Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-08
SENATE REPORT ON
STEEL STRIKE FLAYS
LABOR AND CAPITAL
COMMITTEE CONCLUDES QUIZ
WITH DEMAND FOR LAWS TO
KEEP AMERICA FROM EITHER
FORM OF DESPoTiSM.

Washington, Nov. Characterize.
ing all strikes as industrial barbar-
ism" and declaring that there IL nc
place In this country either for in.
dustrial despotism or labor despot-
ism" the senate committee author
lied to investigate the steel strike
today presented IA report covering
its hearings both in Washington and
in Pittsburgh and criticsing both
the workers and the employers in the
controversy which resulted in at least
partial disruption Of the steel indus.
try,
The committees main conclusion
c0ncurred in by all members was
expressed in the statement that the
public has IA right to demand that
capital shall not arrogate to itself
the right to determine in its own
way these industrial questions, and
II is the same as to labor and the
duty Is upon congress to provide some
way Of adjusting these difficulties.
AS permanent preventive of
strikes, which the committee con
cedes ARE apparently the only way
for labor to secure even its just de.
mands If employers refuse to grant
them it is recommended that con.
gress authorize the establishment Of
some such mediation agency with we'll
defined powers as the recently dis
solved war labor board.
This board would have the power
Of compulsory investigation the re.
port adds on this subject, but mot
to the extent OF compulsory arbitra.
ton A just decision of the board
would be endorsed by the public.
Committee members who conduct
ed the investigation We're virtually
unanimous in the report, though leav'
ing open points on which they could
not agree. The report was signed by
Senator Kenyon, Iowa, chairman of
the committee, and Senators Sterling,
South Dakota Phipps, Colorado, re-
publicans, and Mckellar, Tennessee,
and Walsh, Massachusetts. demo
Gratis
Treating of the causes OF the strike
the committee in its report expressed
the opinion that the walkout was pre-.
cipitated by the determination Of the
American Federation of Labor to or
ganize the steel industry. Wages
were not a factor in the strike, the
committee held. being high enough
to give no reason for dissatisfaction.
Hours OF the workers. however the
senators believed are too long
Further behind the strike the com
mittee found was massed "a consid-
cradle element" of revolutionary rad.
icalism, OF which, II is said there Il
'JslsoI II 'uM leul mo uoussnb on
secretary of the general strike com
mittee, was a leader. With Jacob
Margolis. attorney for the ]. w, w.
and assistant in roganizing the strike,
Secretary Foster came In for unspar.
ing condemnation. Despite Fosters
partial dsavowal of his former syn
dicalist doctrines. the committee fail
ed to be convinced that the strike
leader has had little change of
heart" but on the contrary che Is now
in the full heyday of his power"
The laborers in the steel mills had
a just complaint relative to the long
hours Of service on the part Of some
OF them and the right to have that
complaint heard by the company.
said the committee in summing up its
formal findings.
With the system Of working hours
in the steel industry the committee
disagreed strongly.
I'VE believe that large majority
Of the men actually working in the
mills work ten and twelve hours a
day" the report said
Men cannot work ten and twelve
hours day and attend classes in
night schools. An eight hour day
with living wage that will enable
men to support their families and
bring up their children according to
the standards of American life ought
to be cardinal part of our industrial
policy. and the sooner the principle
is recognized the better it will be for
the entire country