The Washington herald., 1921-08-30
IndustriaLLa Labor Conference.

III mas repeatedly urged that Cit
les, counties, States and the Federal gov
ernment should always have fund provided
for employment uses in times of industrial depres
sion. This remedy for unemployment is of the
suggestions now found in the program tentatively
proposed for the industrial labor conference to be
called the coming month by President Harding
This and franker, fairly balanced and better
organized system of relations between employers and
employees, are the two outstanding needs to bring
continuing stability and maintain a fairly level
market both for labor and for things.
Society owes it to itself, to its own safety and
welfare to provide labor market when private en-
ployment fails. 1t is but good sense to pay in
wages instead of charity and to maintain level of
purchasing power which will preserve comfort
through personal effort and so, self-respect and
fair measure of contentment well as maintain
trade.
Taxable property values must pay in some
way for all periods of depression. II it pools this
cost in a fund for employment public works at
wage rates high enough for decent living without
recourse to saving, it will cost less than in depre-
ieiatcd values and other losses. 1t is almost as
essential that savings be held unimpared as that
work be provided. This is in order to encourage,
continued thrift and that mental stability which is
the close companion OF proft-making investment.
1t is not philanthropy to carry out such program
1t is not benehcence any concession whatever to
the working class. 1t is just common, everyday,
horse sense and a realization of what property
owes to itself we'll its obligation to society Tor
what is known as property rights of all kinds.
Again it is equally common sense for employers
and employees to get together ona fair, square, mu-
tually honorable and equal basis of understanding
instead of tossing defances at each other. open
shop" which is frequently disguise for closed shop
against organized labor and CLOSED shop" which
means turning plant management over to the en-
ployes have become distasteful and irritating terms
There is entirely too much personality in the rela-
tions in general between labor and capital Certain
persons on each side have become as red rags to
bull to the body of men who make up the rank and
file on both sides.
There is new and better term-industrial de-
mocracy-which in this country means industrial
control through representatives with the right OF
appeal to a mutually agreed upon arbtral body,
sort Of judicial tribunal. Under this system as
Operated in many large and small plants, there has
been maximum OF peace. 1t does not tear down.
nor icnd, nor weaken organized labor. On the
contrary it assures and helps strengthen it. 1t is
strictly mutual from bottom 10 top. 1t apt to end
in compromise but our lives in every factor, per-
sonal social and political are based compro-
mise.
The Herald has no hint as to what the plan or
program of this conference will be. But this
seems to be the opening period the world over, OF
dscarding the political for the economic in formu
lating human relations. What have here sug-
gcsed is but the application of this same principle
TO the relations of labor and capital in our domestic
affairs.