The Pensacola journal., 1920-03-21
INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE REPORT
finds COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
MOST HELPFUL APPROACH PEACE
Joint Organization of Manage
ment and Employees Is Also
Proposed to Wilson.
ANALYZEs LABOR UNREST
Puts Blame on Great Increase in
Wealth, Unequal Wage Scales
!. and Turmoil in Europe

zation OF management and employees
'as means of preventing misunder-
standing and Of securing cooperative
! effort" throughout American industry
is proposed by the Industrial Confer
ence appointed by President Wilson in
report to the president made pub
lie here today.
The conferees in their report state
that they haze modified the tentative
plan machinery to adjust disputes in
general Industry by conference, con-
ciliation, inquiry and arbitration. an
nounced by the conference on Decem-
Der 29 1919 and that they have en-
deavored TO develop methods of pre-
vention rather than adjustment of la
bor difficulties. The modified plan
devised since the conference recon
vened last January u, 1t is said, makes
machinery available for collective
bargaining with only incidental and
limited arbitration" The plan has been
extended to cover disputes affecting
public utilities other than steam rail-
roads and also to government and
other public employees.
In addition the report analyzes the
development of Industrial relations
hours. OF labor. women in industry
child labor. housing, wages, profit
sharing and gain sharing. thrift agen-
cies. initiation and high cost of living,
agriculture, unemployment and
public employment clearing house.
The cause of Industrial unrest are
set forth including "the rise of the
cost OF living, unrestrained specula-
tion, spectacular instances of exces-
siye profits, excessive accumulation
.I&I. =
readjus tment OF wage schedules. re-
lease OF ideas and emotions by the.
war, social revolutionary theories i'm
ported from Europe, the belief that
free speech is restricted, the intermit-
tency of employment fear of unem-
pIoyment. unnecessarily high infant
mortality in Industrial centers. loss
OF personal contact In large Industrial
units and the elimination of a grow
ing belief on the part of both employ
ers and employees that a readjustment
is necessary to a wholesome continuity
OF theil. united effort"
Industria problems vary not only
with each industry. the report says,
but in each establishment. Therefore
the strategic place to begin battle with
misund erstanding is within the indus
trial plant itself. Primarily the set
tlennent must come from the bottom
not from the top" The conference, in
expressing its approval of "employe
representation says it is not a field
for legislation, because the form which
such representation should take may
vary in every plant. For this reason
the recommendation is directed solely
to managers and empolyes.
III the joint organization of man
agemenE and employees in the plant or
industry fails 10 reach the collective
agreement, says the report, "or if
without such joint organization, dis |
putes arise which are not settled by
existing agencies, then the conference
pruposea q system of settlement
through q National Industrial Board,
Local Regional Conference and Boards
or inquiry.
This plan which the conference says
fs BASED upon American experience
and designed to meet American con-
.safaonss is national in scope and oper-
alton and yet decentralized. IT is said
to be different from any thing in op-
GRAFTON elsewhere and employs no local
authority except the right of inquiry.
It's basic idea Is stimulation to settle
r&ent of psace by the parties in con-
fiict and the enlistment OF public opin-
ion toward enforcing that method of
smttlsneat-
Regional Ad1u m n Conference
proposes q board TO consist or four
repreaer tatfves selected by the parties
to the dispite, and four others in their
industry chosen by them and familiar
with their problems. 1t would be pre-
sided over by a trained government
official, the regional chairman, who
would net as a conciliator. II an
unanimous agreement were reached
it would result in a collective par
gain having the same effort as II
reached by joint organization IN the
shop.
Failing to agree unanimously the
matter, with certain restrictions. would
20 to the National Industrial Board,
unless the disputants preferred mu-
-f7maly chosen umpire.
Meanwhile both parties to the dis
n,ffe have agreed that there shall be
no interference with production pend
snr the processes of adjustment. If
The parties, or either OF them however,
refused voluntarily TO submit the dis
mite to the processes of the plan of
sdiustuent, a Regional Board of In
aufr-v is formed by the regional chair
man of two employers and two en-
ploves from the industry and not par
ties TO the dispute. This board may
s,,hpoera witnesses and records and
yN. ro.kfnued or paaa r.,