The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-06-20
What Cleveland, Ohio, is Doing
to Bring Its Employers and
Workers to Understanding

Cleveland, o., June 7.-CleVelano
industry has introduced new wrin-
kle in dealing with its industrial prob
lens. The solution of the labor unrest
question is being tried out to new
tune and it is meeting with success,
in the opinion of the manufacturers
and large portion of the workers.
There is no patent on this Cleve-
land plan, and it seems to me that 1t
might we'll be taken up in st. Louis
with proper notifications to meet
condition.
An organization has been formed
here in which the employers and work
ers meet on an equal footing to thrash
out their mutual problems. 1t is
known as the Industrial Association OF
Cleveland, and has more members
than the Chamber of Commerce or any
other business organization here.
The membership is open to all bus
mess concerns and their employees.
1t is the first organization | have
found which actually brings capital
management and labor together for
the equal discussion of their rights
and privileges.
In St. Louis we have the Chamber
of Commerce, Employers Associa.
ton, Manufacturers Association and
similar organizations, all Of which are
purely for the employers. The work
ers have their labor organizations, is
olated clubs and similar individual or
CARNATIONS, organized from the wage
earning view point. There is no or
ganization for the middle class, the
81 which the
intermediary between the boss and
the workers. and there is no assocla-
ton which combines the three ele-
ments.
In studying the rules and purposes
of the Industrial Association of Cleve-
land / was reminded of the statement
Archbishop Glennon made to me last
week that. "Kindliness mixed with
justice is the ideal spirit" in solving
the labor problems.
Kindness and Justice
The mixing of kindness with jus.
tice is being taught in Cleveland
through this organization. One Of the
dominant thoughts Of the organization
is that labor and capital are not here
to fight, but they are here to think
1t is built on the theory that the man
in Industry VINO needs most 1.-THE work
err, gets the least. In the discussion
of industrial questions this associa-
ton is trying to give the worker that
missing Information he has not been
getting, so that he can more readily
grasp the situation and help himself
and the firm he works for.
Tbnrn &c. inlyar, in IbIg ('lpVpl md
organization by which the bosses re-
tain control for their own benefit. 1t
is established on the principle that IN.
dustry needs more organization-and
less organizations. Any employee OF
any concern in Cleveland is eligible tC
membership and vote in the clubs
affairs.
In the past year the club has had q
course of 26 lectures on economic
problems in its clubrooms, which have
been attended by more than 10000
men. There is something to an or
ganization which can attract that
number of employees to a lecture
course on purely business topics.
The membership in the organization
is 4,630. OF this, 621 employers ant
4,009 are employees. The club wa!
organized two and one-half years agt
and occupies commodious, well-fur
nished quarters in big commercial
building. 1t has grown to such an eX
tent that it is having plans drawn TO
new building to be built by the or
ganization as its permanent home.
Charles Woodward, president of tn
association, told me that the new ide
in bringing all industrial interests to
gether has proven big success fror
every standpoint, and that unles
other cities get busy and follow alon
the same lines Cleveland will hav
such a start that the other places wi
not be able to catch up.
Change in Spirit
"Men have advanced as thinkers
and are still advancing along the line
of square deal and fair play to all
he told me. "There has been de
cided change in the industrial spiri
Where the capital and labor side
formerly were independent of one ar
other, they are now teaching the RI
lationship Of dependence. Both bt
long together and have common need
"For long time there seemed to
belief in the minds of the public
general that the industries have Il
of money, and that they should
jolted loose from theid wealth. Thel
has been radical legislation, strike
lockouts, walkouts and various metl
DDS used to separate industry fro
the big profits the people believed wei
being made.
eve approach the subject from al
other angle. We believe that the pei
dulum has swung backward, and thi
the days of industrial radicalism
take the profits away from industl
have given way to period when Il
thinkers are believing that the counti
will be better served by a reasonab
discussion of these problems and
square deal all around.
"Industry has had it's faults, ar
still has some of them. Labor h;
had its faults, and still has some mi
taken ideas. Our organization is bui
on the plan of bringing these elemen
together and stop the fighting, and pr
both sides to thinking, We belie'