The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-06
SUPREME COURT OF m
DUSTRY.,

That Chairman Ken, Oh Of the senate
committee which Inv estigated conditions
In mo southern West Virginia mine
aelds will propose = plan for . federal
supreme court Of industry Is the inter
esting announcement from Washington.
It Is stated that Senator Kenyon con-
templates tho enactment Of an indus
trial code, defining unouestloned rights
on both sides. Tho code would grant
rights Of collective bargaining. peaceful
picketing. and tmmunize non-union men
from interference. The only compulsion
by statute would be prohibition OF
strikes during periods Of investigation
by tho federal tribunal. All other de-
crees would be enforced. according to
Kenyon's plan. through public opinion.
Senator Kenyon has tho right idea.
but II Is doubtful whether he Is going
far enough. His plan seems to be sort
OF den2tured version Of tho Kansas
court Of Industrial relations. The Kan
sas court has been q conspicuous sue
cess In tho 81 months before It was
created there were 364 strikes. In the
year following It's creation there was
only ono strike, and that was Of the
outlaw" nature. Cases may be brought
before Il by workers. employers or the
general public. OF the IS brought in the
first year. IS were by labor. and Kansas
labor. with the exception OF q few men.
Is we'll satisfied with the court and Its
workings.
It would appear. then. that IN franz
ing a national supreme court Of indus
try tho Kansas plan should be given
consideration. The Kansas law under
which the court operates prohibits both
strikes and lockouts. and requires all
Industrial disputes to be brought before
II. not for arbitration. but for adjudica-
ton. Infraction Of tho law on these
points carries heavy penalties. The
right OF collective bargaining is recog-
nIze6 BY the Kansas law. In fact both
tho Law and the court approve Of that
method OF dealing between employers
and employees. Unions are explicitly en-
dorsed by Judge ". l.. Euggins. who
framed tn" law and who heads the court.
But II the employer and his employees
cannot agree. then the people OF Kansas
Insist that the peoples rights and in
terests shall not be injured or jeopar-
died by strike or 4 lockout. Instead.
Il L. required that all the facts be
placed before the industrial relations
court for a decision.
In a recent interview Judge Higgins
expressed some thoughts that are OF In
tercst in view OF Senator Kenyon's pro-
posal. He said In part:
Tho ti;ne Is surely coming when the
labor agitator will b" AZ extinct as the
dodo. Why not" Why shouldn't capl-
tai and labor sit down across n table
from each other. just AZ you and I are
sitting hore. and fhrc"A out their differ
ences without recourse 10 lockout or
strike" We'll. that's what's coming just
az sYre as shooting. The labor ag!tator.
the strike leader. tho Independently ar
h4trarr employer. will simply cease to
exist. OF course there Will he labor
Unions. Modern thnusht recognizes that
collective bargaining Is rIrh, and "e-
fc'ent. Rut the officers OF those labor
unions viii DO mere financial agents
empowered by the unions 70 represent
them At tho council table with capital
and do their bargaining FOR them.
"pIFFERENCES BETWEEN CAPT.
TAI. AND LABOR WILL. RE- ADJlDI-
CATFI>~ ~ \ PERMANENT COURT
ROT ARRITEATEp HEFnEE: 4 TEN
ToRARY CrtET OF ARBITRATION
AND THAT CuI'RT WILL. RE OEf:
SET TP RY TIE PEOPLE AND
CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSE