Evening star., 1920-03-21
REPORT SUGGESTS
MACHINERY TOGA|N
lPEACE IN INDUSTRY
Presidents Conference Aims
to Create Collective Bar
gaining System.
WHOLE PROGRAM BASED
| ON SHOP COUNCIL PLAN
Provision Is Made for Arbitration
| as Secondary Method in Ma
I tional Scheme.


Something new in the way OF
program for maintenance of indus
trial peace is contained in the f1na
Report of President Wilson's second
industrial conference, submitted tc
the President March and released
nfor publication this morning.
The national machinery the confer
tnce would have set up Is notable
In that IT aims primarily at collec-
tive bargaining. Arbitration Is made
Secondary, and is to be resorted to
bnly after efforts at collectiye bar
gaining have failed
The report of the conference plows
new ground of thought with respect
to industrial relations. and especially
with the moot question of collective
bargaining. Citing the heated con-
troversy over the question Of right in
Solved-the claim by employees OF the
right to bargain collectively and the
claim by employers Of the right so to
bargain or refuse to bargain-the con-
ference comedies that there Is abb
stract right on both sides, but urges
that this academic question be put
aside and that collective bargaining
be adopted as a policy calculated to
benefit both employe and employer.
Distinctly American.
The entire program of the con-
ference is based upon "employe repre-
sentation," or the shop council plan,
which is distinctly an American idea
land which has had such a remark
able and successful growth during the
last few years. The shop council, the
conference urges does not antago-
nize but compliments the trade union
where trades are organized. and fur
nishes a vehicle for cooperation be-
tween employer -aad employe where
there is no authorization
Because Congress has provided spe-
eial machinery for the adjustment of
differences between the railways and
theip employees. the conference elimi-
mated these main lines of transporta-
ton from its program 1t provides ma
tional but decentralized machinery
for dealing with all other classes OF
industry, but with three distinct
methods of procedure. The first
method is for general industry; the
second, for public utilities. and the
third, for government service-na-
tionaI, state and municipal.
The right of employees in general
industry to use the strike as a weap-
on is conceded. The right to use the
strike as a weapon in public utilities
also is conceded. but is hedged about
with restrictions intended to make
resort to it more deliberate. The
right of employees of government to
strike is denied.
The conference comedies the right
for mutual protection, the advance
ment of their common interests and
the presentation of grievances. 1t de-
mics the right of policemen and fre-
men so organized to affiliate with or
ganizations which resort to thf
strike. The conference was unable to
agree upon any recommendation as to
the propriety of the affiliation Of other
classes of public employees with or
ganizations which resort to the strike
No CompulsiOn Contemplated.
1t is not contemplated that there
shall be any compulsion against
either employers or employees to SUBJ
init their differences to Cancellation
boards provided for in the program
The only legal powers the govern
mental agencies are to have will be
the right of inquiry in case either oil
both sides to dispute refuse to un'
dertake collective bargaining.
The scheme provides for a nationa
Industrial board of nine members
with headquarters in Washington
which is to have general supervision
over the entire machinery; local re
gional conferences in each of twelve
regions, and regional boards of in
ouiry. The nine members Of the ma
tional Industrial board and the twelv,
regional chairmen would constitute
the only permanent federal bureau
cracy.
Method of Operation.
The method by which the machiner,
would operate is described in the con
ference report as follows:
Il. Tne parties 10 the dispute ma
voluntarily submit their difference
for settlement to a board. known a.
a regional adjustment conference
This board consists of four represen
tatives selected by the parties. an,
four others In their industry chosel
by them and familiar with their prob
lems. The board is presided over b,
a trained government official, the re
gtona1 chairman. who acts as a con
ciliator. If a unanimous agreemen
IS reached, II results in q collectiv
bargain having the same effect as
reached by joint organization in tn
shop.
- II the regional conference fail
TO agree unanimously, the matter
with certain restrictions. goes, unde
the agreement of submission, to tn
national industrial board. unless tn
parties prefer the decision of an um
pire selected by them.
"3. The voluntary submission to
regional adjustment conference car
ries with IT an agreement by both par
with production pending the processe
Of adjustment.
~. II the parties, or either OF then
refuse voluntarily to submit the dis
pute to the processes of the plan q
adjustment, a regional board of in
auiry is formed by the regional chair
man. of two employers and two em
DloyeS from the industry. and not par
lies to the dispute. This board has tn
right, under proper safeguards, I
subpoena witnesses and records. an
the duty TO publish its findings as
CCOntinued on Page & Column .