The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1920-01-23
Public Inquiry rlay Be Held On
Charge OF Sabotaging Railroads
By Friends Of Private Owners
LEGISLATION
FAILS DECLARE AUSTRIA
LIAM EMPLOYERS.

'It is obvious after an experience
of 20 years that our industrial laws
have lamentably failed to secure in
dustriai peace. Statement ty Aus
tralial, employers on anti-strike and
compulsory arbitration legislation of
that country.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Compulsory arbitration, penalizing
strikes and setting wages by law, has
not established industrial peace in this
country, according to report by
Austria ian employers and the fable of
Australia, the strikeless country, >
heralded throughout the world for
years, has received its hardest blow.
Australian employers now declare:
1T is obvious after an experience
of 20 years that our industrial laws
have lamentably failed to secure in
dustrlal peace"
The report was made by commit
tee convened by the president of the
central council of employers of Aus.
tralia tc study industrial unrest and
consider the possibility of establishing
improved relations between them and
their employees. On the committee
were Representatives of employers
organizations of five of the six states
Of this commonwealth
1t is shown that during the six
years from 1918 to 1918 inclusive there
were 2,153 Australian strikes involv-
ing sos, TIC work people with direct
wage loss of over $25,000,0Oe The
workers won 837 of these disputes or
80 per cent; the employers wen 706,
with 521 compromised and 80 not def
initely settled.
The report says the causes of in
dustrial unrest are varied but the
main csuse would seem to be based
on the assiduous PRONUNCIATION of the
belief that the workers should receive
larger share of the profits of the
industry and thus add to the amount
received in the way Of wages"
Naturalization profit sharing, CO.
partnership, or voice in the manage
ment ere, according to the committee
mere variations in detail of any solu-
ton and when considering any of
these expedients, the employers say
1--WE ale invariably forced back to the
basic fact that the measure of re-
ward must depend upon the measure
of production"
Proposed remedies include continua-
tion Of present arbitration trimual
for fixing the living wage, setting the
standard wage and working condi
tions; work week to be set by law
profit sharing where practicable; piece
work system of payment is referred
to as system of payment by results, !"
unemployment insurance; state aid to
home builders; state aid to children
under Ia years of age where wages
do not exceed stipulated amount.
The Importance of greater produc-
ton and the establishment of the piece
work system are emphasized.
The report is marked by an absence
of censure of trade unionism or its
methods, although attention is called
to the many times organized en-
ployes have deliberately fiouted the
decisions of the state and federal tri-
bunals." To this statement the unions
will not dissent.
There is nothing in the report indi-
eating that the employers believe jail
ing ard fining strikers will bring re-
suits, and the old slogans and shibbo.
leths are conspicuous by their abb
sence.
The employers recognize and frank
ly declare that the assistance and
necessary for the establishment of the
good will Of the trade unions will be
suggestions they make.
Ea va IN