The Alaska daily empire., 1919-06-05

In his message lO tne opening Ol Congress, President Wilson gives more space to the question of labor than any other subject. Regarding this phase of industry, he said:
 The question which stands at the front of all others in every country ami6st the present great awakening is the question of labor; and per- haps speak of it with as good advantage while engrossed in the consideration of interests which af feet all countries alike as could at home and amidst the interests which naturally most affect my thought because they are the inter csts of our own people.
 By the question of labor. do not mean the question of efficient indus trial production, the question of how labor is to be obtained and made ef- fective in the great process of sus. ,aining populations and winning success amidst commercial and in- dustrial rivalries.
 mean that much greater and more vital question, how are the men and women who do the daily labor of the world to obtain pro- gressive improvement in the condi- tions of their labor, to be made happier and to be served better by the communities and the industries which their labor sustans and ad. vances. How are they to be given their right advantage as citizens and ! human beings?
 We cannot go any further in our present direction. We have already gone too far. We cannot live our right life as a nation or achieve our proper success as an industrial con- munity if capital and labor are to continue to be antagonistic instead Of being partners; if they are to continue to distrust one another and contrive how they can get the bet ter of one another. Or, what per haps amounts to the same thing, cal culate by what form and degree of coercion they manage to extort on | the one hand work enough to make enterprise profitable, on the other justice and fair treatment enough to make life tolerable. That bad road has turned out blind alley. | II is no thoroughfare to real pros perity. We must find another, lead ing in another direction and to very different destination. It must lead not merely to accommodation, but also to a genuine cooperation and partnership based upon a real community of interest and partici- l patton in control. f
 There is now in fact, real com munity of interest between capital and labor, but 1t has never been made evident in action. It can be made operative and manifest only in a new organization of industry. The genius of our business men and the sound practical sense of our workers can certainly work such a partnership out when once they realize exactly what 1t Is that they seek and sincerely adopt a common purpose with regard to it.
 Labor legislation lies, of course, chiefly with the States; but the rev spirit and method of organiza 1 ton which must be effected are not to be brought about by legislation so much as by the common counsel and voluntary cooperation of capi- talists, managers and workmen, Legislation can go only very little way in commanding what shall be done The organization of industry l is a matter of corporate and indivi- dual initiative and of practical busi- ness arrangement. Those who really desire a new relationship between 1, capital and labor can readily find @ way to bring it about; and per haps Federal legislation can help more than State legislation could. The object of all reform in this essential matter must be the gen uine democratization of industry. based upon a full recognition of the right of those who work. in what ever rank, to participate in some or. ganic way in every decision which directly affects their welfare or the part they are to play in industry Some positive legislation is prac- ticable. Congress has already shown the way in one reform which should be worldwide, by establishing the cight-hour day as the standard day in every field of labor over which 1t can exercise control. It has sought to find the way to prevent child labor, and will. hope and believe. presently find 1t. It has served the whole country by leading the way in developing the means of preserving and safeguarding life and health in dangerous Industries.
 It can now help in the difficult i task of giving a new form and spirit to industrial organization by co'or- dinating the several agencies of con ciliation and mistaken policies of the present management of indus try, and by setting up and develop i ing new Federal agencies of advice and information which may serve as