The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-02-07
SPEECH OF GOV. F. 0. LOWDEN TO
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

| ing of the Illinois Manufacturers
Association at the Congress Hotel,
Chicago, on the 10th of last De-
cember, Gov. Frank o. Lowden, of
Illinois, delivered the following adj
dress:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
1t was very difficult for me to
get away from Springfield on this
particular day. But felt as though
would be without a sense of gra-
titude if I did not come to this
opening meeting of the Illinois
Manufacturers Association, and
express my appreciation of the
great, big way in which you have
co-operated with the State Govern
ment during this time of stress. |
would not be at peace with myself
if | did not confess to you that one
of the most inspiring things of all
that happened during these two
years was the unselfish devotion
displayed by the business men as
a whole, in the work which had to
be done if we were to win the war.
| want also to add that if we can
only make the solidarity which our
entire citizenship exhibited during
those fateful months living and
permanent force in our community.
we shall pass through this troubl-
Gus time of reconstruction success
fully. without that spirit, | see
trouble ahead.
| am going to speak to you this
morning briefly about some of the
things that have been done in this
state, in which my opinion, teach a
most valuable lesson. The first thing
in my mind is cooperation in initial
ing legislation which the employers
and employees have practiced with
reference to some of the most inn
portant laws which have been
enacted within our time. And let
me first take the Composition Law.
Instead of the old method of one
side in the industrial field propos-
ing legislation, and the other fight
ing it with all the passions engen-
dered by that method, this associa-
ton took the initiative, through its
President, Mr.. Charles Piez, and
a committee was appointed repre-
senting Labor, and that joint COM
mittee got together and worked out
the compensation law, as it was
originally framed. AS you know, it
has since then been made compul-
sorry. But that was the beginning
of it, and ! want to say that this
law is equally beneficial, as | be-
lieve, to the employer and the en-
ployee, because it is best for hui
mainly at large. That law, it seems
to me, ought to point a way by
which we are going to meet the
problems during this reconstruc-
ton period.
Again, the operators of the coal
mines, and as you know that is one
of the greatest industries of our
state, appointed a committee, and
the miners themselves appointed a
committee, and these two commit
tees have been in the habit of meet
ing just before each session of the
general assembly and working out
among themselves legislation
which they thought was fair and
just. This method has been a very
great success. 1t is infinitely bet
ter, if not so picturesque, as the
old method of an everlasting fight
upon the floors of the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
At the beginning of this war,
when it seemed to me that every
thing that Capital and Labor alike
held dear was involved in the is
sue of that mighty strife, | believ-
ed that neither Capital alone nor
Labor alone could win the war. |
believed that it was necessary that
there be close cooperation, If vic
tory should come to our arms.
When, therefore, | came to make
up the State Council of Defense, !
selected not only. representatives of
business, not only representatives
of both political parties, but | Sc
lected representatives of Labor and
L appointed on that Council Mr..
John H. Walker and Mr.. Victor
Olander, President and Secretary of
the Illinois Federation of Labor. |
appointed them because they saw
! that this was Labor's war, and not
capitalistic war: | knew that we
must have internal quiet if we were
going to wage a successful war
again our foe. | know that lot of
/ Il