The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-12-02

recognize che fundamental concepts
\ for which labor has been struggling
4 through the years. The whole world
gave It's recognition and endorsement
TO these fundamental principles TO the
league of nations. Statesmen gather
ed at Versailles recognized the fact
that world stability could not be held
by reverting to Industrial standards
and conditions against which the aver
age workman OF the world had revolt
ed. 1t is therefore the task OF statesmen
! OF this new day OF the change and re-
adjustment to recognize world condi-
lions and to seek to bring about
Through legislation conditions that will
mean ending OF age-long antagonisms
between capital and labor and that
Twill hopefully lead to the building up
! OF a comradeship which will result not
only In greater contentment among
the mass OF workmen but aso bring
about a greater production and a
greater prosperity to business itself.
Justice Of Complaints.
"To analyze the particulars in the
demands OF labor is to admit the
| Justice OF their complaint in many
i matters that lie at their basis. The
workman demands an adequate wage,
sufficient to permit him to live in
| comfort, unhampered by the fear OF
poverty and want in his old age. He
! demands the right to live and the
right to work amidst sanitary sur
j roundings both in home and work
/ DISCRIMINATING that develop and
/ do not retard his own health and
wellbeing; and the right to provide
| for bis children's wants in the mat
| ter OF health and education In other
words 1t is his desire to make the
conditions of his life and the lives OF
I those dear to him tolerable and easy
| to bear.
"The establishment Of principle re-
garding labor as laid down ip the
covenant of the league of nations Of
fers US the way to industrial peace
and Cancellation. No other road lies
open to US. Not to pursue this one
! is longer to invite enmities, bitter
ness and antagonisms which in the
end only lead to industrial and social
disaster The unwilling workman is
not a profitable servant. An employe
whose industrial life is hedged about
by hard and unjust conditions which
he did not create, and over which he
has no control, lacks that fine spirit
of enthusiasm and voluntary effort
which are the necessary ingredients
Of great producing entity. Let US
be frank about this solemn matter.
The events of worldwide unrest
which manifest themselves in VIC
lence throughout the world bid us
pause and consider the means to be
found to stop the spread OF this thing
before it saps the very vitality OF
the nation itself Do we gain strength
by withholding the remedy? Or is 1t
not the business of the statesmen to
treat these manifestations OF unrest
which meet US on every hand as
evidences OF an economic disorder,
and to apply constructive remedies
wherever necessary, being sure that
in application of remedy we touch
not the vital tissues of our industrial
and economic life? There can be no
recession of the tide OF unrest until
constructive instrumentalities are set
up to stem that tide Governments
must recognize the rights OF men
collectively to bargain for humane
objects that have at their base the
mutual protection and welfare OF
those engaged in all industries. La
Dor must not be longer treated as
a commodity. 1t must be regarded
as the activity Of human beings pos !
sessed of deep yearnings and desires. /
The business man gives his best
thought to the repair and reDlenish- /
'pent of HIS machinery SO that its
Usefulness will not be impeded and /
its power 10 produce may always be I
at its height and kept in full vigor
and motion. No less regard ought
to be paid to the human machine
which, after all, propels the ma
chinery of the world and is the great
force that lies back Of all industry
and progress. Return to the old
standards OF labor and wages in in
dustry is unthinkable. The terrible
tragedy of the war which has just
ended and which has brought the
world to the verge of chaos and dis
aster would be in vain If there should
ensue a return to the conditions of
the past. Europe made labor the
differentiaI, and the price Of it all Is
enmity and antagonism and pros
trated industry. The right Of labor
to live in peace and comfort must be
recognized by governments, and
v