Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-21


the constitution bestows as the radicals
have taken to misrepresent and mis-
interpret our constitution there would
be far less trouble in this country today.
Quite true, the foreigner coming here
with the intention of stirring up violent
opposition to our form of government
should be severely dealt with but | nm
! convinced that a vast majority of immi-
grants come here with the intention of
| becoming industrious and patriotic
| American citizens. The loyal support
given by the sons of foreign born in the
recent war should be sufficient evidence
/ to convince the most skcptical that this
conclusion is true"
/ MIR. HARDING manifested deep con-
A'A Germ over the railway and coal sit
uation. and spoke at length on the pres
cnt critical condition of our great dis
| tributive system, pointrdly rcmarking:
''The present chaotic state Of railway
! TRANSFORMATION should convince the most
radical labor leader that returns to
railway management should be so
gaugcd that necessary capital may be
enlisted for purposes of adequate re-
construction and the paying Of wage in
! crcaSes. 1t also should prove to the
most narrow minded industrial captain
! that labor must receive an adequate
wage to function properly and guarnn
tee continuity of service. \ break
down of the transportation system plays
Just a. much havoc with capital and
management as it does with labor and
the public. Yet the public arc tho ones
that feel its effects most, ana labor is
| the chief sufferer in the long run.
Surely the events of the last few months
have conClusively proved that the in
ability of management to secure suffi-
cicnt capital to carry on its business to
capacity leads to certain industrial
paralysis that affects not only the rail
way system. but every industry and de-
partmCnt of economic life in the entire
country.
"Without adequate transportation
industry must necessarily contract to
point of Stagnaton; farmers would be
unable properly to move their produce,
and as n result widespread unQmploy
mcnt and ruin of the entire economic
fabric of the country would he incvita-
BILE. The present crisis simply proves
that autOcratic injustice to capital and
management is az detrimental TO the
wage Garner aS autocratic injustice to
labor is detrimental to capital and man
agement.
Eve have entered new era in the
relationship between management, the
worker and the public. No longer can
labor be considered mere cog in the
wheel; no longer can capital and man
agemcnt remain deaf to the necessities
of the wOrkingman. They must realize
that the human element in industry
comes first; they must realize that the
aspirations and warnings Of millions OF
American wage eRrncrS must be cOnSid-
cred with sympathetic understanding,
and differences worked out by applying
the broadest principles of industrial
justice.
The senator is thoroughly convinced
that alOOfnrSs Of the employer which
has manifested itself in many instances
during the last few years must be elimi-
mated if confidence between the en-
ployer and cmpIOyP is to be restored
He emphatirally believes in closer un-
dcrstandinG between Office brain and
workshop brawn.
Proper relationship between labor. |
management and capital can be brought |
about only by all three elements coming |
to an understanding mutually arrived |
at through common agreement. all par !
ties realizing that the destruction OF one |
is the ruin Of the others, and the sus. |
piciOn or rebellion of one unavoidably |
involves the others. There is not, and |
should not be. class distinction among |
the multifnriouS elements constituting |
American society Each acts as a foun
dation for til" other; each element in |
itself is absolutely dependent on all |
other elements, and all are necessary for |
the industrial, agricultural andfnancial |
welfare Of the nation. In the past |
capital and management have not paid |
sufficient attention to fostering the good |
will of the workers who are the fOunda
ton stones Of successful industrial en-
terpriSc. Ignorance of problems con-
fronting the employer naturally enGPn-
ders suspicious and prejudices, leading
to industrial strife that would be
avoided if the workman was properly |
familiarized with the difficulties con-
fronting his employer. Mutual under
standing would beyond doubt dissipate
n majority Of the industrial troubles
facing us today
Mr.. Harding has unbounded conf
dencc in the American people. He de-
plored the tendency, in certain quarters,
to cast aspersions on the
loyalty of American labor. His jaws
fairly snapped as he declared that 'too
much has been said about bolshcvism
in America. 1t is quite true that there
are enemies of the government within
our borders. However, | believe their
number has been greatly magnified The
American workman is not Bolshevist
neither is the American employer an
autOcrat, Both, as rule, desire mu-
tuaI understanding by the establishment
Of point of contact that will prove to
the worker that the employer is not
cold hearted or narrow minded, and the
same point Of contact will prove to the
that labor does not desire
TO impose arbitrary or ruinous restric-
tions on the employer" 1