New-York tribune., 1922-02-26
Claims Kansas
Court Solves
StrikeProblen
Judge Huggins Says Public
Is Protected in Labor
Capital Disputes: Tells
How New System Works
Mills Takes Opposite View
Opposes Government Regu-
lation of Industry and
Predicts lis Breakdown

Judge W l. Huegins of Topeka. Of
u. Court of Industrial Relations Of
Kansas. in an address yesterday at the
National Republican Club. asserted
with emphasis that Kansas has solved
.he problem, through its new industrial
court. of protecting The public in COW
troversics between labor and capital.
and he explained in detail the workings
O. the new court. giving facts and fig
urcs to show that Kansas. in handling
.hc industrial problem, is ahead of her
sister ststes.
representative Ogden L. Mills. of
New York, who spoke on "Rclations
Of Employers and Workmcn," was
stoutly opposed tosgoverrment regula-
ton OF industry predicted its break
down. and favored the shop committee
system of settling all disputes be
tween employer and employee He said
hat even in New York business men
sre no longer imbued with confidence
il tho ability of its public service
cor. miss ons TO handle tho labor and
espitsl problems involved in industrial
cortrovor,ies. and he asserted that
such commissions arc liable to grow
steadily less efficient, and more and
-ore likely to become subservient TO
political pressure. J. Van Vechten
clcott presided.
After paying a compliment TO Pres
ident Harding and his accomplish
rents during the last year Judge Hug
gins took up the discussion of the
functions of the Kansas Industrial
Court
"It IS not a court in the generally
accepted sense said ne Its chief
attributes are judicial. in that it ap-
plies the rules of evidence, construes
The Law and makes its orders based on
PIES is the idea that it is the duty of
government to protect the people
against industrial warfare involved in
Industrial controversies. 1t believes
that there should be power in the
''ate, for instance. to protect the ba-
tles Of New York City in a strike of
milk wagon drivers, lust as L would be
the duty Of the government TO protect
It's citizens from bandits who crossed
the Mexican border.
at IS based on the old English con-
ccpt OF the common law, that when the
public interest is concerned the state
is warranted in exercising control. only
NC went two or three steps further and
apply To modern conditions and prob
lans. We decided that the production
q fuel the running of -four mills and
the production Of clothing arc all. in
the words Of the old law Impressed
with the public interest and for that
reason within the pUrvlew OF the state"
judgc fluggins said that after Alex
ander lIowat, the leader Of the Kansas
miners. rad called the strike the court
did nothing. as the illcgality of the act
autom atically left the prosecution with
The Attorney General. lie said that
iowst was tried before a Judge and
jury, was sentenced to Jail by district
judge, while the industrial court had
nothing to do with the sentence.
A certain class Of labor leaders are
against the Kansas law on the ground
that it imposes involuntary servitude,"
he continued "Jhere is not syllable
anywhere in the law that warrants any
such charge. There is, however, a
stipulation in the law that when
man quits his job he mast not inter
fere with any man who wants to take
It, The law has relieved labor from
an involuntary form Of tyranny-the
tyranny Of radical leadership, rs we'll
SIS from unfair employment of labor.
"In attempting to solve the new
the Court OF Industrial Relations has
}een compelled to resort TO the store
house Of reason and good sense 1t
mas stated certain principles by which
+. has beer guided. Some Of these are:
"First The basic eight-hour day,
contcnded for by labor, is not sacred.
nc length Of The working day depends
on the nature of the work. In some
operations eight hours or less may be
proper, in others. where the work is
lghter and the conditions better. nine
or ten hours may be proper. The social
rignts Of the worker should be pre-
served to him by limiting the working
'nours to such an extent that he may
nave reasonable time for recreation
ana for the family circle.
Second The 'one-msn- one job rule
o. the union, where it causes economic
waste is wrong, and workmen should
DC allowed TO work at two jobs if they
can do so without physical injury to
themselves. No arbitrary rule of the
Union which involves an economic
waste will be approved
IhI1d. A fair wage for skilled and
isthful workers should be such as to
enable them TO procure for themselves
ano family all the necessaries, and a
snare OF the comforts Of life, TO prop
ef!y support and educate their children,
an1 to provide decently for sickness
and old age.
Fourth. Collective bargaining is
rght and proper. and should be recog-
nlSed and encouraged, but collective
bargain must be fair to. the public and
'fee from duress and intimidation.
ruth. The unorganized worker
must be protected in his right to work
sS we'll as the organized worker.
Sixth. Workers on strike are not
employees in the sense of the Kansas
'sN' and their jobs therefore are not
en.ltied TO the protection of the law.
Seventh. The pickcting feature
81 the law must be strictly enforced by
the local authorities. otherwise the
court court Will call upon the Governor for
military protection.
highth. Capital invested in the es-