Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-03
EDGE FAVORS SHOP
PLAN IN INDUSTRY
New Jersey Senator Tells Credit
Men Government Has
Shown Incapacity
FAILURE SINCE ARMISTlCE

Atlantic City. June 3.-The present
died better between the employers and
workers themselves than by any board
of arbitration. declared United States
Senator Walter +. Edge today when he
addressed the delegates to the National
Association of Credit Men on the Steel
pier. Senator Edge placed himself on
record as being in favor of the shop
plan, i. G.. having representatives Of
the employees on the committees to deal
directly with the employers.
"This plan always works successfully
IL there is no outside influence" the
senator said. The people Of this coun-
try have yielded too often to class de E
mands. There should be no class. dis
| tinctions.
The government must get out of bust =
ness" said Senator Edge. "When the
government cannot run It's own affairs
| 1t should stop trying to run the affairs
of others who have more experience.
The government should co Operate-not
compete. The railroad example shows
| that the government knows little about
conducting business.
Washington "Floundering"
"I am glad to be here away from
| the crouch box atmosphere of Washing
ton. The people there have been foun :
dering about ever since the signing OF
the armistice. They seem unable to
meet the problems of peace. The credit
men today have a greater opportunity
to solve ut least one problem than the
lawmakers ut Washington. The lcgis-
lators cannot solve the problems or con :
troll business as can the business men.
"The lessons of the war seem to have
been forgotten. Hence, the spirit of
unrest. There has been too much talk
about unrest. Let us forget about it
and get back to work. We must speed
up production. Then our unrest prob
lem will be settled in natural way.
Urged to Avoid Lawsuits
"If, as competent authorities assert,
report submitted to the convention
said efficiency requires that a thing
be done in the best, easiest and quickest
| way, what shall be said of the firmly
established and peculiarly American
habit Of rushing into a court OF law
with every petty squabble?
For the last five years the number
Of new suits filed in Chicago and Cool
county courts alone has averaged pa 500
year. Consider what the total for the
entire United States must be.
1--WE know that lawsuits break of
profitable business connections. invite
hostility, often result in disastrous re-
taliations, are irritating, time. consum
ing, costly and wasteful. Why, then
do we persist in this antiquated
pecvish. shortsighted habit? Is it moi
largely habit of mind?"
The committee expressed the deel
conviction that the time is ripe for
great CO. operative effort Of business as
sociations to arouse public opinion t
think in terms of Cancellation or arbi
tration rather than of lawsuits il an!
Improvement over present conditions II
courts is seriously desired.
The committee on foreign credits
through l.. Il. Browne, of New York
urged members to earnestly support tn
federal bureau of foreign and domcsti
commerce.
Alexander Wall, of Lansdowne, Pa.
representing the Robert Morris Asso
ciates, banking branch of the credi
association, started an interesting dis
cussion. on the strong features and prin
ciples of credit and how they may b
conserved or disturbed.