The Washington herald., 1921-01-05
President-elect Inclines to
Neutral Ground in
Disputes.
DOAK SPENDS HOUR
DISCUSSING POLICY
Expresses Confidence
New Head of Nation to
Help Workers.
BY SAMUEL W. BELL.

By SAMUEL W. BELL
MARION. Ohio. Jan. 4.-The ques-
tion Of what will constitute the la
Dor policy Of the incoming admins
tration brought to the fore today by
the visit Of William Doak, vice pre-
ident Of the Brotherhood Railway
Trainmen, tended TO reveal Presi-
dsnt-elcct Harding as inclined TO
take middle ground between strict
uniOnists on one hand and the rabid
advocates the open shop.
AdherInE to his repeated campaign
declarations Of adherence for class
appeals in high places and class die
elimination in legislation or govern
mental administration. Harding may
be expected TO move in the interests
OF the majority rather than with a
view TO satisfying one class or the
other.
New Labor Secretary.
1t is not unlikely that this con-
sideratton Of finding neutral course
between those groups Of the forces
Of capital and labor willing now TO
night it out will influence Harding
nightly in the selection Of a Secre-
tary Of Labor. For Mr.. Harding 20
inaugurate labor policy designed
to protect the general public and al
the same time bJing the two sT-
tremes together il possible to do 80
without giving way to efther-hi,
Secretary Of Labor must OF necessity
belong to neither group.
II is safe TO presume that no
SPECIFIC labor questions were sci
tied at the conference between ii.
President-eIect and Doak TO-DAY
bit il is equally safe 10 tnrer that
the railroad union Official found
Mr.. Harding standing wkere he
stood on the labor issue through
out the campaign, a strong SUD
porter Of the Esch-CumminF r,U-
road act. and a cinhdent believer
in the view that the differences
or capital and labor can be recon-
.Ciled
Have LsnE Conference
Doak talked with Senator Hard
ing for more than an hour and
left for Washington with the i'm
preston that he was proceeding
there to report and would return
to Marion. Neither would discuss
tn" conference to any extent
Il am confident that Senator
} Harding will be found friendly to
/ labor" said Doak. explaining that
he did not feel free to discuss che
conference or the suggestions for
a Secretary Of Labor. II any were
made. His manner, however indi-
p Gated clearly that he had not found
e the hour spent with the President
, elect Improbable As personal
, opinion, Doak said that the Esch-
I Cummins act had not been in op-
Grafton long enough TO test its pro-
. visions. AS for the system OF wage
adjustment recently inaUEurGted
= by the Pennsylvania, he was not
P enthusiastic. He said il might
work as far as it went, but could
, not go beyond the regional boards
set UP.
. Grosscsp CHIIr.
e Senator HardinE's only othsr
e caller was Peter S. GrossCUp, for
r mcrly Judge Of the United States
/ Circuit Court OF Appeals Judge
u Grosscup talked on International
q questions in which he has been in
tcrestinE himself He left SppAr-
entity well pleased with the Harding
plan for an association OF nations
or the principles which the Presi-
dent-elect is endeavoring TO mold
into a plan.
2 The postulate which Senator
. Harding has laid down" said Judge
r Grosscup, seems TO be such as VII
eventuate in a helpful and useful
association Of nations ] have been
- in favor Of an association OF nations
-, That would leave the governments
the fnl pwer Of decisions in all
Questions coming for action. DO
not like the idea Of a surrender or
tho anal word to any organization
= aside from the governments them %
!, selves opposed tn. ratihcation
Of the covenant Of Versailles
' whatever organization or body rep
e resents the government in any cen
II tral organization should he appoint
, ed bv the governments In power al
teh moment in each country
= IF the government changes that
u should carry a change OF its rep
. reSpntattOn IN tnat b'NN ~ S'lNNi
he representative and abreast Of the
public opinion Of tie day in each
country.
n Favorr Hague Court.
T. favor the Hague court OF ar
o ibitrstjon and the Organization Of an
- international court to determine all
Il questions that the nations can sf-
J. ford 10 have decided not affecting
e national honor and vital interests.
s That is. ] would refer TO such a
4 court those questions which are
u called justiciable and ! would not
u allow the court to determine what
D is Jus EiabIe - would leave that
y TO the international conference
whose decisions in turn would be
only advisory.
ordinarily people do not UNDER
stand the moral power OF public
Z opinion. An international court
will have its greatest asset in the
l. public opinion OF the world. AZ
e between States OF our union the
E, Supreme Court only has that power,
o Our Supreme Court has never is-
sued an execution against a State.
e An international court should Ercw
y gradually into the possession Of