The Washington herald., 1920-04-26

going to leave no stone unturned In
its efforts to capture the murderers.
the law. II any such contract is
found to be unfair by the court
after a finding is made, the court
may order it changed or amended.
II. IL either or both parties to a
controversy refuse to obey the or
ders of the court after a finding is
made. to the endangering of the
continuity and efficiency of the SER
vice to the public, the State may
take over such industries and oper-
ate them.
Is. Labor unions may incorporate
under the laws of the State, but are
Eot compelled to.
10. The right to collective bar
gaining is recognized.
20 The right to picket industrial
plants or to disturb the workers
engaged is denied.
Fl. 1t is made unlawful for any
person, firm or corporation to dis
charge any enploye for appearing
before the court, either to make
complaint before it or testify in its
hearings.
%. To cease work-or to strike
for tie purpose of violating the law,
is made an offense punishable by a
fine of $500 or six months in Jail or
both.
%. For any officer Of any firm,
corporation, union or association to
order or to call a strike, or foment
one. is made felony, punishable by
fve years in the penitentiary or a
fine of $1,000, or both.
Governor Names Court.
The day the law was enacted Gov
einor Allen appointed w. L. Hug
gins, Clyde Reed, and George wark
to administer it, and on this court
OF three men, each of whom played a
prominent part n the establishment
OF the governors program, rests the
first task of complete government
control over capital and labor, which
offers the public for the first time
an opportunity to be heard on COM
plants regarding industrial prob
LENS.
The who's who" of the court:
HugginS is an Emporia LAWYER
He was a member of the Kansas
Public Utility Commission, and one
of the leading lawyers in drafting
the industrial court bill. He is pre-
siding officer of the new court.
Reed was secretary to Governor
Alien and a leading figure in the
move by the State to mine coal
during the nationwide strike. He
is also editor of the Parsons Sun.
Wark is a member of the State
senate. During the war he organ
lied a machine-gun company, and
was cited for coolness, bravery and
leadership for work done in the
Argcnne Forest engagement. He is
a lawyer.
Opposed by Radicals.
Many labor leaders say the law
VIII wreck unionism, but others,
while opposing it, admit frankly
that radicals have abused the strike,
and that some kind of regulation
must come. These men are in favor
OF giving the law a fair test as to it's
practicability before launching
either a political campaign or a pro-
test strike fight against it. The
majority in the ranks of organized
labor. however, while against radf-
cal moves to rotest the law, favor
making 1t political issue, and sup
porting candidates pledged to repeal
1t at the next session of the legis-
lature- But the rank and file of
men and women in the cities, towns
and on the farms. independent of
ootn- unions and employers, are out
IN the open for the new law.
There must be an end to these
strikes that cause a shortage of fuel
and food" they say. The right TO
eat and keep warm is a far stronger
God-given right than the right of
men to strike"
The dual purpose of the Kansas
Industrial Court is to put out Of
business the oppressor of labor. the
man who resorts to force of acquired
power and prestige, to deny labor a
fair return, and end the radical labor
agitator, who thrives by creating
unrest and fomenting disturbances.
There is practically no limit to the
courts power. II labor does not be-
ieve wages are adequate or that
living conditions in an Industrial
community are not what they should
be, 1T may appeal to the court, which
has full powers to provide such al
schedule to guarantee a wholesome
american community. The en-
ployer also has the right to appear
before the court IL he believes his
employees are making unfair de-
mands. And for the first time the
general public may intervene in a
labor dispute to escape abuse from
private agreements.
May Spread Through Nation.
The result of the move time alone
can tell. II the answer is in line
with the hopes of the supporters of
the Kansas plan, the other States
must adopt 1t, and the nation must
feder alize the plan, just as the pro-
hibition OF li1uo:s. adopted in KAN
sas almost half q century ago. has
beet national.
Kansas has started somethingAas
Kansas can always beJdepcnded
upon to do. The eyes Of the nation
are directed towards the rolling
piairies with their wealth. -produc-
ing wheat fields and cattle-grazing
slopes. Is 1t Kansas gone popuIistIc
crazy and on the rampage again, or
Is IL good old solid Kansas, grown
wealthy in the face of hardships and
suffering: Kansas. the great free
State. showing the nation the way
to Industrial peace and security?
To obtain the answer to this ques-
ton the nation Is keeping close tab