The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-10-07
THE INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE.

House yesterday the object OF Whch is an endeavor 10
establish new and satisfactory relations between capital
and labor, may be of far-reaching importance to the
future of the United States If it should prove to be
the initial step in successful for the read
ustmen of industrial relations the danger of general
labor disturbances viii be removed and the country will
be assured of safe passage through the critical stages of
postwar reconstruction.
Various tentative plans have been formulated for pre-
sentaton to the conference for discussion with the hope
that of them may be adopted for the settlement of
labor disputes. 1t would however, be expecting good
deal to anticipate the adoption of concrete plan off
hand where the vital interests of capital and labor
at stake. The first step is agreement upon general
principles and if this be secured the Washington
conference the working out of the details can be
plished later.
general acceptance of the principle of arbitration
to be the foundation upon which any plan should
rest Employers must assent to submission of all dis
puted questions to somebody clothed with authority
decide them and must agree to abide by its decision
Employees must be willing to lay aside the strike weapon
and rely for justice in matters affecting wages hours
and conditions of employment upon somebody compe-
tent to pass upon their merits
There must be- first of all an agreement between
capital and labor that each will recognize and respect the
rights of the third party in all industrial controversies
the American public The interests of the public par
tculary at this period of the reconstruction process,
demand that production suffer interruption There
FORE must be understood that hereafter labor disputes
hp strkac
at least that the strike weapon shall be used only last
resort and after arbitration methods have failed
The work of the war labor board at a time when the
national safety demanded that there be no interference
with the full efficiency of the country demonstrated that
employers and employees may safely trust their disputes
to arbitration. Questions respecting wages working
hours and working conditions, which under normal cir
cumstances would in many instances have provoked strikes
and ockouts adjudcated by the board while pro-
ducton kept up without interruption There was no law
compelling this arbitration; it utilized because all
parties realized that by resortng force the national
interests would be injured and their patriotic instincts
led them to this peaceful method of settlement
Though the is the national interest neverthe
less demands amcabe adjustment of industrial disputes
even as it did when the fighting was on. There are
national dangers then, though the threat now
comes from within There is the same incentive at pres
ent for the preservation of internal peace and order and
for the maintenance of production as there was two years
Ago. If arbitration then effective in the prevention
of strikes and ockouts with their attendant waste and
suffering why not be adapted to the existing sit
lation?
Once general recognition of the rights of the public
IS conceded and mutual assent is granted to the prin
cipe of arbitration the means for carrying this policy
posed of representatives of all the interests could easily
construct the framework of plan for determining the
merits of industrial disputes and the machinery could be
put IN motion with comparatively small delay Compul-
ory arbitration is not popular but the influence of pub
&c sentiment is potential as law in matter of vast
public interest and could be relied upon as it was during
he war period
VIII capital and labor exhibit the right spirit at this
Will they show disposition to submit their
auses to the test of arbitration and forego resort to
orce! If they will the way is open to uninterrupted
rogress and universal prospery-Wa Washington Post.
When man is intelligent and has little learning his
nowedge is light that shows him the depths of his
ignorance