The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-13
LABOR PROPOSAL [
INDUSTRIAL BILL
GOES TO SENATE
Plan to Have Labor, Capital
and Public Represented.
w. j. Lauck of Washington Be-
fore Committee Today.
SETTLEMENTS A FAILURE?
Arbitrary Action Never Sac
ceeds, 1t Is Declared Today.
Insist That Measure Is Unjust
and URdemocratic.
W. j. Lauck of Washington Be-
fore Committee Today.
SETTLEMENTS A FAILURE?

An Industrial court composed OF one
representative of organized labor, one
of capital and a third the general pub
tic was counter proposal today to
organized labor representatives.
The original bill provides that three
judges shall be appointed to compose
the court OF Industrial relations.
These judges, the bill provides, shah
be appointed by the governor. by and
with the advice of the senate. There
is no qualification stated relative to
labor union of capitalistic tendencies
of the judges named as requisite for
their appointment.
w. j. Lauck. of washington. D. c.,
former secretary of the Industrial Re-
lations committee appointed by Presi-
dent Taft and at present labor
statistician for news syndicate at
washington, presented labor's ideas tn
the judiciary committee this morning.
Seated in little room. not more than
ten feet distant. sat Frank p. Walsh.
]. 1. Sheppard and Phil Gallery. OF
Pittsburg. leaders IN labors fight
against the Alien court bill.
At a late hour this afternoon Lauclk
was still before the judiciary commits
tee and other labor leaders had not
been called before the body in the
upper house. which labor and capital
alike. believe will prepare the bill for
the senate as it will be passed by that
| body.
Labor leaders today declined to state
| how much time they would demand
| OF the judiciary committee to press
their claims before that body. Lauck's
statistics. If thoroiy quoted. would oc-
| cupy many more hours of the commit
tees time. 1t was stated that follow
ing the reading of these statistics and
a full discussion of the measure that
Lauck would place Iabor's counter
proposition before the judiciary COM
mittee.
] Ono Question Bothcrs.
j Lauck didn't only produce statistics
4 tending to show the failure of So
called arbitrary settlements of labor
I tdisputes-he asked pertinent Questions
tconcerning the functioning OF the
court. One, in particular. appeared to
concern him greatly, it was stated by
committee members: II labor:ng
man or organization were dissatisfied
with the ruling of the Industrial court
could he arbitrarily be forced to con-
tinue work?
Members of the Judiciary committee
were quoted as replying that he could
not be forced to continue work but he
could not conspire to cripple the pro-
duction or an absolute necessity. A
great deal. 1t stated. depended upon
the workman's future attitude, wheth-
er he sought other employment or
whether he just quit work with what
would be considered determination
: to cripple and force suffering on the
public. who, it was estimated today.
Represented 90 per cent or the sotaf
population of Kansas.
CAPITAL Representation Smnu
That phase of the question-the fair
ness or urifairness of the public being
given one representative on the court
proposed by labor-was discussed in
day stated that a. conservative eej-
mate on the total labor strength In
THE state represented 125.o0o men and
! women. Capital, it was stated, repre-
sented a still smaller per cent of the
population.
/ 1t was declared to be unfair that a
court should be established that would
give labor and the small percentage OF
icapitalists in the state equal represen-
itation on board with the public
which easily represents s5 per cent OF
the total population of Kansas, and.
which, IL was pointed out, suffered
| more than anyone else in strike or
lockout in necessary industries.
| Lauck, before entering the senate
! judiciary room summarized his argu-
ments for the Allen BILL in part. as
follows:
| The fundamental assumption OF the act
that strikes may be legally prohibited OF
prevented by legal coercion is, contrary 70
experience Of all leading industrial and
| commercial nations Of the world.
4 The act Is unjust and undemocrsae az
It does not recognize the fundamental
rights of labor as accepted thru past exc
perience and prejudice.
| Cancellation has been found to be mose
effective in England.
railroad disputes have been settled In
this manner for years, ana sg a result
there have been no strikes of any im-
To arbitrarily impose compulsory arbf-
tration without safeguards and guarantees
dustrial coercion. autocracy and servitude,
when. what is really needed Is industrial
democracy-the development Of industrial
judicialism and constitutonaEsu1.
|