The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-27
INpusrR1A1 CoNCIL1Ar1oN

The period of industrial readjust-
ment thru which the country/has been
passing, made the settlement of indus
trial disputes more difficult, but Ge-
spite that fact, says Secretary Davis
of the federal department of labor,
nearly 80 per cent of the controversies
in which the department used its good
offices were equitably and satisfac-
torily adjusted. without doubt these
settlements did much to aid in the
stabilizing of the generally disturbed
industrial situation. Nearly a million
and a half workers were involved in
the disputes under consideration.
Reviewing the work of his depart
nent during the past ten years, the
secretary says:
The department of labor has built
up a staff of conciliators especially
qualified for their delicate task. Many
of the commissioners have been draft
ed from business, professional and in
dustriaI life. Some have been mana
gers of large corporations, some have
been government officials and some
have been leaders in organized labor.
The work of the conciliator cannot
be successfully conducted by set rules
or regulations. He works by rule of
thumb. The elements entering into a
trade dispute are. never exactly the
same as those that haze been met in a
similar controversy The conciliator
must meet each situation in the man
ner best calculated to bring the con-
tending parties together. If he can
get both employer and employee to sit
down around the council table and
discuss their differences man to man
he has won more than half the battle.
For experience has shown that, no
matter how great the differences may
be between men, if they will get to-
gether and talk over their disagree
ment, obstacles which seemed impas-
sable may quickly be overcome.
The Cancellation work of the depart
ment has gradually become more and
more recognized factor in Americas
industrial life as experience has
mediation in avoiding strikes, or in
bringing a quick settlement of disputes
where work has already been sus-
pended Labor has discovered that it
has a standing recognized by the gov
eminent whenever it's demands are
based on industrial and constitutional
rights. Employers. on the other hand,
have found that the department will
protect them from unjust and unrea-
sonable eXactions. In almost all the
cases where the Cancellation service
has acted there has been found a fine
spirit of cooperation on the part of,
both workers and employers
The success of the Cancellation
methods of the department is ade-
quately demonstrated by the record
of disputes in which the good offices
of the department, thru the commits
sioners OF Cancellation, have been
used. from the beginning of the pres
ent administration, March 4, 1921, to
June 80, 1922, a period of sixteen
months. In that time a few more
than 500 cases - strikes and threat
ened strikes and lockouts have been
acted upon by department officials.
Some 345 cases were satisfactorily ad-
justed by the Commissioners of con-
Citation; fifty-nine were adjusted by
the commissioners of cohciliation In
cooperation with local officials and
agencies; thirty-nine cases are pend
ing or in process of adjustment, and
in fifty-nine cases the department has
failed to obtain a settlement.