Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-20

| failed because we have left out the
paramount interest. we can succeed
| If we add it as controlling consid-
! Grafton"
Road TO Industrial Peace
The only certain road to industrial
peace, according to Mr.. Baker, lies
in this recognition of the public in
terest as paramount. Over the labor
and capital groups, and including
them both. stands the public, which
| has specialized itself into all sorts Of
activities to carry on the business,
| preserve the health, promote the ed
ucation and recreation, and minister
! to the higher esthetic and artistic
needs of modern society. This great
public, says Mr.. Baker, depends upon
! continuity of production in industry
! for it's own existence and it there
| fore has a vital interest in the estab-
lishment of conditions which will in
| duce investment on the one hand and
economical production on the other.
Mr.. Baker points out that the
right of enploye combination for
which Mr.. Gompers contends is ap-
parently a right which is to know no
limitation except the will of the
( workers themselves and by this
means it is sought to establish an
agency which the employer ais
bound to respect" ~ venture to
suggest" continues Mr.. Baker, that
the equality which you argue for can
not exist where one of the parties is
bound to respect the determinations
of the other. And further, may I
point out that We do not allow to any
other form of combinations as unre-
stricted rights as you contend for.
The Sherman and Clayton laws, in
terpreted and enforced by 1. long line
Of judicial decisions, limit the right
of the owners of capital to combine
and subject all such combinations to
penalties when they are formed In
violation Of the public interest"
The Rock Island Arsenal Plan is
cited by Mr.. Baker as demonstrating
the possibility of working out
| Wholesome, just and satisfactory in
dustrial relations when three ele-
ments cooperated in the effort,
namely the public in this case repre-
sented by the secretary of war, the
employers, represented by the man
agement of the arsenal. and the en-
pioyes, represented by themselves"
Another example of the establish.
INDUSTRIAL
peace through recognition of the
paramount public interest to which
attention is called by Mr.. Baker Is
that found in the ladies' garment-
making industry in Cleveland.
The question of union or non.
union did not arise there and was
not permitted to become a subject of
controversy, he says. The employers
voluntarily surrendered the right to
the lockout, the employees likewise
surrendered the right to strike, and
both employers and employees, recoS.
nizing the dependence of the public
upon their industry and the depend
ence Of their industry upon the pub
| lie, instituted voluntarily a tribunal
made up of disinterested representa- =
tlves of the public as a court of las
resort in their controversies.
| Under this plan, which has been
in operation for some years, saws Mr..
Baker, mo employer has been re-
quired to surrender any interest
which imperiled his investment or
! disabled him as a competitor in a
world field. No employe has been
| reduced to involuntary servitude. On
the contrary. an industry peculiarly
subject to tenlpestuous disturbances.
causing interruption and waste, has
been stabilized, the employers have
been given degree of confidence
wholly unattainable when they were
| merely successful warriors against
their employees, the employees have
been freed from profoundly oppres.
slve conditions, the sweatshop has
disappeared, periodical and chronic
unemployment removed, and tbe
public interest has been protected bv
freedom from violence and destruo.
tive disturbances, better sanitary
conditions in an important industrv
and a product from the cost of
which the large item of war expense
has been removed"
Select Your Jaweirn rnrnnrh Al. "A.