Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-09-23
DAUGHERTY FORECASTS
ACTION TO CHAIN LABOR
BY SAMUEL GoMPER5

Tits an undisputed fact that the
public have right TO know what the
quarrel is about in every actual or
threatened strike or lockout and sim
liar controversies
He said further that there should
be some definite agencies in govern
ment" for finding these facts and Tor
making an impartial finding and
went on to conclude that compulsory
iurisd' ~ o. oyer these two factors to
compel hem 10 submit to an inquiry
If this ort Is not only desirable but
just"
Mr.. Daugherfy apparently sought TO
10. ecast enactment of legislation for
The United Sites patterned after the
discredited Lemieux act of Canada
and the Indu trial Disputes Act OF
colorado.
Mr. Daughe~,y suggests that at first
the inyestiga Ion should be compul-
sorry and ac, eptanee of the findings
voluntary. because he thinks our
present study does not quite warrant
compulsory awards. His intention Is.
however. that after further study and
experience there should be binding
| awards.
united = ares tdDiuft HtinDtIs up
not go about the country offering their
mere personal opinions. They are un.
derstood a vo.cing the viewpoint and
policy of the administration OF whom
they are part.
Attorney General Daughertys Bar
Association speech forecasts legisla-
lion intended 10 compel workers to
submit their aspirations and their de-
mands for justice to compulsory In.
yestigation and award. Compulsion
always Is followed by punishment for
violation of the compulsory order.
In principle compulsion is wrong.
In practice 1t will not work,
In principle compulsion Is auto
cratic. In practice Il will not be ac-
cepted by free people.
Let the warning be sounded. This
vicious proposal so frequently expos.
ed by the American Federation of La.
| Dor. so repeatedly denounced by the
great lovers of freedom, so consist
emily discredited in practice, again
| threatens our people.
The men and women of labor must
be on guard.
Mr.. Daugherty says that 1.-The expert.
ence of the past shows that In most
cases full. accurate. reliable publicity
of the facts has been sufficient to com.
pei an adjustment of these cases,
meaning industrial disputes. Mr..
Daugherty evidently thinks facts are
absolute Most facts are relative and
not absolute.
In addition to having committed
himself to an un-democratic principle
whichis repugnant to the whole
American concept of social organiza
ton and conduct. the attorney general
fails to find the truth in history.
The experience of the past does
not show that industrial adjustment
has been brought about by full and re-
| liable publicity. In the first place. 1t
does not show that there has even
been full and reliable publicity In our
great industrial disputes In the sec
ond place il does not show that the
forces of greed have cared much for
the barbs of truth. even when those
barbs have been accurately hurled.
Even the United States government.
of which Mr.. Daugherty Is an import
ant part, having in its possession full
information about West Virginia.
gathered by costly Investigations, is
| uHdDIe W act VIII SHtGtlNdutsS. auN
it has not even seen III TO publish the
facts brought ont by the most recent
Investigation.
Finally Mr. Daugherty wants laws
making such controversies impossi.
BILE" when public sentiment shall have
been sufficiently crystallized.
Finally. then, what II all comes
Town to is eompulsion for the work
RS, Involuntary servitude, slave labor.
Always the advocates of compul.
zion. the handmaidens of autocracy,
he guardians of greed, come to that.
They want 1t made impossible for
workers. to protest against injustice.
they want 1t impossible for workers
withhold service under conditions
which they find unjust and intoler-
able.
But the American labor movement
lays to Mr.. Daugherty and to all who
come preaching cnmpulsion, I'VE will
lot have it. We will maintain free
lom at all costs. America must and
will remain democratic"
Be on guard, be alert, be prepared
o resist In ever proper manner such
encroaehments upon your freedom and
four democracy
And always proclaim the great, fun
lamental truth that voluntary agree.
nent as practieed in organized Ameri
AN industry. is the only means to in.
iustrial peace and progress and the
| only means by which American free
dom can be maintained.
The American way Is to achieve
willingly through cooperation as the
result of agreement; not unwillingly
in protest against autocratic edict and
|, compulsion.
Labor wants facts and has made a
ong and difficult fight for whatever
legitimately will facilitate publicity
, for facts. In announcing himself a
recruit TO this couse the Attorney Gen
eral would have done better had he
refused to ally himself with those who
seek the perpetuation of industrial au
tocracy under the reactionary banner
Of compulsion by legislation, because
in supporting the second proposition
he has made his support of the first
proposition fruitless.
Conserving Wild Game.