The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-08-14
LABOR TROUBLES
AND HIGH PRICES
President Wilson at Work on Plans to
Bring Employers and Employees To-
gether-Wearying of Perpetual
Industrial Antagonism.

Washington, Aug. 11.-President
Wilson may try to make operative a
new idea on industrial relations.
In effect, it is said that capital and
labor have natural relationship of
friendliness instead Of a natural an
tagonsm, and that permanent indus
trial peace is a real possibility, capa-
BILE of being induced within a short
time.
Again at work on speeches to be de-
livered on his coming Nationwide
tour, the President, it is understood,
is preparing to elaborate upon this
viewpoint in addition to discussing the
League Of Nations, the cost of living
and one or two other pressing domes-
tic matters.
The President hopes, according to
his friends, to be able to implant firm
ly in the national mind the belief that
relations Of employers and employee
can be adjusted without resort to
strikes and lockouts. Should he feel
that he has succeeded in accomplish
ing this, national industrial confer
ence may be called to work out de-
tails to carry the idea to fruition.
Prices Due to Labor's Wars.
In his address to Congress Friday,
the President showed he considers no
permanent solution can be found for
the problem of high living costs SO
long as strikes and lockouts interfere
with the distribution and close facto-
ries, checking production.
How important factor this is was
shown here today when estimates
based on official figures indicated that
the present epidemic of strikes and
lockouts thruout the United States
now is reducing by about 130 million
dollars month the aggregate of
commodities produced.
This is called staggering reduc-
ton by experts who point out that it
is, for instance, more than one-fourth
of the total value of exports of the
United States, which now is sending
food and goods abroad at the rate of
500 million dollars worth for every
business month of twenty-six days.
Lose l Million Daily in Pay.
1t also is estimated to mean that
approximately u million persons now
are idle because Of strikes and lock-
outs which are costing them a wage
loss of nearly l million dollars a day.
This sum does not include wages lost
by those not on strike but indirectly
affected by strikes.
President Wilson is planning, it is
believed, to discuss the matter in one
or two speeches. How these are re-
ceived will be the test upon which he
will determine how far it is practical
bic to go at this time in devising a
remedy.
The President, it is believed, will net
attempt to frame a remedy. AS he
is understood to see it, his share is to
convince the country that drastic ac-
tion is necessary to settle labor dis
putes and then turn the matter over
to an industrial conference which pub
lie opinion would force to act.
If public sentiment comes to be-
lieve in this viewpoint, labor and cap
ital will have to accept it, it is be-
lieved. Then the time will be ripe
for action
Popular Opinion Is Weary.
Popular opinion now is wearying, it
is reported here, of perpetual indus
trial antagonism which is bringing
inconvenience to almost every COM
munity, and to some, even suffering
and violence. This would indicate that
plan for industrial peace that
seemed to have fair chance of sue
cess would be welcomed by the Ma
tion.
Suggestions for the organization Of
boards of mediation and arbitration
have been flooding the President since
long before he left Paris. Some were
framed by officials in organized labor
circles. Others came from men whose
names are notable in the business
world.
Ex-President Taft is known to have
framed plan which may or may not
have been submitted by him to the
President
But until now the circumstances
have seemed to show the time had not
come for concrete action.