Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-28

Washington, July 2S. President
Wilson today had before him the rec
ommendation of commission of the In
terchurch World Movement tint he ap-
point u special commission to bring
about an immediate conference between
employers and employees in the steel in
dustry. The suggestion was offered to
the President yesterday by the group
which investigated last summers steel
strike and yesterday announced its
findings.
In a letter which was sent to the
President together with copy Of the
investigators complete report. the in
terchurch commission declared that
'unless vital changes are brought to
pass renewal of the conflict in this
industry seems inevitable
The suggestion is made that the pro-
posed special commission go forward
on the precedent of the presidential
commission for the btuminous coal in
dustry, named after the strike of miners
last November. and for the anthracite
commission, recently appointed to avert
strike.
Steel Corporation Denounced
Accompanying the Interchurch Com
missions letter was a copy of its
complete report on the steel strike.
DR.. Daniel A. Polling. secretary of the
investigating committee. declared the
report constituted "a serious indict
ment of the labor policy of the United
States Steel Corporation"
'"There can be no doubt" Doctor
Polling said, that the report will be
regarded by the public as strongly fa-
voring the .laboring mans side of the
case. The commission believes that
such impression corresponds wholly
with the facts it has discovered"
In going forward with its work the
commission faced far reaching diff
cultics," he declared. adding that "by
anonymous attack. by the ri1ing of its
files, by under cover methods of every
sort. it has been embarrassed and it's
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 than
have the report fail. y
Summary Of Grievances
A general summary of the findings
or tne commission SnO"Pu the 1un0a =
mental grievance to be:
(a) Excessive hours: (bl the boss
system; (c) no right to organize or to
representation
The remedies desired we're: (a)
shorter day 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 unionize and a
substitution of industrial democracy for
industrial autocracy.
"All the conditions that caused the
steel strike continue to exist, was the
final conclusion of the commission.
Owe feel that unless changes are made
approximating in some degree the find =
ings here presented another strike must
come. In the measure that working
men become intelligent and American =
lied, will they refuse to labor under
such conditions|'
The workers grievances were Of long
standing, it was said, but had found no
expression because:
"(a) They were limited largely to for =
eigners of many races and languages
without industrial tradition, education
or leadership to organize
Race Prejudice at Work
"(b) Race prejudice cffcctually kept
the more skilled, more intelligent and
better paid American workingmen from
taking up the cause Of the foreign
speaking workmen,
"(c) Labor unions have been ac.
customed to look upon the foreigner as
an actual or potential strike breaker.
"(d) The steel companies have most
effectually deferred men from joining
! labor organizations.
Those 'lOng standing grievances" il
was said, were brought to expression
"(a) The part those workingmen
played in the war and the treatment
afforded them for the sake of war pro
duction which gave them new scnsC
of worth and independence.
"(b) The fight for democracy ant
news of II larger workingmen's freedom
in their native lands together with
growing sense of real Americanism
which brought spirit of democracy t.
their ranks.
"(c) The decision of the American
Federation of Labor to organize then
and its actual work Of organizing then
into crafts unions.
1--WE found" the report said.
''ta) That the strike was regularl,
conducted in orthodox fashion accordinl