Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-08-11
PEACE
DEMAND Of PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION MUST RESPOND
TO THIS, WHEN PRESENT BIG
STRIKES ARE ENDED.
VARIOUS PROGRAMS OFFERED
Plan of The Industrial Conference of
1920, Providing for National Board
and Local Regional Conferences
For Adjustment.
JAMES p. HoRNADAY

Washington.-A long-suffering pa
tient general public is demanding per-
manent industrial peace. Following
the settlement Of the strikes that are
now giving the country so much con-
Germ, the Harding administration will
have to respond to this demand. Since
the signing of the armistice which
brought the World war to an end,
nearly 1000 strikes have taken place
in the United States. Every one Of
these affects the public adversely in
some degree. No wonder then that
the general public is demanding that
the best minds undertake to find a
way that leads to industrial peace.
When the administration is ready
to take up the subject it will have at
hand some well thought out plans.
First Of all the church people have,
since the end Of the war, repeatedly
proposed that the golden rule receive
more consideration than employers
and employees have been inclined to
give it. Everybody who has given any
thought to the present strike situation
is impressed with the fact that the
employers and the employees mine
and railroad-are seeking some par
ticular advantage. There seems to be
utter absence of the spirit which
would seek common ground. "Let US
do the other fellow if we can" seems
to be the governing spirit
The national industrial conference
which met here in March, 1920, sub
mitted a definite program for. indus
trial peace which up to this time has
been ignored. Undoubtedly the report
Of that conference will receive care
full consideration when the subject is
taken up again.
Industrial Conferences Plan.
The guiding thought of the 1920
conference was that the right relation
ship between employer and employee
can be best promoted by the deliber-
ate organization of that relationship.
The system Of settlement proposed by
the conference consists of a plan, ma
tionWide in scope, with national in
dustrial board, local regional con-
ferences and boards Of inquiry, to be
created as follows:
1.-The parties to the dispute may
voluntarily submit their differences
for settlement to a board, known as
regional adjustment conference. This
board consists of four representatives
selected by the parties, and four
others in their industry chosen by
them and familiar with their problems.
The board is presided over by a
trained government official, the region
al chairman, who acts as cOnciliator.
If unanimous agreement is reached,
it results in a collective bargain hav-
ing the same effect es If reached by
joint organization in the shop.
2.-If the regional conference falls
to agree unanimously, the matter,
with certain restrictions, goes, under
the agreement of submission to the
national industrial board, unless the
parties prefer the decision of an UNI
pire selected by them.
3.-The voluntary submission to a
regional adjustment conference carries
with it an agreement by both parties
that there shall be no interference
with production pending the processes
of adjustment.
If Submission of Dispute Is Refused.
4.-If the parties, or either of them,
refuse voluntarily to submit the dis
,+o IL 4bo ,,rooocsoc Of tho p1or of
adjustment, a regional board of in
curry is formed by the regional chair
man, of two employers and two en-
ployees from the industry, and not
parties to the dispute. This board has
the right, under proper safeguards, to
subpoena witnesses and records, and
the duty to publish it's findings as a
guide to public opinion. Either of the
parties at conflict may join the board
of inquiry on giving an undertaking
that, so far as it's side is concerned, it
will agree to submit it's contention to
regional adjustment conference, and
if both Join a regional adjustment con-
ference is automatically created.
5.-The national industrial board in
Washington has general oversight of
the working of the plan.
6.-The plan is applicable also to
public utilities but in such cases the
government agency having power to
regulate the service has two repre-
sentatives in the adjustment confer
ence. Provision is made for prompt
report of its findings to the rate regu-
lating body.
1.-THE plan provides machinery for
prompt and fair adjustment of wages
and working conditions of government
EMPLOYEES. 1t is especially necessary
for this class of employees, who
should not be permitted to strike.
8.-The plan involves no penalties
other than those imposed by public
opinion It does not impose compul-
sorry arbitration. 1t does not deny the
right TO strike. 1t does not submit
to arbitration the policy of the
'closed'' or ''open" shop.
Decentralizing Post Office Work.
Decentralization Of post office work
is being put into effect by the
present administration. The funda-