Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-08-05
INTERCHURCH REPORT
LAID BEFORE WILSON
Clergy's Findings Uphold WalkOut
Scorc Gary Policy and Urge Remedies

Washington July 2.-President will
son to-day had before him the recon
mendation of a commission Of the Inter-
church World Movement that he ap-
point a special commission TO bring
about an immediate conference between
employers and employees in the steel
industry. The suggestion was offered
to the President yesterday by the group
which Investigated last summers steel
strike and yesterday announced its
findings.
/ In q letter which was sent to the
! President together with a copy of the
Investigators complete report, the Inter-
church Commission declared that unless
vital changes are brought to pass a
renewal of the conflict in this industry
seems inevitable"
REPORT FAvORS LABOR
The report of the Commission of
Inquiry Of the Interchurch World Move.
ment on the steel strike in l9l9--a docu-
ment Of 1900 words--constitutes "a
serious indictment Of the labor policy
! of the United States Steel Corporation
according to DR.. Daniel A. Bodng,
secretary Of the investigating commission.
who made the findings public here,
There can be no doubt" Or, Pol
ing said, that the report will he re-
earded by the public as strongly fav.
oring the laboring mans side Of the
case. Tho commission believes that
such impression corresponds wholly will
the facts it has discovered
In going forward with its work the
commission faced "far-reachins diff.
culties." he declared. adding that "by
anonymous attack. by the rifling of its
files, by under cover methods OF every
sort it has been embarrassed and its
work threatened with disaster But So
vital does the commission believe its
work to be, so far-reaching its recon
mendations for these disturbed times
that its members we're prepared to make
the most extreme sacrifices rather thar
have the report fail
A general summary Of the findings
OF the commission showed the funda
mental grievances to be:
"(a) Excessive hours: 90 the boss
system: (c) no right to organize or tc
representation"
RECOMMENDS REMEDIES
! The remedies desired were; "a
Shorter days and week with a living
wage; (b) representation and confer
ence and end to the boss system which
so often subjects common labor to petty
tyrannies; (c) right to unionze and 6
OF lHuuSlTldl democracy lol
industrial autocracy."
"All the conditions that caused tn.
steel strike continue to exist" was tn,
final conclusion OF the commission
I'VE feel that unless changes are mad
approximating in some degree thu
findings here presented another strik,
must come. In the measure that working
men become intelligent and Americanizet
will they refuse to labor under sucl
conditions
I'VE And the grievances to have beei
real" continued the report. as follows
"(a) The average week Of 6s,7 hours
the 12-hour day. whether on a straigh
, 12-hour shift or on a broken division
!: Of lib or 1914 hours. the unbroken "a
hour period at the turn Of shift ant
the underpayment of unskilled labor ar
all inhuman.
URGES EIGHT-HOUR DAY
"fb) 1t is entirely practicable to ru
all processes requiring continuous opera
ton on a straight eight-hour basis a
is illustrated by the Colorado Iron ant
Fuel Company. These processes requir
the service of only a fraction of tn
workers.
"(c) The boss system is bad, the plan
organization is military and the contro
autocratic. The compa MES claim tina
they accord the right to join unions AM
the opportunity to conference ar
theoretical; neither is allowed il
practice
The members of the commission
making the investigation are Bishop
Francis j. Mcconnell of the Methods
Episcopal Church. formerly pastor Of tn
New York Avenue Church; DR.. DAME
A. Polling. general secretary Of the United
Christian Endeavor Society. we'll know,
in Brooklyn, who is vice chairman ant
secretary of the commission; BishoI
William NJ. Bell, Mrs. Fred Bennett o
Manhattan, George NJ Coleman. note,
Boston Baptist ayman; the Rev. DR.
John Mcdowell. secretary of the Presby
teri an Commission on Social Service
Prof Alva W. Taylor, DR.. Nicholas Val
der Pyl and Bishop Charles D. Williams
Of the Episcopal Church.