Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-09-24
The American Union Versus the
Labor Union.

Interest In the labor conference
called by President Wilson for Octo-
Der s at Washington grows with the
publication Of the list Of men he has
invited to represent the public In the
discussion of labor differences.
Among them are John D. Rockefeller,
Jr.. Judge Ebert H. Gary Of the
United States Steel Corporation.
President Emeritus Eliot Of Harvard.
Bernard NJ. Baruch. former chairman
Of the War Industries board. Henry
B. Endicott of Massachusetts, and
Edwin F.. Gay of the Harvard gradu-
ate school of business administration.
The conference has been called to
discuss means of "bettering the
whole relationship between capital
and labor and putting the whole
question Of capital and labor on
another footing" Delegates repre-
senting the employers and others
representing labor will also. be named
In addition to those who stand for
the public, This conference will
study means for lessening the likeli-
hood of strikes, and for the preven-
ton OF industrial war, through
bringing about an ) understanding
among all parties, showing the disad-
vantage Of the present chaos and the
mutual advantages Of harmony and
cooperation.
If the conference is to perform real
service, each party must approach it
in a spirit of openmindedness and be
willing to hear what the other side
has to say. Labor feels that 1t has
many grievances and proposes to
take it out" on the employers and the
public. Labor has rights and labor
may in all justice have some share in
the management of industry, but the
far reaching demands presented by
the organized workers just now are
unreasonable and impractical. Only
a short sighted view prevents labor
from seeing that II all its plans were
to materialize they would cause the
strangulation and death of all indus
try. The experience Of industrial
Russia could be duplicated here ii
the same methods were used.
The conference must know just
what organized labor wants; how far
it proposes to 30 with its demands;
how it intends to enforce them: what
the effect will be on the country.
The Plumb plan for naturalization
of railroads is one answer. The
strike Of the Boston police is Another.
The demand Of the United Mine
Workers that the government buy
and operate the coal mines is another.
The threat of a nation wide general
strike for October 8 to bring about
the release of Thomas j. Mooney Is
another. The refusal Of the steel or
ganizers to postpone the steel strike
until after the pending labor confer
ence is another. The 121 strikes list
ed by the Department of Labor as
now in progress and SO threatened
are another.
Where did it all start? Perhaps
that Is not possible to determine. but
it is as clear as daylight that labor
agitators have been booming them
selves and their causes full steam
ahead during the second Wilson ad-
ministration. Since he surrendered
to the railroad brotherhoods on the
eve Of the 1916 election. labor has had
nothing to fear. His continued
championship Of labor and radicalism
has given assurance Of practical i'm
munity In whatever labor has wished
to attempt. and labor has been quick
to press its advantage. ~
Where is 1t al leading? In Boston
the issue was government Of the city
BY the lawfully elected ana sworn
guardians Of the peace or by the
members Of the American Federation
Of Labor. namely the unionized police.
In Pennsylvania the steel strike has
already led to riots In several town.
attended with loss Of life and prop.
erty.
The, Boston police strike is ad.
judged to have been reasonable. A
strike In leading industry is not
treason. but is In its results Just as
much Of IN offense against the M ;
ton. When labor group win openly
defy the President and explain to
him that 1t cannot and will j. not
change III prearranged plans II IL ap-
peoaehing the revolutionary nsld.
When nsstinSs are being held every
night sdvooating the abolition Of
capital and tie downfall Of the gov
srnment; that u outright revolution
ism. when such things are known. il
II tims 70 draw the issue between
the Amsricau uaion and the labor
union. so
Autumn ARRIVED Nth little fuss OF
ahrsy ct s.sssalnsaac time Tuesday
evening. Ths sun now. having
crcssed the lins and the .Lans" ssls
which scientists say does not exist
but which kssps on visitins us.yssr