Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-23
PREVENTION IS AIM DF SECOND ECONOMIC
 CONFERENCE GROUP 

As Report of Deliberations is
 Made to President
 Wilson
 = Washington, March 20.-Joint or -ganization of management and em- .ployes Gas a means of preventing mis- Understanding and of securing CO., operation effort" throughout Ameri- ran industry is proposed by the in- dustrial conference appointed by President Wilson in a report to the president made public here today.
 The conferees in their report state that they have modified the tenta- tive plan of machinery to adjust dis putes in general industry by confer ence, conciliation,. inquiry and arbi- tration, announced by the conference --on December 29, 1919 and that they have endeavored to develop methods of prevention rather than adjust sment of labor difficulties. The modified plan, devised since the con ference reconvened last January 12, it is said, makes machinery available for "collcctive bargaining with only incidental and limited arbitration v The plan has been extended to cover disputes affecting public utilities oth- CT than steam railroads.
 In addition the report ahalyzes the development of industrial rela- tions. hours of labor, women in in- dustry, child labor, housing, wages, pr6fit- sharing, thrift agencies, in Hating and high cost of living, agri- culture, unemployment and public employment clearing house.
 The causes of industrial unrest are set forth as including the rise in the cost of living, unrestrained speculation, spectacular instances of excessive profits, excessive accamu- lation and misuse of wealth, in- equality and readjustment of wage schedules, release of ideas and emo ticns by the war, social revolutionary theories imported from Europe, the belief that free speech is restricted, the intermittencv of employment, fear of unemployment, unnecessary high infant mortality in industrial cen ters, loss of personalS contact in large industrial units end the cui- imitation of growing belief on tho part of both employers and employees that readjustmcnt is necessary to a. wholesome continuity of their united effort"
 Begin ir Plant.
 Industrial problems vary not only with each industry, the report says but in each establishment. therefore the strategic place to begin battle with misunderstanding is within the industrial plant itself. Primarily the settlement must come from the bot tom not from the top" The confer, ence, in expressing its approval o1 ssemploye representation says 1t ls 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 anc employees.
 If the joint organization of man. arement and employees in the plan' or industry fails to reach the cot lcctive agreement says the report Cor if without such joint organiza lion. disputes arise which are no' settled by existing agencies. then tho .eonfcrence proposes a system of set Element through national industria Eoard. local regional conference are shoards of inquiry.
 ss This plan which the conference says is "based upon American eXper fence and designed to meet Ameri ran conditions is national in scope :Snd operation and yet decentralizcd Fl is said to be different from an. Ihing in operation elsewhere ant Employs no local authority except thu Night to inquiry. Its basic idea il Stimulation to settlement of peace Av the parties in conflict and thu enlistment of public opinion towart Enforcing that method of settlement :. The regional adjustment confer xnce proposes board to consist O Tour representatives selected by thu narties to the dispute, and four oth ers in their industry chosen by then md familiar with their problems, would be presided over by trained Government official, the regiona Chairman, who would act as con ciliator. If an unanimous agree ment were reached, it would resul in a collective bargain having tn same effect as if reached by Joln Organization in the shop.
 | Failing to agree unanimously tn matter, with certain restrictant prefered a mutually chosen "m Rirc.
 Board t. Supervise.
 z 7 Meanwhile both parties to tn tfispute have agreed, that there shal IN no interference with production nrnding the processes of adjustment ii the parties, or either of them however, refuses voluntarily to sub nit the dispute to the processes o the plan of adjustment, reegiona board of inquiry is formed by tn regional chairman of two employer and two employees from the indus try and not parties to the dispute { This board may subpoena wltnesse and records and publish it's finding as a guide to public opinion.
 The national industrial board I