The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-08-17

toha evolved pahaseA tof ihaus'
trial Ills,
Il the Join, council Of industry
that has been operating In this
province for three months fulfilling
the purpose for which IL was created.
bridging the gulf between capital
and labor.
TIN POTENTIAL
STRIKES AVERIED
Ten potential strikes have been
averted by the council so far; Il has
arhitrated that number OF disputes
over wages and working conditions.
Whether Significant, or not, Il Is a
fact that there has not been even
one strike In the province since the
hoard started functioning, and II
began business at the time when the
sstrike season" usually Is al its
height, In May.
II may be due. as some citizens In
ssss, TO the fact that during the cor
responding period one year ago Win
nipeg was paralyred industriaiiy for
Elk weeks by a general strike. the
most disastrous labor upheaval In
Canadian history.
CREATION RESULT
or GENERAL STRIKE
The council. whose creation was a
direct result, OF that strike. operates
under the industrial conditions act.
designed by the legislature to pre-
vent a recurrence OF such a cata.
clysm. IL consists OF five members
appointed by the provincial govern
mcut--Alderman w. II. simpson and
Alderman Ernest Robinson. repre-
senting labor: III. II. Lyal and John
Ssovel. representing employers. and
Rev. c. w. Gordon. better known
under his pen name. Ralph Common.
Who Is chairman.
The only criticism directed against
the board so far Is that Il has taken
only a passive part. that il has dealt
only with Industrial disputes which
have been brought before II. and has
rot taken tho Initiative in an at.
tempt to get at the causes OF the
unrest that peryadcs not only organ
tied labor but the great. morgan
lied middle class. According TO
Capt. j. w. Wilton. father Of the
act under which 1t operates. I, has
used less than 10 per cent OF the
powers with which It IL endowed.
The one thing that II has done has
been TO investigate and settle indus
trial disputes when the disputes
we're current
MANY THINGS COUNCIL
HAS NOT DONE
Among the many things II Ii en-
powered to do. but that II has not
done. arc to:
rnisia.s action -vhsr~vsr the ecuneii
hAa reason TO believe that an Industrial
tispute seems likely to artss.-
Investigate the cost Of living ara pub
hsh monthly reports Of nvsns costa
fnySiiyaA ths cost af .-Aay esnnodi,y
standard OF living whenever such cost
SCENE more than 10 flair and reasonable"
make Industrial s1rysys. TO AscorsAia
the num b~rs Of union and non-unlon EN-
pioyes engaged. the wages paid. and the
conditions under which thsy work
Encourage the formation Of orraniza-
tfcns Of employees
fnxexfleafs whenever n has reason 70
Believe that any employer or rruup Of
employers II making unfair profits OF
Investigate complaints ty employees al
isstng breach OF contract on the part Of
Any employer. Or Of unfair or oppressive
treatment. or Discrimination
Investigate any complaint Of agree
msuts or arrangements made ey en-
pIoyers injurfousiy affecting the public
CAN ENFORCE
ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES
To make It's work effective. the
council II invested with all the pow
ers. rights and privileges of a court
Of kings bench in civil cases. In en-
forcing the attendance OF witnesses,
examining them under oath. and
compelling them to give evidence:
compelling the production of docu-
ments and Furnishing persons guilty
Of contempt OF the council
Since the first week of its exist
ence the council has had before IL
. complaint Of rent profiteering in
the form Of an application. filed by
the Women's Auxiliary of the Great
War Veterans association. for an in.
vestigation into house rents, but to
date nothing has been done with IL.
II also has been requested by differ
ent labor organizations to investi-
gate the cost of living. profiteering.
and complaints Of unfair wages, but
II has done nothing as yet with
these matters.