The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-25
OPPOSE new LAW
NeHV York Merchants ASSOcia-
fiOn Not for Court Bill.
New Measure Is Similar to the
? Kansas Industrial Act.
IN SYMPATHY WITH PURPOSE
Association Does Not Approve
- Principle of the Bill.
Has Been Referred to Board
of Directors.

of Directors.
The Merchants association Of New
York. according to a recent issue OF
its periodical. Greater New York,
is opposing a bill introduced in the
. New York state legislature modelled
closely after the Kansas industrial re
lations law The New York Dill would
seem TO be practically identical with
the law which created the Kansas
court of industrial relations
: Attic in sympathy with the pur-
poses of the bill for the settlement OF
industrial disputes. introduced in the
Legislature by Senator Duell,' says the
ff1aEazine The Merchants association
does not approve the principle on
which the bill is based. and is oppos-
The bin was referred by the board
of directors Of the associat.on to
committee composed of:
Lincoln Cromwell of William Isehn
& Co, chairman
= Sidney Blumenthal, president of
Sidney Blumenthal & Co, Incorpor-
ated-
Gerhard NJ. Dahl, vice president of
the Chase National bank.
L. X Hall. vice president of the
American Telephone < Telegraph
Harold A. Hatch. treasurer of Deer
ing. Milliken a. Co.
Walter C. Teagle. president of the
Standard Oil company of New Jersey.
Robert B. Wolf of the r. B. Wolf
owen D. Young. vice president and
general counsel Of the General Elec-
tire company
The report of the committee was. in
part. as follows:
The Chief Feature of the Bill.
THE significant feature of the
Duell bill is its provision that all dis
putes IN these industries which get
beyond the control of the industrial
commissioned and become of public
consequence shall be adjudscated by
the state supreme cOuFt; and that for
this purpose the court may upon ap
plication enjOin strikes or lOckouts;
or upon action being brought by one
of the parties to a dispute may fix
wages. hours and working conditions;
and in a special Industrial relations
term called by the governor may SU-
perTise, direct and control the opera
ton of a. businesses. corporations, la
Dor unions or other agencies repre-
sent!ng either the employees or the en-
ployers in a controversy; and further,
if necessary in the interests of public
peace and health, the court may take
over an industry entirely and operate
II during such time as it sees fit The
bill also declares any interruption in
the production or transportation of the
articles above named to be contrary
to public policy and unlawful.
Your committee is in full sympa-
thy with the aim of the supporters of !
this measure to eliminate the waste /
and dire results of industrial contro-
VERSES But bad as these are. the /
problem Of their elimination is too I
broadly connected with the whole
structure of modern industry to risk |
experiment with radically new or i
a = q FL
dustrial state OF the nation. Obvi- |
ously plan which is as sweeping as /
the one now presented should be given 1
approval only after the most careful |
scrutiny and analysis.
Would Not AIIay Strife.
Without criticising the bill in de- /
tat your committee is convinced that
far from furthering the cause of in 4
dustrlaI peace this measure if enacted /
would multiply controversies and in
crease strife.
Furthermore, at a time when in
dusry is striving to recover from the /
disturbing effects of too much gov
ornamental interference this measure /
would permit government interfer-
ence more fundamental in character
and tar-rea ching in effect than has
hitherto existed
I'm view of the similarity between
the Duell bill and the Kansas indus
trial court act. it should be noted 1
that the wage increases granted by
the Kansas Industrial court have in
most cases applied only to public
utilities and that the court, in raising
wages has simultaneously raised the
rates for service Whereas the courts
participation in fixing wages might
thus not be impracticable in the case
ofsa public utility where a monopoly
exists and the government has al
ready established the practice of fix
ing rates and consequently the re-
turn on capital such participation in
competitive businesses would tend to
the DIFFERENTIATION of private indus
try and the assumption of govern
ment control. In fact, your commit
tee Is not aware of any other proposal
made to the New York legislature
which would so interfere with private
competitive industry.
other Objectionable. Provisions.
"Other provisions OF the measure
would still be sufficient to condemn