and seek to obtain an agree
ment without the vexatiOus inter
ference of the tactless walking dele
gate. There are no doubt tactful
walking delegates and reasonable
labor leaders but the employers
claim these are more apt to be
found higher up in labor circles
and not in the locals and districts
They are seeking therefore to
thresh out their differences with
their men and provide machinery
for adjudication and then in the
event of disagreement to bring in
the higher officials of the unions.
Labor May Agree.
Labor probably would not agree
TO such a process at the outset but
unless the American Federation of
Labor wishes to take the respOn-
sibility for breaking up the confer
ence, it is unlikely that there will
be serious objection to an agree
ment on the absolute right to or
ganize in trade unions or shop
councils as the employees them
selves may determine. The labor
men think that if the right is
made too general and includes the
privilege of organizing into any
lawful association whatsoever this
would be a tacit recognition of the
l. w VS.. But if the employers
want to take that chance, the feel
ing i that the labor group ought
not worry for the fondness on the
part of each for the l. W. W. is
thus far the single point of mutual
understanding. So this week will
surely bring the factions closer to-
gether. Labor isn't going to break
up the conference unless it is alb
solutely sure that the employers
mean to make no concessions what
.soever But the tactics of the lat
ter from Thursday to Friday re-
veal that they are as anxious to
get an agreement with labor and
keep. the conference in session as
the labor group lie itself.