New-York tribune., 1919-02-13

to settle their differences certainly the
prevention of strikes and lockouts is
lot beyond the reach of industry 1t
cannot be accomplished, however, with
ton to maintain peace upon the part
of all concerned. This includes be-
lief IN the good faith of both sides.
Little advance can De made if the
parties to controversy regard each
other with suspicion and hostility
Neither feeling is conducive to a real
and sincere desire for peace The
same personal feeling of responsibility
for our common welfare must also be
carried over from war to peace cond-
tlons. Every strike or lockout Injuries
to a greater or less degree the national
welfare; for the loss of wages means
reduced consumption, lessened purchas-
ing power and lessened output, while
decreased output means higher cost of
production. So strike or lockout re-
acts on the manufacturer. the grocer,
the landlord and the banker, and low
ers the prosperity of the whole COM
munity.
Awakening of Social Conscience
1--WE are beginning to realize, there
tore, that ones business is not entirely
ones own to do with as one pleases,
but that the community has a real in
terest in what the individual does We
all recognize that householder has no
rlght to keep his property in such a
condition as to menace the property of
his neighbor, or to endanger the health
of the community. We are just be
ginning to understand then an industry
That cannot pay proper standard Of
wages. or one in which the health and
life of the workers are unnecessarily
endangered, is also a menace to, and
therefore the concern of the entire
community In such cases the individ-
ual rights of the employer or the work
eers must give way to the common well
fare. The latest and most important
legislation along the line of limiting
the supposed rights of the individual
for the sake of the common good is the
prohibition legislation that has swept
the country. 1t is another evidence of
the awakening of a social conscience.
"Dlstrust and suspicion can onlv be
removed by frank and free discussion
of the points at issue The ignorance
OF many employers as to the real griev-
ances of their employees and the ig-
norance of the workers as to the prob
lens of industry are at the root of
most strikes. The inevitable misunder-
standings can often be explained away
II both sides would confer together
periodically, and better understandings
are possible if these conferences are
continued when there is no particular
strike pressing for settlement. We
have learned that the time to prevent
war is before both armies are mob
lllZed for action.
"The war taught us many lessons. A
particular point which | wish to en-
phaslze is that we could not have made
our common aim and cooperative spirit
effective during the war without or
ganization. The government had to
know on what supplies it could depend
and when and whore they could be OBJ
tanned. This was comparatively easy in
those industries where there were man
ufacturers' associations. Where there
were none committees had to be appoint
ed to speak for the industry. 1t was also
necessary for the government to know
thav there would be no interruption of
industry through labor disputes, so it
turned to organized labor for aid in
stabllizing conditions, and labor ad-
Justment boards were established for
the settlement of all disputes. 1t would
have been impossible to have nego-
tiated with each individual manufact-
urer and each manual worker. These
agreements made by the government
with associations of manufacturers and
with organized labor resulted in
greater industrial output than any one
had believed possible. Organization is
the foundation Of modern civilization
and is proportionate to the degree of
civilization attained by people
Rights of Labor Capital"
There is such thing as labor CAPT
tal,' just as there is cash capital.'
There is difference between the .wo,
however, in that labor capital cannot
be separated from the individual pos
capital began to organize into corpora
tons and demonstrated the value Of
such cooperative action, it was natural
that labor capital should seek to ben
ctlt IN the same way by the formation
OF trade unions. 1t is just as absurd
Ter employers to say they Will not deal
with trade unions as it would be for
the workers to say they will not deal
with corporations. Both forms Of or
ganizatlon can be of great good or of
great harm. 1t is not organization. no
natter how large, that we wish T. dc
strcy, but merely the predatory use of
tie power gained through organization.
IN the past too many employers asso-
clatlons and too many unions have
tcen organized as purely fighting n a
chlnes. They have been like two stand
ing armies facing each other. each
waiting to resent an aggression by the
olHer- Inc result has been what one |
might expect-that is, the aggressive
act has in time been made. Each side
has often acted without thought of the
welfare of the industry as a whole and
rarely of the welfare of the nation.
CONDITIONS of industry affect as
vs,ltally the lives of our people as does
their political status. One cannot.
therefore, Tiers with impunity, deny the
right of collective bargaining to the
workers. While the Stability of
democracy depends upon the average
Intelligence of its citizens, its progress
IS much Influenced by the wisdom of
its leaders We talk too much these
days about our rights and think TOO
little about our obligations. We cannot
separate rights or privileges from
obhgat'ons and responsibilities. They
hro the two halves that make the COM
rlete whole"
Must Use Machinery
To Cuf SoYI;po Co.t