Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-04

lat LABOR DEMANDS.

lie at their basis. The workman de-
| mands an adequate wage, sufficient to
permit him to live in comfort, unham-
! pered by tho fear of poverty and want
| in his old age. He demands the right to
| live and the right to work amidst sani-
| tary surroundings, both in home and
workshop. surroundings that develop and
do not retard his own health and well
being; and the right to provide for his
children's wants in the matter of health
and education. In other words, it is his
desire to make the conditions of his life
| and the lives of those dear TO him toler-
ablc and easy 10 bear.
The establishment or the principles re-
| garding labor laid down in the covenant
of the League Of Nations offers us the
way to industrial peace and Cancellation.
| No other road lies open to us. Not to
| pursue this one is longer to invite en-
mites, bitterness and antagonism. which
| in the end only leads to industrial and
| social disaster. The unwilling work.
| man is not profitable servant. An
| employee whose industrial life is hcdged
| about by hard and unjust conditions which
he did not create and over which he has
no control. lacks that fine spirit OF en-
thusiasm and volunteer effort which are
the necessary ingredients of a great pro-
duclng entity Let US nc trans doou'
this solemn matter.
The evidences OF world wide unrest
which manifest themselves in violence
| throushou the world bid us pause and
consider the means to be found 10 stop
the spread of this contagious thing be-
fore it saps the very vitality of the
nation itself DO We gain strength by
Withholding the remedy or Is it not
the business of statesmen to treat these
manifestations OF unrest which meet US
on every hand as evidences OF an eco
monte disorder, and to apply construc-
tive remedies wherever necessary being
sure that in the application of the remedy
we touch not the vital tissues of our in
dustrial and economic life? There can
be no recession of the tide of unrest
| until legislative instructalities are set up
to stem that tide.
Governments must recognize the right
| of men collectively TO bargain for human
objects that have at their base the mu-
tual protection and welfare of those en-
gagged in all industries. Labor must not
be longer treated as a commodity. 1t
must be regarded the activity Of human
beings, possessed Of deep yearnings.
The business man gives his best
| thoughts to repair and replenshment of
not be impaired and it's power to pro-
duce may always be at its height and
kept in full vigor and motion. No less
regard ought to be paid to the human
machine, which after all propels the ma
chinery of the world and is the great
dynamic force that lies back OF all in
dustry and progress. Return to the old
standards Of wage and industry in en-
ployment are unthinkable. The terrible
! tragedy Of war which has just ended and
which has brought the world to the verge
OF chaos and disaster would be in vain
II there should ensue return to the
conditions of the past Europe itself.
whence has come the unrest which now
holds the world at bay. is an example of
standpa tism in these vital humane mat
tiers which America might well accept as
an example. not to be followed, but
studiously to be avoided. Europe made
labor the differential and the price of
it all is enemity and antagonism and
Frustrated industry.
The right Of labor to live in peace and
comfort must be recognized by govern
ments and America should be the first
10 lay the foundation stones upon which
industrial peace shall be built.
Labor not only is entitled TO an ade-
a reasonable return upon its investment
and is entitled to protection at tho hands
Of the government in every emergency.
No government worthy of the name can
play the elements against each other.
For there is a mutually of interest be-
tween them which the government must
seek to express and to safeguard at all
cost.
The right OF individuals to strike is in
violate and ought not to be interfered
with by any process OF government, but
there is predominant right and that
is the right to government to protect all
OF its people and to assert its power and
majesty against the challenge OF any
clash. The government, when 1t asserts
that right, seeks not to antagonize a
class, but simply to defend the right Of
the whole people AS against the irrepair-
able harm and injury that might be done
by the attempt of any class to usurp a
power that only government itself has a
right to exercise as a protection to all.
In the matter of international disputes
which have led to war. statesmen have
sought to set up as a remedy for war.
Does this not point the way for the set
Element of industrial disputes, by the es-
tablishment of tribunal fair and lust
disputes which in the past have led to
war disaster" America, witnessing the
evil consequences which have followed
out of such disputes between the con-
tending forces must not admit itself i'm
potent 10 deal with these matters by
means OF peaceful processes Surely
there must he some method Of bringing
together in a council Of peace and amity
these two great interests out of which
will como happier day of peace and CO.
operation. day that will make for more
comfort and happiness in living and a
more toerable condition among all
classes of men. Certainly human intel
lgence can define some means for ah-
tusting the differences between capital
and labor,
This is The hour of test and trial for
America. By her prowess and strength
and the indominab.e courage of her SOL
diers she demonstrated her power to vim.
dictate on foreign battle fields her con-
ception OF liberty and justice. Let not
her influence as a mediator between CAPT
tai and labor be weakened and her own
failure to settle matters to purely domes-
tic concern be proclaimed 10 the world
There are those in this country who
threaten direct action 10 force their will
upon majority, Europe to-day, with
its blood and terror. is a painful object
lesson of the power OF minorties. n
makes little difference what minority
it is, whether capital or labor. or any
other class: no sort OF privilege will ever
he permitted to dominate this country
We are a partnership or Nothing that is
worth while. We are a democracy where