The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-08
ALL STRIKES
INDUSTRIAL
BARBARISM
This Is Characterization of Sen
ate Probe Committee.
Report on Steel WaIkOut Bitter
Against Radicals.
SUGGEST MEDIATION AGENCY
Public Has Right To Demand
Rigid Settlement.
Says American Federation
Makes Mistake in Leadership.

Washington, Nov. S.-Characterizing
all strikes as Industrial barbarism''
and declaring that there is no place
in this country either for Industrial
despotism or labor despotism," the
senate committee authorized to inves-
tigate the steel strike today presented
a report covering it's hearings both in
Washington and in Pittsburgh, and
criticising both the workers and their
employers in the controversy which
resulted in at least partial disruption
of the steel industry.
The committees main conclusion,
concurred in by all members, was ex-
pressed in the statement that 1.-The
public has right to demand that
capital shall not arrogate to itself the
right to determine in its own way
those Industrial questions. and it is the
same as to labor and the duty is upon
congress to provide some way of ad-
justing these difficulties"
A Mediation Agency.
AS permanent preventive of
strikes. which the committee comedies
ARE apparently the only way for la
boz to secure even its just demands if
employers refuse to grant them" it
is commended that congress author
ize the establishment of some such
powers as the recently dissolved war
labor board
This board would have the power
of compulsory investigation" the re-
port adds on this subject. but mot to
the extent of compulsory arbitrati
a just decision of the board would be
endorsed by the public. There is good
sense enough in the American people
to bring about an adjustment of these
difficulties"
Committee members who conducted
the investigation were fairly unani-
nous in the report. tho leaving open
points on which they could not agree.
The report was signed by Senator Ken
yon. of Iowa, chairman, and Senators
Sterling, South Dakota; Phipps, Colo
RADIO, Republicans. and Mcclellan. Ten
nessee, and Walsh, Massachusetts,
Democrats.
Revolutionary Radicalism.
Treating of the causes of the strike,
the committee in its report expressed
the opinion that the walkout was pre-
cipitated by the determination of the
American Federation of Labor to or
ganize the steel industry Wages are
not a factor in the strike. the commit
tee held, being high enough to give
no reason for dissatisfaction. Hours
of the workers, however, the senators
believed are too long.
Further behind the strike, the COM
mittee found. was massed "a consider
able element of revolutionary radi-
calism, of which. it is said, there is
no question but that William z. Fos-
ter, secretary of the general strike
committee was a leader. With Jacob
Margolis, attorney for the I. w. w and
assistant in organizing the strike, Sec
rotary Foster came in for unsparing
condemnation.
"The laborers in the steel mills had
a Just complaint relative to the long
hours of services on the part of some
of them, and the right to have the
complaint heard by the company"
said the committee in summing up its
formal findings.
Working Representatives.
Some members of the committee be-
lieye that more friendly relations
would be maintained between en-
ployer and employee if the representa-
tives who are chosen to present griev-
anees to the employers were actually
working in the industry and that such
representative ought not to be from
outside the industry.
With the system of working hours
in the steel industry the committee
disagreed strongly. and cited as one
objection thereto the existence of large
numbers of non-English speaking
workers IN the mills who should be
given opportunity to become Ameri-
canized.
An S-Hour Day.
"Men cannot work ten and twelve
hours a day and attend classes in
night schools. An eight-hour day with
a living wage that will enable men to
support their families and bring up
their children according to the stand
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