The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1920-07-17
THE PLANKS on LABOR
The labor plank of the Republican

THE fLANAS ON LADVh
The labor plank of the Republican
platform reads as follows:
There are two different conceptions Of
the relations Of capital and labor The
one is contractual and emphasizes the di-
versity OF interests OF employer and EN-
ploye. The other Is that OF co-partner-
ship In u common task
We recognize the justice Of collective
bargaining a means Of promoting good
will, establishing closer and more mar
monious relations between employer and
employees and realizing the true end OF
industrial justice.
The strike or the lockout, as a means of
settling Industrial disputes. inhicts such
loss and suffering on the community as to
Justify governmental initiative to reduce
its frequency and limit its consequences.
We deny the right to strike against the
government, but the rights and Interests
Of all government employees must be safe
guarded by impartial laws and tribunity.
In public utilities we favor the estab-
Iishment Of an impartial tribunal to make
an Investigation Of the facts and to render
decision, to the end that there may be no
organized interruption of the service to
the lives and health and welfare of the
people, the decisions Of the tribunal to be
morally but not legally binding. and an
informed public sentiment be relied on to
kecure their acceptance. The tribunal,
however, should refuse to accept jur's-
diction, except for the purpose of investi-
cation, as long as the public service be
interrupted. For public utilities We favor
the type Of tribunal provided for in the
transportation act of 1870.
In private Industries do not advo-
cate the principle of compulsory arbitra-
tion. but We favor impartial commissions
and better facilities for voluntary media
tion. conciliation and arbitration. supple
mented by that full publicity which will
enlist the influence Of an aroused public
opinion. The government should take the
L. fx,-f &ha III fSht 90
tribunals or commissions for the pur-
pose Of voluntary arbitration and investi-
cation Of this issue.
We demand the exclusion from inter
state commerce Of the products Of con
Wet labor.
The following is the Democratic
platform on the same subject:
The Democratic party Is nov, as ever,
the firm friend Of honest labor aud the
promoter Of progressive industry. 1t es-
tablished the Department of Labor at
Washington and a Democratic President
called to his official council board the
first practical working man who ever held
a cabinet portfolio.
Ulder this administration have been es-
tablished employment bureaus to bring
the man and the job together; have been
peaceably determined many bitter dis
Pu:es between capital and labor; were
passed the Child Labor Act, the Working
mans Compensation Act tthe extension Of
which We advocate as to include labor
ers engaged in loading and unloading
ships and In interstate commerce., the
Eight Hour Law, the act for vocational
training and a code Of other wholesome
laws affecting the liberties and better
ing the conditions Of the laboring classes.
In the Department of Labor the Demo-
cratic administration established a wom-
ans bureau, which a Republican Congress
destroyed by Withholding appropriations.
Labor is not commodity; it is hu-
Those rights
the national security and safety depend
upon Just recognition Of those rights
and the conservation of the strength Of
the workers and their families in the in
terest of sound hearted and sound headed
men, women and children. Laws regulat-
ing hours Of labor ami conditions under
which labor is performed, when passed In
recognition Of the conditions under which
life must be lived to attain the highest
development and happiness, are just as
sertions Of the national interest in the
welfare Of the people
At the same time, the Nation depends
upon the products Of labor; a cessation
OF production means loss and, IL long
continued, disaster. The whole people,
therefore, have a right to insist that justice
shall be done to those who work. and, in
turn. that those whose labor creates the
necessities upon which the life Of the Ma
tion depends must recognize the reciprocal
obligation between the worker and the
state. They should participate in the for
mutation Of sound laws and regulations
governing the conditions under which Ia
Dor Is performed, recognized and obey the
laws so formulated and seek their amend
ment when necessary by the processes or
dinarily addressed to the laws and regula
tions affecting the other relations of life.
Labor. as well as capital, is entitled to
adequate compensation. Each has the
indefeasihle right of organization, of col
lective bargaining and Of speaking through
representatives Of their own selection. Nei-
ther class. however, should at any time
nor In any circumstances take action that
will put In jeopardy the public welfare.
Resort to strikes and lOckouts which en-
danger the health or lives Of the people
Is an unsatisfactory device for determin-
ing disputes. and the Democratic party
pledges itself to contrive. IL possible, and
put into effective operation a fair and COM
prehensive method of composing differ
ences Of this nature.
In private industrial disputes: We are
opposed to compulsory arbitration as a
method plausible In theory but failure
in fact. With respect bo government
service, we hold distinctly that the rights
OF the people are paramount to the right
1ous regard for the conditions Of public
employment and pledge the Democratic
party to instant inquiry into the pay Of
government employees and equally speedy
regulations designed to bring salaries to
a just and proper level.
Both planks agree in favoring COL
lective bargaining and in opposing
strikes and lockouts. though the Re-
publican plank speaks on this point
in stronger terms. They agree in op-
posing compulsory arbitration but
they disagree on the question of
strikes by government employees. The
Republican plank is definitely against
them and the Democratic one is sill
ent.
The chief difference between the
two planks is that the Republican
plank is addressed to the rights of
the public and the Democratic plank
is addressed to the rights of labor.