The Washington herald., 1920-03-25
Cooperation Essential to Solution
Of Labor Problems, Says Hoouer
Worker Should Be Led to Take Interest in His
Task, and Be Convinced He Will Get Fair
Share of Returns, He Declares in Boston.

Boston, March "a. - Industrial
problems of the nation were dis
cussed by Herbert Hoover today be-
fore the Chamber of Commerce here
in an address in which the former
food chief told in detail of the plans
of the Industrial Conference. of
which he WAS a member, in its effort
to solve some of the economic is
sues of the day.
Because the country is not now
involved in any great Industrial
conflicts. we should not congratulate
ourselves that the problem of indus
trial relations has been solved" de-
clared Mr.. Hoover. Furthermore.
the time for consideration of great
problems does not lie in the midst
of great public conflict, but in sober
consideration during times of tran
guilty.
Gives Views on Labor's Wants.
1T cannot be denied that unrest
in our industrial community is
characterized more than ever before
by the purposes and desires that go
beyond the demand for higher
wages and shorter hours. There is
perhaps, in some local cases. an in
fection of European, patent medl-
cines, and the desire to use labor.
for political purposes. Aside from
this, however. they do reveal de-
sire on the part of the workers TO
exert a larger and more organic in
fiuence in the processes OF indus
trial life. They want better as
surance that they receive a just
proportion of their share of produc-
ton.
81 do not believe these desires
are to be discouraged. They should
be turned into helpful and CO.
operative channels. There is no
surer road to radicalism than by
repression"
After pointing out that the old
order by which the daily personal
contact between employer and en-
ploye had passed, Mr.. Hoover con-
tinued.
with the growth OF capital into
larger units, there was an Unequal
ity of the bargaining power of the
individual. Labor has therefore
gradually developed its defense
against the aggregation of capital
by counter-organizatio The or
ganized uses of strike and lockout
On either side and the entrance of
their organization into the political
arena have become the weapons for
enforcement of demands.
Public Opposes Loss of Production.
The large development of in
dustrial units with possible cessa-
tion of production and service,
through strikes and lockouts, PEN
alizes the public. The public Is not
content to see those conflicts go on,
for they do not alone represent loss
in production, and thus lowering of
the standard of living. but also
they may. by suspension of public
service, jeopardize the life of the
community.
But the solution of the Industrial
problem Is not solely the prevention
of conflict ard its losses by finding
methods of just determination of
wages and hours. Not only must So
luton of those things be found. but.
II We are to secure increased pro-
duction and increased standard of
living, we must reawaken interest
in creation, in craftsmanship. and
contribution of his intelligence to
management. We must surround
employment with assurance of just
division of production. We must en-
list the interest and confidence of
the employees in the business and
in business processes.
we have devoted ourselves for
many years to the intense improve
ment of the machinery and pro-
cesses of production. We have
neglected the broader human de-
velopment and satisfactions of life
OF the employe that leads to greater
ability. creative interest, and CO.
operation in production. 1t Is in
stimulation of these values that we
can lift our industry to its highest
state of productivity. that can place
the human factor upon the plane of
perfection reached by our mechani-
cal processes. To do these things
requires the cooperation of labor
itself and to obtain corporation we
must have an intimate organized
relationship between employer and
employe. They are not to be obtain
ed by benevolence: they can only
be obtained by calling the employe
TO reciprocal service.
Advises Organized Relationship.
Therefore Il has been the guild
ing thought of the conference that
IL those objects are to be obtained
a definite and continuous organized
relationship must be created be-
tween the employer and the employe
and that by the organization of this
relationship conflict In Industry can
be greatly mitigated, 'misunderstand-
ne ~a.r.r L.. II -. n -.