Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-26

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49, people OF this
aM##a country are to rs
h~ealthy, happy
81 and prosperous,
49, we must know
ES@MMM that ONE plan is
being evolved TO
! X. pr vent these
strikes <rom re.
go! occurring. In view
II. y. AsaDson. Of those \. facts,
Roger W. Babson. was this week asksft
to make a forecast as to future labor.
developments. His diagnosis Of: the
strike situation follows:
When in Washington during fthe
war, assisting the Secretary ofsssI1.a-
Dor. It was evident that the ssstudenfs
OF labor problems were divided into
two distinct groups: one group be-
lieves in compulsory arbitration as
Court, and the other group stands
purely for Cancellation without any
compulsion. Conservatives and radio
ais can be found in both groups. In
vestigation leads me to believe that
there Is a field for both Of these lines
OF work. Labor disputes in connection.
with general industries. such as the
textile Industry. the boot ana shoe in
dustry. and possibly the steel industry,
should be kept on a Cancellation basis.
1t surely would be a mistake to at
tempt compulsory arbitration in con-
nection with these businesses which
are operated solely for profit. The
best means OF avoiding trouble in
these industries is by keeping these in
dustries in two major labor groups,
one group to be, strictly union and
the other group strictly 'non-union."
Let the union group adopt the closed
shop and let the other group. be strict
ly non-union. Then let the two groups
compete. 1 do not mean necessarily
in production, but rather see under
which system the public, the EN-.
ployees and the stockholders, all COM
bined. are most prosperous. My own
guess is that none OF these three
parties would long be healthy, happy
and prosperous with all union" or
with all "non-union." When one
group secures control, it becomes in
efficient. careless and arrogant. NV
guess>is that an, industry would be
most prosperous and all concerned.i in
it would be rendering the most serv-
Ice and be happiest If the Industry
were equally divided into a union and
a n%on-union field. SO much for gem
eral industry. When disputes arise,
only Cancellation should be applied by
a third party. There should be- no
compulsorx-settlements in such Cases.
When however. we come to trans
p%ortation. fuel. public utilities such as
tribution OF milk, bread, etc, we find a
group Of industries to Which compiu-
sorry arbitration must be applied. The,
first two groups to which such strong
arm methods will be applied are the
railroads and coal mines. First let
me say that the railroads and the
mine operators are themselves large
ly to blame for present troubles. AL
though the owners Of these properties
are now behaving themselves, they
have not always done so. Most~of the
unwtse methods that labor leaders are
using today were applied by the rail-
roads and mine operators of twenty
years ago. Hence these corporations
now are only reaping what they have
sown. Nevertheless, two. wrongs do
no make q right. Our nation must
have transportation and fuel at a fair
rate and the. operation of its, railroad
and coal properties must be undis-
turbed by either labor leaders or stock
market operators.
Regarding the railroad situation: to
ecure a fair rate the Interstate Com
merce commission has been ofkanized.
and to secure undisturbed ~transporta-
ton the Railroad Labor, Board has
been created The first Of these-that
! is, the Interstate Commerce commits
struggle is now over the-.Railroad La
Dor Board" ~ ~"
l. At this point MIR. Babson was told
of a strong feeling on the part of both
the railroad arrangements and the
employees that the Railroad Board
was not properly made up. Concern
| ing this. Mr.. Babson stated: