Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-20
QUESTION
is ANALYzED BY
JOHN P FREY
Executive Head of MoIders
Was Delegate to Various
European Countries at
Labor Meetings.

John P. Frey of Cincinnati, who
is in Omaha to represent labor at
the Transmississippi REIMBURSEMENT
congress, is one OF the best posted
authorities on the international as
poets Of organized labor.
He has made two trips to Europe
for the American Federation of
Labor, and has been in close touch
with the labor leaders of England.
France. Italy and Russia.
Before the war he made several
trips to Europe and , established
friendly relations with the prom
inent labor leaders@of Germany.
l. Born in Minnesota.
Mr.. Frey was born in Mankato,
Mimi, and left school at the age
of y, but has acquired all the edu-
cation and polish of a university
graduate. 49,
ole has been an executive officer
of the international Molders union
for twenty years. This union, with
membership of $4,000 workers in
the stove and boundary industries,
was the first union in the world to
enter into an agreement with the
National Association of Employers,
covering the entire membership of
both parties, and as a result there
has been no strike or lockout in the
stove industry for % years.
Mr.. Frey is chairman of the re-
construction policy committee of
the American Federation of La
Dor which visited Europe and was
able to cause the labor leaders of
the allied countries to give closer
cooperation to their governments.
Mr.. Frey, on his last trip to Eth
rope, held many conferences with
Kerensky and other Russian leaders.
He made tour of the entire battle
front from the Belgium coast to the
American sector in Italy. Miss Joy
Higgins of Omaha was a member of
that party for a time.
Mr. Frey spoke Wednesday noon
at luncheon at the University club
on Industrial Democracy" 3D.
Lack of Contact, Friction's Cause.
"The principal cause, of friction in
industry" said Mr.. Frey, lis due to
lack OF contact between employer
and employee.
"The larger industries are owned
by absentee stock holders. As re-
suit the real owners and workers
do not know each other.
when friction develops the facts
are not known to the owners until
open sores have been formed.
Labor is endeavoring to work out
practical cooperation by applying
the principles of democracy so that
representatives of stockholders and
representatives of workers will sit
down from time to time to discuss
every question that arises.
THE method has been tried and
in some large industries. like the
newspapers, every question which
arises has been discussed by repre-
sentatives of both parties on their
merits. ....
Democracy Essential.
OclHOCIdGy III lHuuSlIy Is SS-
sential. There must be cooperation
to make production satisfactory and
profitable. Cooperation can only
exist between men who recognize
the rights of each other.
Democracy in industry and close
contact between both employer and
employe will do what legislative en-
actment can never accomplish"
Labor was represented at the
speakers table by T. w. McCul-
Tough. chairman; ]. ]. Kerrigan, S.
c. Jackson, R. A. Wilson, T. P. Rey-
nolds, John N. Gibbs. Jack Casson,
c. A. Johnson and John T. Hansen,
while N. H. LOOMS, president Uni
versity club; F. A. Brogan, R. K.
Broan and S. S. Caldwell sat with
L