Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-05
industrial World ShOw Great
Improvement Since Last Labor
Day Says Ciuic Federation Head
Ralph N. Easley Point. Out
That A Year Ago General.
Strike Was Expected In.
England; Praises Stand.
Taken By American Fed
Grafton OF Labor.

New York, Sept. 5.-Conditicns In.
the Industrial world today compared
with those Of last Labor day are 30
much better, despite abnormal tondi-
Mons, that there is> cause for thanks
Ewing. the National Civic Federation
SAID IN a statementEtoday by Ralph
". sEasley, chairman OF the executive,
a rear ago industrial conditions in
Europe generally were very bad, he
said. In Italy, the workers took over
the factories and theEgovernment had
promised legislation giving them the
iegal. right to manage the plants. The
people have since risen and over
thrown h government that was re-
sponsible. u
In Germany, a year ago., there was
rear That h Communists would seize
industry with the aid of Bolshevik
money and later control the govern
ment. Today German industries are
running full blast and the German
workmen have a system Of workshop
ouncil for their industrial govern
ment. France too has stopped talk
Ing Bolshevism and gone to work.
English Conditions.
England talked Of revolution a year
ago. The most conservative. labor
man in England notified the govern
ment that il England persisted in aid
Ing Poland to I'VE herself from the
red armies. labor would call a gem
>ral strike.
Mr.. Easley quoted a part of. the
reply made by Samuel Gompers last
September to English labor leaders
whoshad asked the, American workers
10 do nothing to aid Poland in her
struggle against the Russian armies.
In it Mr.. Gompers said the American
Federation of Labor was not a revo-
lutonary body and neve had af-
hliated with any such organization.
It was feared at that time. Mr.
Easley said, that all British industry
would be tied up by a general strike.
1t was the British public which said
: they shall not pass"
Three Elements.
Mr.. Easley recalled that the e.
ecutive council of the National Civic
Federation had organized a national
industrial committee composed of a
hundred publicists. officials Of the
non-revolutionary labor organizations
and employers to ascertain how fal
trial platform Upon which the three
great divisions Of society, capital
stand. The employers linclude no,
= only those who deal with organized
laborii and are friendly with it but
those VINO, WN1le opposed TO many o.
it's policies, appreciate what, it ha,
accomplished and recognize Its basi,
soundness as shown by its unequtvo'
cal atand against all movements of
"red4fshY hue. 49,
10 aid the work of this committee
a QUESTIONABLE on industrial ques
tons O. Tm.the time has been sent t.
employers, labor officials and publ
cists, Concluding, Mr.. Easley said:
THE national industrial committee
hopes tosprofit by all the educationa
work: done by previous conference:
and if it is able to contribute only {
little toward the establishment Of e
better understanding between thu
three great elements making up ou1
national life it will feel well1repaid To-
its effort. HI
A. F.. Il. Commended.
''At any rate at a time when tn.
other labor movements of the worle
are attacking American labor because
it will not join them in their revolu'
tionary programs it seems as II tn
least that our patriotic and fail
;. minded citizens ,can do to show Their
appreciation of its splendid stand i
to Join hands with it in trying to maxi
conditions better for the workers il
the shops, mines, mills, railroads ant
all other places where men ant
women toll. And instead of encour
aging movements to destroy thu
unions they should encourage tn
unions so to improve their methods
and programs that employers woult
regard it advantageous to deal will
them"