The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-07
SECRETARY OF LABOR DAVIS
 HAS PLAN TO PREVENT STRIKES

Washington, Dec. 7-Prevention of strikes and the correction of indus trial ills through highly trained men acting as conciliators in the key in sought by Secretary of Labor James J. Davis.
 Ut is impossible to deal with these industrial ills and not be impressed
 nishandhng certain fundamental eco homie principles to be producing these costly and wasteful disturbances" said Secretary Davis. The disturb In relation to the whole industry he pointed out, ''yet no matter what small percentage of industry contin- ues, in state of turmoil we are pro- moting a waste of time and produc- ton and a measure of social irritation that should not be-
 According to the labor secretary a few of the big industries of the coun- try are especially liable to labor dis turbances. In these industries con- troversy has become more or less chronic. "A fair and lasting settle ment of disputes in these industries is hard to arrive at because of the highly technical and complicated na- ture of these industries, and because of our lack of the technical knowl- edge necessary to a just settlement,'
 Naturally the public is also with out that exact knowledge,, he con tinued. ''It lacks clear idea of the merits of these disputes, and the public is after all. the final court to decide these matters. The pro cesses in a number of basic indus tries are complicated to the last de- gree, and we cannot hope to pass a fair judgment in any of the disputes in these industries, we cannot have united public opinion to enforce more exactly what precise services are to be expected from each eIn- ploye or group of employees in these Industries, and what wages and con ditions the employees may reasonably expect for their services.
 Now we have originated in the Department Of Labor a plan which am confident will bring us this This plan calls for the appointment of a highly-trained technical man. who shall also be Q man of high in- telligence and broad character. to basic industries. Each man among the number must know his special in dustry inside out, from top to bottom. cess involved in that industry He must know what is to be expected of every worker at each stop of the pro- cess, from water boy to skilled ma chinist. lie must recognize the 1ner- it's of any rganizatlon among the i employees. But above all he must be a man to command the respect and trust Of both management and Secretary Davis said that he be- Heved that down deep in his heart every American employer and every in peace. When we have industrial warfare" he said. "It Is not from will i fu1 'cuSsedness' 1t Is on account Of ! some deep-seated misunderstanding.
 ties are only too glad to make and ! keep peace. The difficulty Is only in i arriving at the necessary mutual un- 1 derstanding. Our special men will be i hension to the fullest measure and I
 cannot help thinking that they VII i soon come bo be welcome fixtures In ! our industrial system,
 The Labor Secretary pointed out | that the mon he had in mind would
 also be able to keep the managers Of | great manufacturing enterprises re- minded of the trials the weaknesses | the struggles and ambition of tho man | who tolls st the loom or the rolls or
 in the mines or Tn any capacity in the i country's great industries,
 l "It> is one of the caiamities of the 1 modern industrial problem, that the 1 old intimate. personal contact between
 Inanager and men has been lost" said
 Secretary Davis. ''In these specia'
 st least something of inst lost and
 valuable association. Tn fact. car
 see no bounds to the comprehensive usefulness of these ccnctltators we plan to have I am confident that | with their aid we shall be rem owing (
 vast deal of friction from industr,
 and lifting a heavy burden of waste | from the back Of the pubIc-whict
 alwayh in the long run pays the COZ 1 of every strike in the form of higher l prices.
 When we have established thi.
 system of special service I am con, Il vinced that we shall have found z
 thing long laaSing and long wanted