The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-20
ASKS 100000
TOAIDSTRIKE
SETTLEMENT
Secretary Davis Offers Plan to
Adjust Labor Disputes
Would Crystalline
Public Opinion.
SHOULD HAVE 2 TRADES
Says Unemployment Is Due to
Inability of Workmen to
Adapt Themselves
to Conditions.

II
By CniteS Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. D.-A million dol
lar federal commission to -depropagan.
die" the statements Of contending sides
in industrial disputes was proposed TO
Congress as an aid to quick and effective
settlement Of strikes by Secretary Of La
bsr Davis in his annual report.
Davis based his plea for such body
on the principle that public opinion set
ties strikes and without full possession Of
all the facts, public opinion cannot be
formed.
The public knows that often alleged
facts are presented in public speech or
announcement which are not the true
facts and therefore the public often hesi-
iates in reaching a conclusion" the Sec
retary wrote.
With the proper sort Of an organization
in the Department Of Labor. ii would be
possible not only TO bring contending
elements together before break in most
cases, but also in every instance to give
the public the true facts from unpreju-
diced sources which would bring about
a speedy cys;slzsion Of public opinion
as to the merits Of the dispute.
The very fact that the contenders
realize that the public would get the
true facts would make them hesitate to
come 10 a break.
STRIKES GOULD BE AVOIDED
Il believe with the creation Of an or
ganizaiion such as | have in mind and
with an appropriation Of approximately
100000 a year, this gradually TO be
increased with the growth Of industry,
practically every labor controversy can
be adjusted and nearly every strike can
be avoided
This -simon-pare news agency pro-
posed By Davis Sould be an adjunct of
the coneiliatioa service, whose work dur
ing the pas; year Davis Landed and e1-
tension Of which he urged
The Unemployment crises that Pc
riodically afflict the country are due not
50 much TO actual dearths Of employment
as to the inability Of American work
men to adjust themselves to changing
circumstances in the opinion Of Secre-
iary Davis.
American porkmen, he suggested, hes
iiate to take up unfamiliar lines of work
when depression hits their trades. As a
result there is constantly a considerable
number Of unemployed who are in that
position for no ether reason than that they
Will not take other kinds Of work then
Offered. This number, Davis estimates
at normally one and half million When
strikes or other industrial disturbances
hit labor, the total Of unemployed swells
to the magnitude Of crisis"
SECONDARY WORK IS REMEDY
The remedy. according TO Davis, is for
every workman to embrace a secondary
employment. Increased appropriations
to enable the Federal Employment Ser
vice to carry on an educational campaign
for secondary occupations" was asked Of
Congress by Davis.
Il would be the last one to suggest that
skilled craftsmen should undertake to
become so-called Jacks Of all Trades
but ! would urge upon every idle work
man that when there is inactivity in his
trade, he use every effort to adapt him
self to some other line Of work. Davis
wrote.
~Alanifesily the skilled workman can,
if he will, do work Of some other kind,
but my experience is that too often when
idleness is forced upon him. he rejects
the thought Of other employment for one
or more Of several reasons.
He may not be able to secure as
high wages in other employment, or he
may be under the impression that the
secondary employment will lose him
prestige in his or;Saary occupation"
URCEs USE OF FEDERAL SERVICE
Davis urged that more attention be
paid to the federal employment service
as possible solution of the unemploy.
ment problem.
I'VE have two problems to meet Da.
Wis wrote, TO prevent the recurrence OF
the employment depression Of last year
which threw five or six million men into
idleness and to reduce the number of men
who are daily without means Of liveli.
hsod.
The United States Employment Ser
vice, as national organization, keeps in
touch with the general situation in ever
part of the country. Fully organized and
equipped, it would have its fingers at al
times upon the pulse Of the labor sup
ply and demand Of the country. The
last year this service with its cooperating
agencies, proved its effectiveness.
listed nearly 2.5O0.0O0 workers seeking
employment and placed nearly l,5OO,OO(
Of them in jobs without expense to thu
worker or employer. Its usefulness ant
the need for its development are plain
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