Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-04-23
Labor Program Essential
For Nation, Babson Says
Continued from Page One0

4
more "sitdOwns."
Labor has Just as much right as
employers to ask for an increase in
| prices when operating costs are adj
vancing. Labor's prices are, of course,
| its wages Its operating costs are the
cost OF living Wage workers have a
perfect right to join unions and, thro-
ugh representatives of their own
choosing, ask for higher wages. Ma
-urally, / disagree with labor's cur
rent methods. Workers have always
gene further and got more by peace
full collective bargaining than by viol-
ence. There are plenty of outstand-
ing illustrations of this fact. Once
fair employer is forced to go through
strike in his own plants, he can
never have the same feeling toward
his workers, and vice versa. In the
long run, workers and employers gain
about as much from strikes and lock-
outs as farmers gain from flood and
drought.
Union Responsibility Needed.
To bargain collectively is labor's
right. No progressive-min man
with practical experience doubts this.
Arrangements which refuse to recog-
niZe workers organizations simply do
not see the handwriting on the wall.
Company spy" systems are the tools
Of foolish lcorporatiOns. Employers.
however, have a right to demand that
the groups with which they deal be
responsible for agreements just as
employers are responsible. One of the
most important factors being over
looked today is the fact that employ
ers are legally responsible while labor
unions are not If this one grievance
alone were cleared up, much of the
current trouble could quickly be
smoothed over
These principles all point in one
direction: The necessity Of a national
labor program The United States and
Canada have reached such high de-
gree of industrial efficiency that
strikes must be treated as a matter
of concern to everybody. For instance,
a strike in an electric light plant can
completely cripple great city today
and endanger thousands of lives
However, labor's right to strike and
arrangements privilege to refuse Ia
boris demands must be protected at
all costs. How to protect the public
one one hand and labor and employ
ers on the other is the big problem.
Some practical machinery of settling
unnecessary strikes must be set up
Immediately. The recent Supreme
Court decisions open the way.
Dusts Oft Old Program. 4
During the war I was connected
with the LABOR Department in Wash
ington. The subject of a national la
Dor program was given great deal
of study at that time. 1t was found
that both workers and employers
were bitterly opposed to compulsory
arbitration. However, a program was
mapped out which seemed to get a.
round this point Here is rough out
line of the plan as auggested back in
postwar days:
"a That all workers should be
free to join any union which they
might choose. Both employers and
wage workers should be prohibited
from coercion or intimidation.
(2) Both employers and wage work
ers should have the right to bargain
collectively with representatives of
their own choosing.
(3) When labor troubles arise, or
when agreements exuire. negotiations
should begin Immediately between
the chosen representatives. If within
a certain time these negotiations fail,
the government should appoint a con-
ciliator to sit in with both Sides
(4) If, within certain time, no
satisfactory agreement has been reach
ed, the government representative,
shall ask both sides to submit to;
voluntary arbitration.
90 If voluntary arbitration fails
and a strike appears imminent, than