The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-13
BOR QUESTION
Secretary Wilson'S Annual Re
port Gives Some Interest
ing Facts


is ao1 based on industrial Justice. Sec
retary Wilson. declared today in ms
annual report. Reviewing the pres
ent disturbed industrial situation, the
Secretary said the means had been
found for regulating all the other
relations Of mankind and that human
intelligence could find the method
of adjusting the relationship between
employer and employe with justice to
both.
Declaring that just as international
wrongs might reach point making
war a necessity, SO industrial wrongs
might accumulate until they provoke
an industrial conflict, the Secretary
said the stability-of industrial reia-
tions rested on mutual counsel.
Just as the peace of nations Is
promoted by frank and friendly in
tercourse'' he said, so may the peace
OF industry be maintained by the
same methods. But this Intercourse
can not come about unless there is
first recognized the right OF c0!icc
tive bargaining. The public interest
demands that it be universally rec
osnized, for the primary interests
of the public is in peace.
..rhe denial Of organization is Il
denial Of the only means of peace
able settlement that the wage earn
ers have
Calling attention to the present
prominence OF labor organizations OF
a revolutionary or lawleSs type the
Secretary declared that the response
sbility for them must fall upon the
employer who opposes the organlZa-
ton of lawful trade unions. More
and more do industrial disputes men
zee the public as we'll as employer
and enaploye the secretary said. 3Gd-
ing that the right TO strike should be
a means of defense and not weap-
on of offense.
The right of any man TO cease
working fer another for any reason
that is sufficient 20 himself is the ba-
sic elem Mt of human liberty he
said The right of any person TO re-
fuse operate his plant at any tine
he desires to do so is the exercise of
a property right guaranteed by the
Constitution. 1t does not follow that
because these rights exist it is neces-
sary TO exercise them. They must
nevertheless be safeguarded."
Turning to the question of the hig!
cost of living the secretary said IN
creased wages did not always bring
the desired relief. Increased produc-
1ivity. making more material avail
able for wages and taking the means
of increased compensation OUT Of the
profits of the employer was the only
way in which the standard of living
of the wage Garner could be improv-
ed, he declared.
Reviewing the activities Of the va
rious bureaus of the department. the
report said 254.273 aliens came to
American shores during the fiscal
YEAR ending June 80. and that 243.-
CAT Of them were admitted and s.
626 excluded. The number admitted
the year before was 211.S53. Aliens |
departing during the last fiscal year /
numbered 216.231 as against 193.- |
26S the year before. During the last
{ wears the Bureau of immigration /
estimated that Sc aliens left the
country for every 100 admitted
Aliens admitted during the past |
wear we're in possession Of sums Of I
money aggregating s15.S3I241. an !
average of SIP per person.
Aliens expelled under department. I
al process during the year numbered i
8 .06S compared with 1863 in 1913
The total number of aliens deportHd
including those refused admission
and "a Chinese deported under The /,
exclusion laws. was LIPS as against
,S.916 in 1873.
The number of admissions TO cit
izenship during she past year wa
larger than any preceding year
to 2i77.35S,' the report
said. Leaving out of consideration
the year 1913 this was a far greater
number than was admitted in any
TWO years during Federal SUPERVISION.
Military statistics show 12S,333
aliens who acquired citizenship afte,
they assumed the uniform of the
United States.
The United States Employment
Service at the end of the war had
$50 officers with 4 personnel OF L.
700 and an administrative force al
Washington of 800. During the
eleven war months of 191S>the SerV-
ice placed 2.69S.S37 persons in en-
ploymen, out of I; registration Of
3.675.S58
Persons directly affected by labor |
disputes brought tc the attention OF
the department during the year num-
bered 1,0l1.9ss, While the number
indirectly affected was 336-o'2.
During the year the department as
signed commissioners Of concillation
10 1.7S0 cases. including 3S1 strikes.
l,l13. disputes and threatened strikes.
63 lockouts and il wallouts. OF
these .229 were adjusted. exclusive
of 2l9 referred to the National War
Labor Board. The commissioners
failed 10 make settlements in III
cases.
strong recommendations for tie
Sreviving and continuing of the ork-
ing conditions Service. which was m
stituted during the war TO lnveSt-
gate working conditions and to rec