The New York herald., 1921-03-25
TRADE STABILZER
SEEN In PACKING
CASE AGREEMENT
Settlement VIII Have Eff
feet in Restoring Nor
malcy, Is Belief.
is HARDING'S POLICY
Gompers Approves Adjust
ment-A. L. of l.. Men,
bers Perturbed.
PRESIDENT is GRATIFIED
Tells Men He'd Harmonize
All Differences and For
ward Justice.
PRESIDENT is GRATIFIED
sSectcl Dcspatcl. ID TIE NEW roail HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. O., March 24.


Washington. ID. G., March 2S.
The Governments settlement OF u
threatened strike in the packing in
dustry through an agreement whereby
the employees accepted material wage
reductions was regarded among Ad-
ministration officials to-day as the
establishment OF principle that will
have far reaching effect in bringing
the United States back to normal con-
ditions. The principle is that the Gov
eminent approves of wage reductions
in industries to an extent ian keeping
with the lowering OF the cost of living
President Harding gave his approval
TO the adjustment of the packing in
dustry dispute when. in response TO
his invitation, the delegations repre-
senting the packers and the employees
called at the White House
II have asked you In solely for my
own satisfaction" Mr. Harding said.
II have learned that you have found
way to avoid suspension of actiu-
ties in the packing industry and I
representatives who have joined you
In this matter, to express to you the
appreciation Of the Executive. I want
10 say in regard to the controversy
that this Administration has nearest
TO It's heart at all times any righteous
helpfulness that it can give in avoid
ing suspension Of industrial ac-
tivities in this country
II have said publicly and I want to
say to you, if we can bring our civiliza-
ton to point where we can meet
around the table in advance and adjust
Our differences righteously we have made
long step toward tranquility. Please
know, those of you who speak for labor
and those Of you who speak for manage
nent, that the Administration does not
want TO intrude unduly on any occasion,
but we always want 10 be helpful In the
cause OF justice and the harmonizing OF
those two elements OF American activ-
ity.
Please go away assured OF the ap-
probation OF the Executive that you
have brought about a solution of the
great controversy In the great packing
industry. I am grateful to you for my
self and l know the American people
win be pleased"
Secretaries Davis. Hoover and wal
lace. who participated IN the negotIa-
tons that led up to the settlement, went
10 the White House with the delegations,
ns did Samuel Gompers. president of the
American Federation of Labor.
Mr. Gompers referred to the agree
A..
cessions.' and expressed the view that
1t would lead TO better understanding
between the. packers and their en-
ployees. His statements were such as
10 indicate that he regarded the adjust
r1ent as applying merely to the packers
dispute and not one OF general policy
Just the same, considerable uneasiness
resulted among officials Of the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor. since ii has
been a policy OF the organization to fight
reductions In wages whenever they were
attempted. The Administration stand,
therefore. could be accepted as nothing
less than policy much at cross pur-
poses. The officials, though guarded In
their comment. showed an undercurrent
of feeling that wage reductions were in
evitable and probably would have to be
accepted In the general decline from war
standards
At the Department OF Labor the au-
thorities admitted that the packers set
tlement unquestionably would have its
effect in bringing reduced wages In yir-
tually all Industries, since II had been q
Government Endorsement OF such
course. They felt that Il established n
general principle that such reductions
ehould be about from l25 to Is per
cent, which the packing house EN-
ployees found 70 be proper in the con-
ferences with Secretaries Davis Hoover
and Wallace.