Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-24
Asserts American Employers
Are Always Seeking New
Labor Organizations.
(continucd From First ragc.)

Continued From First ragc)
thing practical in advance Of what
has already been worked out through
experience. There are critics OF the
American Federation OF Labor who
are very much moro familiar with
their own theories than they are
with what has been accomplished 10y
the American Federation OF l.aho",
There arc other critics who arc very
much more familiar WIKI what has
been done in other countries than
they are with what has been done
IN the United States. and they are
forever conGemninE the American
Federation Of Labor because IL does
not copy verbatim the formulas used
In other countries and accept in their
entirety the agencies that have been
worked out IN other countries.
should like 10 make II clear
hcre tina; the American labor move
ment does not reject anything be-
cause Il is new or because II has
us origin IN some other country,
but It does !asiet upon the wisdom
Of regarding American experience as
the f!aa! test. We have problems
in the United States that are unlike
problems in any other country.
There IS very little in cur Industrial
l'fe that IS like tho industrial life
ot Great Britain or France or Ger
many. Our problems are distinctly
our own problenle just as tho prob
lens OF those other countries arc
their own problems.
Some Foreign Nostrum..
Dur!ns the war we heard much In
this country about the establishment
OF what were known as work coun-
c!ls IN England and we also heard
much about the shop steward move
'reat. Critics OF the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor seized upon these
terms that were new TO them and
conjured with them necessarily for n
considerable period o: months In
the closing months OF the war and
particularly at about the time OF th..
signing OF the arm!sticr. our intel
lectuals learned OF the Whitney coun-
ell movement in England and again
We witness a period OF conjurinE with
new term and with phrases. with
The advent OF the Russian revolution
We We're deluged with columns of ad-
mirat!on for councils OF workmen and
soldiers, councils OF workmcn and
peasants. and Sov!cts. / venture the
assertion that few OF those who In
dulEed IN the chorus OF admiration
FOR these various proposals had any
idea OF the purely local or national
conditions which called them into be-
Ing. OF course every one who has
made any real study understands
;u!ly that each OF these proposals was
The result o.: certain definite condi-
tolls existing In one country or the
oiaer. The shop steward movem cnt
n England Was the product OF Ger
tain conditions arising in England
because of tn" war. 1t was not a
healthy or constructive movement
and the conditions which called il
into being IN England did no; exist
In the Unitad States. There was in
the Whitney council proposal a much
more constructive idea, but neverthe-
less an Idea which was distinctly the
product of English Industrial condi-
tons. The Soviet idea In Russia IS
just Is distinctly the produc, OF con-
dir!ons In Russia.
Ii should be observed that the Sow
let idea has no necessary relationship
70 Communism or Bolshevism. Tho
TEN OF industrial representation which
IS not permitted to function under the
present regime IN Russia any moro
than trade unions are allowed to en-
Isl IN that unhappy country.
Variety of Methods.
presume that at some time or
other and IN som" .lnAustry or other
almost every torr. %. re presentation
and negotat!on that has been tried
anywhere has been tried in the United
states. We have in the American
Federation OF Labor ITO national and
international unions. which means
tina, IN Jhat many Industries there IS
organization az least on national
hasis. In practically al. Of those in
dustries there Is some method by
which employers ana workers meet
and confer tn relation TO the prob
!ems a the Industry. Ia some Of these
Industries there is great deal Of
machinery 'pr this purpose. while IN
others there is comparatively little.
1t Is SAT" 10 say tina, IN every Industry
the experience .of that industry has
n-en the Eu.da
D!fercu, conditions make .or the
establishment uf different institutions
In the printing Industry. FOR example.
The workshop Is tie unit OF opera
;!on. IS consequence there has
grown VI In INC printing Industry
among Organized printers wha, Ia
known as the chapel Tho chapel IS
merely the group o: printers en-
pioyed in any given print shop There
Is chaigmaH Of every chapel and
n. IL IN every case .,r gluy"d In lie