The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-08-02
IN INDICTMENT
OF STEEL'S POLICY
TOWARD LABOR
Ia Comprised in Report of Commission
of Inquiry of Interchurch World
Movement Regarding
1910 Strike

|
Movement Regarding
1919 Strike.
The report of the commission OF in
quiry of the interchurch world move
document of $4,000 words-eonstitutes
"a serious indictment of the labor pol
icy of the United States Steel corpora
tion,' according to Daniel A. Polling,
secretary of the investigating commits
sion, who made the findings public
'There can be no doubt" DIR. Pol
ing said, that the report will be
regarded by the public as strongly
favoring the laboring mans side of the
case. The commission believes that
such impression corresponds wholly
with the facts ii has discovered"
In going forward with its work the
commission faced "far-reaching Difficult.
ties" he declared, adding that "by
anonymous attack, by the riding Of it's
files, by under cover methods Of every
sort, it has been embarrassed and its
work threatened with disaster. But so
vital does the commission believe its
work to be, SO far-reaching its recon-
mendations for these disturbed times,
that its members were prepared to
make the most extreme sacrifices rath-
er than have the report fail
A general summary Of the findings of
the commission showed the fundament-
a. grievances to be;
"(a) Excessive hours; tbl the boss
system (c) no right TO organize or to
representation
The remedies desired were: ia
Shorter day and week with a living
wage; d. representation and confer
ence, and end to the boss system,
which so often subjects common labor
to petty tyrannies; lc) right to union
ize and a substitution of industrial
democracy for industrial autocracy.'
"All the conditions that caused the
steel strike continue 20 exist" was the
final conclusion Of the commission,
I'VE feel that unless changes are made
approximating in some degree the find
ings here presented another strike must |
come In the measure that working !
men become intelligent and American.
lied, will they refuse TO labor under
such conditionsf"
The workers grievances were Of long |
standing, il was said, but had found no
expression because: "lal They were
limited largely TO foreigners Of many
races and languages without industrial
tradition, education or leadership to
organize.
obi Race prejudice eTeetually kept |
the more skilled, more intelligent and
better paid American working men
from taking up the cause Of the for
eign-speaking workmen
"fcl Labor unions have been accus-
toned to look upon the foreigner as
an actual or potential strike breaker
I'D The steel companies have most
deferred men from joining
labor organizations
These "lcng standing grievances, II
was said, were brought to expression
by:
ia The part those working men
played in the war and the treatment
afforded them for the sake Of war pro.
duction, which gave them a new sense
Of worth and independence.
@fbl The fight for democracy and
news Of q larger workingmen's free
L. 49, ....-- IL 49,. {
vi-h q growing sense Of real Amer
,snl.m, Which brought q spirit Of de.
nocrscy 70 their ranks.
afcl The decision a the American
Federation q labor 10 organize them
md its actual work Of Organizing them
nto crafts unions
We found, the report sid
ia That the strike was regularly
.ondurted 10 orthodox fashion. acoord