Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-27

London, Feb. 27.-The industrial
parliament. composed OF reprcsen-
tatives of employers and employed
and government officials. assem-
bled in Central hall, Westminster.
F; this morning. The parliamentary
was opened by Sir Robert Steven
son Horne, the minister of labor,
who was supported by Premier
/ Lloyd George, Sir Albert Stanley,
president of the board Of trade,
I George II. Roberts, the food con
! troller, Thomas James Mcnamara,
! parliamentary secretary in the
cabinet. and Sir d. J. Shackelton.
permanent secretary OF the minis
| try of labor The minister of la
! Dor announced that the premier
: was anxious to hear the views of
/ the meeting and invited the dele
gates 20 address the conference.
10.G00,0OO Workers Represented.
The objective OF the parliamen-
tary meeting was to enable the gov
ernment TO learn their views on
the general situation. II is esti-
mated that more than 10000 900
workers are repres ented by the 500
delegates.
After a few short speeches had
been made by labor Representatives
a motion was submitted by Sir
Allen Smith. chairman of the man
aging committee of the engineer
ing employers feF ration, for the
formation of an Industrial commit
tee consisting of 20 representa-
tives of the employers, 90 represen-
tatives of the trades union, and
certain number of representative
of the government.
Seek Cause OF Unrest.
This committee, under the presi-
dency of the minister of labor,
would consider and report to a fur
ther meeting OF the parliament on
the~causes OF the present unrest
and on methods for safeguarding
and promoting the best interests of
the working people, the employers
and the state.
Determined 10 Change Conditions.
James Henry Thomas, member
OF parliament and general secre-
tary of the national union of rail-
waymen. said he was authorized TO !
make the following observation !
for the triple alliance of miners, !
railwaymen and transport work !
ers: !
THE organized workers of Great !
Britain have made up their minds !
to obtain for th amselves an in |
creasing share of the wealth which !
their labor has produced and pro-
duces The workers of the three |
fold organization are determined to .
shorten materially the hours Of 4
labor in their respective industries. !
They are dissatisfied with the sys-
tenn of society which treats their /
labor power as mere commodity /
to be bought, sold and used as /
though they were machine-like (
units in the process of wealth pro-
duction and distribution, and they
therefore demand that they shall I.
become real partners in industry,
jointly sharing in determining
working conditions and manage
ment.
Labor has become increasingly
alive to its sovereign power and
will shirk no responsibilities and
will be denied none of its rights
and privileges.
For Government Ownership.
THE miners. railway men and
transport workers stand unalter
ably for the ownership by the states
of the mines and railways and the
of inland and coastal trans
port"
The statement declares that for
the most of the prevailing unrest
the scanda lous profiteering Coun-
tenanced by the government dur
ing the period of the war" is re
sponsible.
The excess profits duty" the
continues. has not miti-
gated the effect of profiteeTing the
slightest degree. its only use be
ing to make the profiteers agents
of the treasury and 10 pass on the
burden of paying for the war from
the shoulders of the rich to the
general body of the community"
Anticipating the probable argu
ment that the nation, after four
and a half years of war. is unable
to grant the material advancement
in working conditions which the
workers are demanding the state
ment says the country is out of the
war in such a way as to belle all
the prophecies of the political
economists.
With Old Order of Things.
The statement continues: II
Realizing these facts and the
inferences from them, the workers (
have resolutely set their faces to-
ward some order Of society which
will improve their lives and condi-
tions in accord with the new valu-
alton they have set upon them
selves. No longer are they pre-
pared to content themselves with
every wage advance being thrust
upon the consumer and conse-
luently cancelling every improve
ment instantly and automatically.
Rent. interest and profits are not
nviolate.
Statesmen OF every party muft
make up their minds that there Is
going to be drastic change. Wise
men will allow and provide for It,
others will be convinced only Ivy
The compelling power OF events.