The sun., 1919-05-21

a'oehtion' IL only in general terms.
Hope OF Agreement.
In speaking Of them shall, I
dare say, be doing little more
than speak your own thoughts. I
nope that 1 shall speak your own
Judgment Also.
The question which stands at
the front OF all others in every
country amidst the present great
awakening is the question of
laoour; and perhaps can speak of
II with as great advantage while
engrossed in the consideration OF
interests which affect all, countries
alike as 1 could at home and
amidst the interests which natu-
rally most affect my thought. be-
cause they are the interests of
our own people.
BY the question OF labour 1 do
not mean the question OF efficient
industrial production. the question
OF how labour Is to be obtained and
made effective In the great proc
ess Of sustaining populations and
=ooSSUSo
cial and industrial rivalries.
mean that much greater and more
vital question. How are the men
and women who do the daily labour
OF the world to obtain progressive
Improvement in the conditions Of
their labour, to be made happier
and to be served better by the
communities and the industries
which their labour sustains and
advances?
How are they to be given their
right advantage as citizens and
human beings?
Already Gone Too Far.
We cannot go any further in
our present direction. We have al
ready gone too far. We cannot
live our right life as a nation or
achieve our proper success as an
industrial community IL capital
and labour are to continue to be
antagonistic instead Of being part
ners; II they are to continue to dis
trust one another and contrive how
they can get the better Of one an
other; for. what perhaps amounts
to the same thing; calculate by what
form and degree OF coercion they
can manage to extort on the one
hand work enough to make enter
prise profitable, on the other jus
tice and fair treatment enough to
make life tolerable. That bad
road has turned out a blind alley.
1t is no thoroughfare to real pros
perity. We must find another.
leading in another direction and to
a very different destination.
Genuine Cooperation.
1t must lead not merely to ac-
commodation but also TO u genu-
inc cooperation and partnership
based upon a real community Of
interest and participation in con-
troll.
There is now in fact a real
community OF interest between
capital and labour. but irhas never
been made evident in action. 1t
can be made operative and mani
fest only in new organization Of
industry. The genius of our busi-
ness men and the sound practical
sense of our workers can certainly
work such partnership out, when
once they realize exactly what Il
Is that they seek and sincerely
adopt a common purpose with re-
gard to it.
Labor legislation lies, of course.
chiefly with the States, but the
new spirit and method OF organ
ization which must be effected are
not to be brought about by legisla-
ton so much as by the common
counsel and voluntary cooperation
OF capitalist, manager and work.
man. Legislation can go only a
very little way in commanding
what shall be done.
The organization of industry is
a matter of corporate and individ-
ual initiative and of practical bust
ness arrangement. Those who
really desire a new relationship
between capital and labour can
readily find a way to bring It
about; and perhaps Federal legis-
lation can help more than State
legislation could.
Decentralization of Industry
The object OF all reform in this
essential matter must be the gen.
uine characterization of industry,
based upon a full recognition of
the right OF those who work, in
whatever rank, to participate in
some organic way in every deci-
sion which directly affects their
welfare, or the part they are to
play in industry. Some positive
legislation is practicable. The Con-
gress has already shown the way
to one reform, which should be
worldwide. BY establishing the
eight-hour day as the standard
day in every field OF labour over
which 1t can exercise control. 1t
has sought to find the way to pre-
vent child labour and will, l hope
and believe, presently find it.
Leading the Way.
1t has served the whole coun-
try by leading the way in devel-
oping the means OF preserving
and safeguarding life and health
in dangerous industries. 1t can
now help in the difficult task of
giving a new form and spirit to
industrial organization by coor-
dinating the several agencies