Evening journal., 1919-06-02
GARRETSON-SOUTER
CLASH At FORUM
Manufacturer Says Local
Conditions Can Only be
Changed by Force
WILL BE DONE THAT
WAY, SOUTER ANSWERS

Association, dt tne forum in the Hig
School yesterday afternoon became S
spirited, the Rev. w. A. Nrooman, wh
presided, hurried the closing OF IN
meeting.
The meeting was attended by a larg
number OF local labor union men. in
cluding George Souter. president Of tn
Central Labor Union In the discussion
following his speech in referring to TN
rights Of employers TO make certain
decisions Mr.. Garrctson is said TO hay,
remarked, Conditions as they are herr
today cannot be changed except b,
force"
To this Mr.. souter replied "And that's
The way things are going to come"
Mr. Garretson had chosen as his
subject, "A Practical Suggestion for
Enecting Cooperation Between En-.
ployer and Employe in Wilmington
In the course OF his speech he de.
clared he believed trade unionism was
doomed "for the reason that their
principal demands whenever made are
FOR more money and shorter hours. and
they never urge increased efficiency"
MY proposition" the speaker con
linued, lis for the organization OF in
diyidual shops in order that the persons
directly Interested might work out
their own problems together without
the interference OF any third party.
This hits the business agent Of a union
and he naturally would oppose II be-
cause he does not want 10 give up his
job and go back 90 work. Furthermore.
my suggestions not only give skilled
labor representation, but the unskilled
as well"
Exceptions were openly taken TO some
Of the speakers statements and the
feasibility OF the plan he suggested was
also doubted
Asked what was the cause Of the
trouble in Russia he said he did not
know
In part Mr.. Gsrrelson said
In speaking Of this subject, The |
Relation Of Employer and Employe, |
please understand the thoughts are |
what one man thinks worth that much |
and no more. 10 Is unfortunate that |
practically all the discussion Of this |
question has laid great stress on the |
new rights and advantages for The |
employe. IL must be borne in mind, |
however, that The employees connot |
actually hope either to attain. retain, |
or maintain any existing or future new
rights and advantages, ,unless such !
privileges are truly connected with !
public necessity and welfare, and
shared In by employer as well as en-
ploye.
mo benefit or advantage can accrue |
10 The employe that does not come /
rom healthy successful and expand |
ing employers business. believe the |
majority of employers in this country
are firm in their belief that absolutism
on the part OF the employe is Just as
bad for the general welfare as abso-
iutism on the part OF the employer.
bleve that II left TO themselves.
without irritations, cxaggerations and
agitations OF a comparatively small
group OF individuals. the employers and
employees will find common and equi- J
liable basis on which to properly meet q
every present and future need It Is
essential. however, TO secure the sue I
'ess Of the effort 10 reach this undsr- =
Standing that-both the employer and u
mploye be given the benefit OF con- u
tructive and impartial encouragement II
rom a healthy and well-informed pub- U
10 opinion, and il is in meetings like 81
his that public opinion can be inform
d. l believe. in the past. too many y
'ell-intentioned but Uniformed peo- u'
le have attempted to set forth the en- g,
loye as a down-trodden individual r,
no is getting as small a share as il ~
'as possible for the employer TO give ~
I'm, ana they have painted the en- VI
ioNer as just one step removed from A..
ne DeVil himself. This unrefuted talk s,i
vas LETT so unanswered for so long y,
nat u gradually was accepted as the ~
Iu.h Dy quite an alarming proportion "a.
n The people. ti'
Wnen the employer finally awoke a.
o tnis fact he found that these near III
.,i Sioriiers end agtators had practlc- w won
NY divided his employees into work nc
~ Noilose Who work with their hands). a.l eu
,nu hiaue a special appeal TO this ou
'lass ana nave probably left the 9th su
later harvest. 'o' de
IL seems TO me. the reformer
lheusht more about publicity for him no
ser and spent his time gettinr n y,he, ti'
ne could more probably have snent TO
tnis time getting practical information 10
me agitators saw the reformer conid IN
be used and spent his time cultivating IN
him and instilling in his mind fho n.
most biased views OF the labor sittra- eel
lion. | believe the agitators exploit VI
aoor far beyond the widest dreams y
of the most avariciOus employer n "a
we are to accomplish anything real in y
lhe future, I think we must hiring !,
lhese skeletons out in the broad daV- "
light, examine them closely and mt y
hem down for just what they are. ~
During The war, we were brought :,
% realize that cooperation between y
Employer and employe was a patri- :,
tic duty for the nations safety. as "
veil as a good business policy. En- 4,
lloyers had realized this before the y,
var. but in attempting TO put plans q,
n operation looking TO this end. they -
we're. due TO the poison instilled into a.
he minds OF the workers, looked on ~
skance believe now the war Is =,
1ded and with the horrible example ~
: Russia before us-thal employers :,
i'll settle down in earnest, not only o.
be on friendly relations with their m
nployes but to show them the diffi- e.
1T problems which management has
solve and also in that way-eradi- w
te from their minds the very preva- m
1t feeling, that the employe who an
'rks with his hands is the only real DO
oducer. mi
i believe that fair dealing is the de-
and basic principle on Ho
ich relations between employers Ca
4 employees should rest. mean Mi
1t this principle is not only en- Co,
mDent on the employer but on the rov
ploye as we'll They are both part
Is 70 business, each side furnish II