New-York tribune., 1919-10-11
Eleven Points Versus Twelve

The eleven points Of the labor bloc IN
the Washington conference meet twelve
points from the employers bloc The
Two documents are worth comparison to
search for parallelisms and divergences.
First, as to the agreements. The en-
ployed assert and the employers concede
the right of labor to organize, to bar
gain collectively and to strike. There is
agreement that the wage should be
living one and that women should re-
ceive equal pay for equal work. AS to
the closed shop, the employers oppose it
and the employed do not demand it. The
need Of a settlement Of disputes by
regular means is recognized by both
sides.
The principal disagreements are that
labor asks the fiat eight-hour day, with
extra pay for overtime, while the en-
ployers hold the standard must vary;
IN bargaining labor says it should have
an unrestricted right to choose its rep
resentatves, while the employers hold
they should not be required to meet out
siders. With respect to settlements the
tie its own affairs, while labor would
have a national board for each great
industry.
Each programme contains declara
tions concerning matters not mentioned
by the other and these mutual omissions
indicate a great difference in spirit, but
formally the contradictory issues are
the eight sketched above.
1t seems as if labor had scored in the
first inning of the argument. When a
factory appoints some one as Its dele
gate, brings in outsiders if it pleases, a
labor group may hardly be denied recip
rocal freedom AS to Cancellation, it would
seem demonstrated that only by nation
al association can an individual en-
ployer reasonably hope to hold his own
against nationwide labor organizations.
Moreover, the great advantages in gen
eral settlements are manifest As to
the fiat eight-hour day, the employers,
Of course, make the stronger case, but it
is, Of course, manifest that the labor
bloc do not actually demand a universal
eight-hour day. Half the labor Of the
country works on farms, at particular
seasons toiling long hours. The most
fanatical labor unionist does not object
to eating wheat which would be lost
were the fields depopulated at d 80
o'clock when rain is imminent.
1t is agreeable to note that Bolshe-
vism finds no countenance in the labor
programme. Not hint Of sovietism
and seizure is given. 1t is indicated
that the labor unionists recognize the
economic function of the captalstic en-
ployer. It is not pretended that by CO.
operation and elected industrial leaders
industrial democracy az it is called }
there would be more for the employed.
The objective Of American labor is to
speed up the management and then to
keep management's wages low. Many
years have been devoted TO celebrating
the technique Of doing this.
The evils Of trade unionism are
traceable to it's failure to perceive the
reality Of the partnership between en-
ployer and the employed. The delusion
persists that wages are paid out of cap
tai and that the employer has an un-
limited profit store on which TO draw.
Hence the tendency to multiply jobs and
70 limit q workers production Hence
strikes. One speaks Of strikes ogoinst an
employer, whereas strike is and must
be 30 per cent against labor and but 10
per cent against capital.
But this major evil. although referred