Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-29
Wilson's Industrial Con-
ference FOrmulates
Recommendations.
NATIONAL TRIBUNAL
IMPORTANT FEATURE
Regional Boards Would Be Established
to Work in Conjunction With Ma
tional Body-Conferenee Declares
Neither Labor Nor Capital Must
Dominate Industrial Life Of Nation
at Expense of General Public.

Washington, Dec. 29.-Tentative
recommendation for the establish
ment Of machinery to prevent or re-
tard labor conflicts in private indus
try were announced today by the
presidents industrial conference
with view to obtaining constructive
criticism before a final plan is
adopted.
The plan as outlined now conten-
plates the creation of national In
dusrial tribunal and regional boards
of inquiry and adjustment, which
would move to the settlement of
disputes before there was any stop
page of production. Decisions would
have the full force and effect of a
trade agreements between the par
ties to the dispute.
Remarking that some public util-
tiles, such as railroads, are esIential
to the very existense of the people,
the conferences tentative statement
expressed the opinion that the Gin"
terruption in such essential public
utilities is intolerable."
Government employees, the third
class into which the wage earning
public are divided, should have the
right to associate for mutual 0rotea-
ton, the statement declared. but
mo interference by any group with
the continuous operation of govern
ment functions thru concerted ces-
sation of work or threats thereof
can be permitted.
But the conference states that fur
ther consideration is required of the
problem whether some method can be
arrived that viii avert all danger of
interruption to service.
When the conference reconvenes
Jan. IL, public hearings will be held
to obtain expert advice as to the
drafting of the final recommended
tiona in the light of such criticism
Of be tentative report as may be
received.
While stating that at this time IT
was believed more essential to de-
wise machinery for averting conflicts
than, to undertake a discussion OF
the causes of unrest, the conference
indicated clearly the general princi-
pies ,on which it has based Its rec
concentrations.
Neither Must Dominate.
"Our modern industrial organiza-
tion,!'' the tentative report said, 1T
1t Is not to become a failure, must
yield, to the individual a larger sat
isfaction with life. Not
only must the theory that labor is a
commodity be abandoned, but the
concept of leadership must be sub
stituted for that OF mastership.
Human fellowship In in
dustry must either be an empty
phrase or living fact.
Pending the growth Of better re-
1ationships between employers and
employees, the practical approach to
the problem is to devise method
Of preventing or retarding conflicts
by providing machinery for the ad-
1ustment Of differences. To be sue
cessful such tribunals must be so or
ganized as to operate promptly as
we'll as impartially. The
plain fact is that the public has long
been uneasy about the power Of
great employers: 1t is becoming un-
easy about the power of great labor
organizations. The community must
be assured against domination by
either.
"The plan which follows does not
Dropose to do away with the ulti-
mate right to strike. to discharge,
or to maintain the closed or the
open shop"
Favors Board Of Appeal.
The national industrial tribunal,
suggested by the conference, would
consist of nine members appointed
by the president, three each repre-
senting the employers, employees
and the public. The tribunal would.
in general, be board of appeal,
whose decision must be unanimous.
but provision was made for public
majority and minority reports In
cases where no agreement was pos
sible.
Industrial regions, probably twelve
in number, conforming to the fed
eral reserve system, would be out
lined and regional chairman ap-
pointed for each by the president,
Vice chairmen would be named by
the tribunal, If the work In any re-
gton required it,
Panels of employers and en-
ployes for each region would be
prepared by the secretary Of oom-
merce and the secretary Of labor,
respectively, after conferences with
tho employers and workers Of that
region. Each panel, approved by
the president, would be (,l&ssjhsd
By Industries among the employers
and by industries, with sub-olsssih-
cation into crafts, among the en-
ployss. Lots would be cast to de-
termine the order Of names In each
panel.
plans For Regional Boards.
When q dispute arose In any ye-
giop, tho chairman would REQUEST
each side to submit 1t to q regional
board Of adjustment, consisting OF
the chairman, one represent tattye
chosen by each side, and tive uR-