The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-29
President Wilson's Industrial
Commission Asks Criticism.
Plan Suggested to End Walk
outs and LockOuts.
REORGANIzE ALL INDUSTRY
No Cessation of Work During
Disputes To Be Allowed.
Existing Cancellation Machin-
cry Not Affected by Proposal.


tentative plan of a strike court to in
sure industrial peace. members of the
presidents industrial commission to-
day invited criticisms and suggestions
on their work. The invitation virtual
ly constitutes a request that the entire
country resolve itself into an indus
trial commission.
When the Wilson commission re-
assemblies here January IL to put its
reports into final form, 1t expects to
have hundreds of suggestions from
capital. labor and the public. 1t will
also have to aid it, reports of other in
vestigations now being made.
Members of the commission are de-
termined to stay in session until they
have brought about results they are
seeking.
The tentative report which has
been before President Wilson for some
time and was given to the country to-
day, divides roughly into three parts.
First, the commission declares the
final solution of the nations indus
trial problem depends on the estab-
lishment of a thoro understanding
and a closer relationship between cap
ital and labor.
Second, the commission, pending
the growth of this relationship, pro-
poses machinery to stop industrial
conflicts. This machinery will con-
sist of a national tribunal of nine
members and twelve regional tri-
bunals with broad powers to adjust
and inquire into strikes.
Third, the commission considers
that in the railroad industry there
should be some merging of response
bility for regulations of rates and
wages.
FoS Collective Bargaining.
The principle of collective bargain
ing, on which the first industrial con-
ference split is recognized.
Introducing its report, the commits
sion says:
"Our modern industrial organiza-
/! ton, if 1t is not to become failure,
must yield to theeindividual a larger
satisfaction with life.
The right relationship" the report
continues, between employer and en-
ploye in large industries can only be
{ promoted by the deliberate organiza-
| ton of that relationship. Not only
must the theory that labor Is com
modify be abandoned, but the con-
cept Of leadership must be substi-
tude for that OF mastership."
! With the declaration that the puoHc
/ is becoming uneasy at the power OF
great employers and employees, the
! Commission outlines in detail its tenta-
tive plan for strike courts.
At the top would be national In
dustrial tribunal of nine members,
/ three from labor. three from the en-
ployers and three from the pubic
! with mot more than five to be from
: the Same political party. This tTibu-
nal would be a court of appeal
There would also be twelve indus
tria' regions, one for each of the fed
eral reserve districts A chairman
would be appointed for each of these
regions with vice chairman if neces-
sary.
/ Panels of employees and employers
for each region would be prepared by
the secretaries of commerce and labor
published, and twenty days after pub
Z lication submitted to the president
Order of names on the panels would
! be determined by lot.
! Arbitratc All Disputes.
| When a dispute arose the regional
board on its own initiative. or at the
request of the national tribunal. the
fsecretary of labor, or the parties con-
cerned could call upon on each side to
choose a representative. After choice
of representative two would be chosen
from the panel of employers and en-
pIoyes and these with the regional
chairman would constitute a regional
board of adjustment of the strike. A
decision by this board would have the
force of a trade agreement and be
binding on both parties. In case oi
failure to reach a unanimous decision
an umpire would be appointed and
his 1indlnSS WOuiQ nave tle SdIIic lOiS
as those of a board
If one side refused to submit its case
to the regional board, the board
would become board of inquiry with
two chosen from each panel, the
chairman and the representative
from the side willing to arbitrate
A board of inquiry could be changed
to a board of adjustment on consent OF
the objecting party to choose rep.
resentative A board of inquiry would
investigate dispute and publish re-
port.
No cessa ton of work would be per
mitted while q board or an numpirt
was inquiring into dispute or fran
ing it's recommendation.
Where disputes affected more thar
one region. boards would be combined
The president would appoint region
al chairmcn for three years and mem
bers of the national tribunal for si1
years. Both bodies would have power
TO subpoena witnesses
Existing conciliation machiner,
would not be affected by the commits
sion's proposed plan