Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-11-08

A46 i AOOOISs - ,--i, . X
Washington, Nov. S.-Characte liz
ing all strikes as Industrial barbar-
ism," and declaring that there is no
place in this country either for indus
trial despotism or. labo- despotism," :"
the senate committee authorized to in
vestigate the steel strike today pre-
both in Washington andin Pittsburgh
and criticizing both the WORKERS and
the employers in the controversy
which resulted in at least partial dis
ruption of the steel industry.
The committees main conclusion,
concurred in by all members. was ex-
p essed in the statement that "the
public has right to demand that
capital shall not arrogate to itself the
right to determine in Its = own way
those industrial questions, and it is the
same as to labor, and the duty ,s upon
congress to provide ONE way Of ad-
justing these difficulties
:. AS a permanent preventive of
strikes, which the committee comedies
'a:e apparently the only way for la
Dor to secure even it's just demands if
employers refuse to grant them" 1t
is recommended that congress author
ize the establishment of some such
mediation agency with well defined
powers, as the recently dissolved war
labor board. III
This boa-d would have the power
| of compulsory investigation" the re-
port adds on this subject, but mot to
the extent, of compulsory arbitration.
A just decision of the board would be
endorsed by the public. There is good
sense enough in the American people
to bring about an adjournment of
these difficulties n
Report is Unanimous.
Committee membe IS who conducted
the investigation were fairly unani-
nous in the report, though leaving
open points on which they could not
agree. The report was signed by Sem
ator Kenyon Of Iowa, chairman and
Senator Sterling, . South Dakota;
Phipps, Colorado, Republicans and
! MoKellar, Tennessee, and Walsh
Massachusetts, Democ :ats, vs.
Treating of the causes Of the strike,
1.-The committee in it's report expressed
1.-THE opin ion that the tNalkout was pre-
Ecipitatcd by the discrimination OF the
EAmerican F:ederation pfaIaahor tossDr-
l!SaA{fet the steel. indAstys j teaJeAa aare
}hotsa facto, in the strife thas nfnit-
tsA ae'd I bsinx II. hifh i; ~ xasyz Re siye
Il tuOs'FSaSOns ,IQE QE.9Qi64XClU46EE42Ns' IA 'sTExOuIn
lsef the workers.. h ,gever, the senators
'fs Further behind the strike, the com.
,mittee found, was massed "a consider
able element" of revolutions: " radi-
calisn, of which, it is said, there is no
question but that William 2. Foster
Isecretary of the general strike COM
tmittee, was leader, With Jacob
Margolis attorney for the /. w. w;
Eand assistant in organising the strike,
Secretary Foster came in for unspar-
partial disavowal Of his former syndi-
calist doctrines, the committee failed
ito be convinced that the strike leader
has had little change of heart bu,
on the contrary che Is now in the full
heyday Of his power"
Labor Had Complaint.
"The labore-s in the steel mills had
just complaint relative to the Ions
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 It's
formal findings. % Il
They had the right to have repre-
sentatives Of their own choosing
; Some members Of the committee be-
lieve that more friendly relations
would be maintained between employ
| er and employe if the representatives
who are chosen to present grievances
to the employers were actually work
ling in the industry and that such
representatives ought not to be from,
outside the industry. IA
with the system of working hours
in the steel industry the committee
/ disagreed strongly, and cited as one
objection thereto the existence OF
la .ge numbers of non-English speak
ing workers in the mills who should
be given opportunity to become Amer
icanized. va s
I'VE believe that large majority
! Of the men actually working in the
mills work 10 and IL hours, a day.
the report said. a4
Men, cannot work ten; and twelve
hours day and attend classes in
night schools. An eightshou: day with
q living wage that will enable men to
support their families and bring nr
their children according to the stand.
cardinal part Of our Industrial policy,
and the sooner the principle is recog-
mixed the better it will be for the en-
tire country" sf5 III
sketchins briefly the history Of the
steel strike, the report dealt with the
efforts of strike leaders to get Judge
e.. H. Gary, chairman Of the United
States steel corporation, into 4 con.
| ference, far enough to point out that
committee members felt sympathy
with the principle of collective bar
gaining. but did not believe the steel
strikers had taken the right course
/ Too Many Foreisness. u 7; D
J; !. Testimony before! the committse
the report said. sustained the conten,
! ton Of the steel companies that "a
i large proportion Of the strikers 1 art
foreigners or nom English speakinl
J, people.
Touching on the. subject OF radical.
! ism in the strike. the report said:
~ s~The committee Is Of the opinioI
/ that the American Federation of Ia,
lbor has made 2 serious mistake and
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