The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-04-01
E1ifnr i'll BilJfat|
An Independent Analysis Of Leading Cur
rent Events as Reelected In the Pub
lie Press Of the Country
A BASIS FOR INDUSTRIAL
PEACE.

President wilson's first effort for harmony
between capital and labor broke up in row,
the representatives Of employers and employees
being unable to agree, and the representatives
OF the public" being in the minority. The
second conference, composed solely OF the
public" has just formulated its program for
the prevention of industrial disturbance.
The Youngstown vindicator (Dem.) calls
the report mastery study Of industrial con-
ditions in the United States" and the Biz
mingham News Dem) believes it deserves
the most careful consideration by Americans
Of all Industrial and political compilations"
A feature that makes it especially appealing is
that, while it does not require Compulsory
arbitration" it does require compulsory pub
licity" As the Portland Oregonia (Ind- Rep)
says:
1.-THE only element Of compulsion about It
is the provision for a board OF inquiry and for
report to the public when an adjustment
conference disagrees or when dispute is not
referred to it. Public opinion is then to render
the final verdict The public has right to
dominate. for it ultimately pays the loss by
strikes"
Publicity, Of course, is the last thing some
men want" comments the Sioux City Tribune
(Ind) and therefore the proposal will be-
fought by some labor leaders and by some
employers" while the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot
Und DEM adds that public opinion is a
power before which industrial forces must
bow; those who have justice on their side
have nothing to fear from its Judgment
But justice and practicability do not al
ways go hand in hand" interposes the Pitts
burgh Sun DEM, and the New York Evening
wants peace, the way of peace has been pointed
out If it wants war. no set of machinery will
prevent war" "It does not bring the millen-
num-" observes the Toledo News-Bee und)
"and it will not solve the problems of indus
trial unrest, but the plan of Industrial adjust
ment which it proposes is infinitely better
than no plan at ALL"
Unrest today" says the report ITSELF sis
characterized more than ever before by pur-
poses and desires that go beyond the mere de-
mand for higher wages and shorter hours -
and while these aspirations are psychological
and intangible" they are mot for that reason
any less significant" The report declares that
| workers desire "to exert larger and more
organic influence upon the processes of indus
i trial life" and it accordingly makes provision
| for a share in the management through shop
| councils. Commenting on this, the New York
World (Dem) says:
!
ence representing the widest public endeavor
| finds with impressive unanimity in favor OF
l employees as managers in part, Of the indus
7 tries in which they work. This cannot but
stimulate interest; it might aid efficiency; il
should allay unrest
The Pittsburgh Dispatch Und) says or
the same point:
"The old personal contact between the EN-
ployer' and employee is vanishing and in its
place the conference proposes employees rep
resentation which should begin within the
plant itself, and supply mutual understanding
and cooperation in the joint management Of
their common interests The suggestion
it will be admitted, will be criticised by EN-.
ployers who still adhere to the theory that
labor is commodity, but this view is disap-
pearing"
! Samuel Gompers, also, opposes this ar
rangement, seeing in it blow at the influence
OF the existing labor organizations, and point
ing out that industry should "be viewed in &
national light, and the workers united into
organizations covering whole industries.
Otherwise. he points out, "shop may be PLAYED
against shop" The Springfield Republican
= 1nd), whose editor was member of the con
ference says in response:
Certainly his is large claim if he main.
talns that present machinery has brought in
dustrial strife to the irreducible minimum anc
has eliminated, so far as is possible. the eco
nomic waste by which that strife causes al
elements of society to suffer. 1t should aIsf
be pointed out that the proposed machiner,
is. by express stipulation, not to be invoked
until the possibilities of existing means of set
tlement have been exhausted"