The labor advocate. [volume], September 04, 1915, Page 3, Image 3

About The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937

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THE LABOR ADVOCATE
Federal Probers of Industrial
Unrest Complete Report
Opinions of Chairman Walsh and Labor Colleagues
Have "Teeth"
Chicago. Oh Monda.v, August a.'l, the
United Stales commission on industrial
relations adjourned sine die after giving
final approval to a report that will lie
filed with the clerk of the house of rep
resentatives for presentation to congress,
when it convenes next December.
The commission has issued excerpts
of the report, which includes supple
mental views of all the members.
The principal report, prepared b 1'asil
M. Manly, the commission's director of
research and investigation, covers every
phase of industrial unrest and the causes
therefor. This is approved b Chairman
Walsh and Commissioners O'Connell,
I.ennou and Garretson. It declares the
crux of the whole question of industrial
relations is: "Shall the workers, for the
protection of their interests, be organ
ized and represented collectively In their
chosen delegates, even as the stock
holders are represented b their direct
ors and by the various grades of execu
tive officials and bosses."
In its plea for a wider extension of
democracy in industry, this report sajs:
"The ordinal man. whether employer
or worker, has relativeh little contact
with the government. If lie and his fam
ily are well fed, well housed and well
clothed, and if he can pay for the edu
cation of his children, he can exist even
under an autocratic monarch) with lit
tle concern until some critical situation
develops in which his own libertj is in
terfered with or until he is deprived of
life or propertj In the overwhelming
power of his t mimical ruler. Hut his
industrial relations determine ever daj
what he and his family shall eat, what
they shall wear, how main hours of his
life he shall labor ami in what surround
ings. Under certain conditions where his
individual or corporate emplojer owns
or controls the community in which he
lives, the education of his children, the
character and prices of his food, cloth
ing and house, his own actions, speech
and opinions, and in some cases even his
religion, are controlled and determined,
insofar as the interests of the emplover
make it desirable for him to exercise
such control. Such conditions are es
tablished and maintained not onl
through the dictation of all working
conditions of employment by the em
ployer, but by his usurpation or control
of the functions and machinery of
political government in such communi
ties." Tin report summarizes the causes of
industrial unrest as follows:
Unjust distribution of wealth and in
come. Unemployment and denial of oppor
tunity to earn a living.
Denial of justice in the creation, in the
adjudication and in the administration
of law.
Denial of the right and opportunit to
form effective organizations.
It is shown that It families possess ag
gregate incomes totaling at least Vi(),()(l(),
000 per ear, while between one-fourth
and one-third of male workers in factor
ies and mines, IS 3 ears of age and oer,
earn less than M0 per week and onl
about one-tenth earn more than :.'() per
week.
To check these swollen, unearned for
tunes, it is recommended that congress
pass an inheritance tax law and that
all funds of deceased over 1,000,000 rc
ert to the government. In Mippoit of
this action, the report sas.
"These heirs, owners onl In virtue of
the accident of birth, control the liveli
hoods and have the power to dictate the
happiness of more human beings than
populated England in the middle ages.
Their principalities, it is true, are scat
tered and, through the medium of stock
ownership, shared in part with others;
but the are none the kss real. In fact,
such scattered, invisible industiial prin
cipalities are a greater menace to the
welfare of the Nation than would be
equal power consolidated into numerous
petty kingdoms in diffcicnt parts of the
country. 'I he might then be istiahed
and guarded against now their influence
invisibly permeates and controls every
phase of life and industr.
"The 'families' of these industiial
princes are alread well established and
are knit together not onl b) commercial
alliances, but b a network of inter
marriages which assure harmonious ac
tion whenever their common interest is
threatened." '
It is declaied that the uneniploment
situation will not be "apprcciablj reliev
ed" until great advances have been made
in removing the two prime causes un
just distribution of land and natural re
sources. Under the head "Denial of Justice,"
the numerous charges of workers are
supported, and the report declares
"The establishment of proper! rights
and personal rights 011 the same level
can leave onl a constant and ever grow
ing menace to our popular institutions.
With the acceptance of such an ideal our
democracy is doomed to ultimate de
stitution. Personal rights must be
recognied as supreme and of unaltcr-
HOW THEY DIVIDED
Individuals
divided 011
Speaking generally, (lie idiiiiiiIs
slon on industrial relations is divid
ed into (wo groups, one supporting
tne .Manly report , the other, tin
(ominous report. The
in these groups again
minor points.
Tin- ".Manly group" consists of
Chiiirmnu Walsh mid Commission
ers O'Connell, liCiinoii mid ('nrret
son.the three last represent ingliihor.
These lour members insist thill (he
rollllulsslnll Mils iillllfilltterl t'tii tln
I purpose of llnding the "eiiuses" of
ri...l... ,..!..! a I .!..- .....I.
iiiiiiisi run miresi, imti uem Willi
such questions as swollen I oil lines,
monopolization of laud and natural
resources, feudalism in industry,
etc.
The "Commons group" consists
of Commissioners Commons, Flor
ence ,1. Iliirriiiian, Ainhton, W'eln
stoek and Itallard, the Inst three
representing employers. This group
declares the greatest cause for in
dustrial unrest is "die breakdown
in the administration of labor laws"
and the distrust ol government "on
the pai't of a large portion of our
people." To remedy this alleged
condition, this group favors an elab
orate .system of machinery to "set
tle" strikes, enforce labor laws and
take charge of all social legislation
and make recommendations for
same. It would he supported hy an
inheritance ta. The plan would
practically destroy the federal de
partment of labor and would estab
lish a powerful bureaucracy. This
group does not favor holding indi
viduals responsible for conditions in
Colorado and can see much merit
in the Itockel'eller and other fouii-
1 (latious.
I In a supplemental report the three
1 employers' representatives declare
labor Is justified in organizing to
"protect itself against evploitation
I and oppression."
(JI'OIM'IA'S IH'TV.
able ascciulenc over propert rights.
Relief from these grave evils cannot be
secured b. petty reforms. The action
must be drastic and directed at the roots
from which these evils spring."
The pretense of "open shop" advocates
is exposed thusl :
"The theory of the 'open shop,' accord
ing to these witnesses (emplovers), is
that workers are emploved without any
reference to their membership or non
membership in trade unions; while as a
matter of fact, it was found upon inves
tigation that these employers did not
willinglv or know ingl cmplo.v union
men. Nevertheless, this is deemed to be
a minor point. The 'open shop,' even if
union men are not disci iuiinated against,
is as much a denial of the right of col
lective action as is the 'anti-union shop.'
In neither is the collective action of em
ployes permitted for the purpose of ne
gotiating with reference to labor condi
tions. Both in tlieor.v and practice, in
the absence of legislative regulation, the
woiking conditions are fixed by the em
plojer. It is evident, theieforc, that
there can at best be onl a benevolent
despotism where collective action on the
part of emploes does not exist."
In discussing "Women and Children in
Industr," the repoit savs:
"As a result of their unpiolcetcd con
dition, women and children are exploited
in industry, trade, domestic service and
agriculture, to an extent which threatens
their health and welfare and menaces
the well-being of future generations. The
competition of women ami children is a
direct menace to the wage and salar
standards of men. Under picsent con
ditions children are peimitted by theii
parents to go to work largely because
their earnings are necessar.v for the sup
port of the rest of the familv."
Athens, Ga. The Herald of this city
says :
"The General Assembly ha been
urged year after year to enact a com
pulsory education law, but the body
lias invariably turned a deaf ear to
ever appeal. The forces engaged in
the molding of child life into dollars
have thus far successfully combated
every effort set forth to emancipate the
child from the thralldoni of industrial
slavery.
"How much longer is Georgia to be
numbered among the disgracefully illit
erate States? What will have to happen
to force the legislature to a realization
of its duty to the men and women of to
morrow Are even the rudiments of
an education to be forever denied the
children of the poor of Georgia'
livery taxpaving citizen of this State
helps to pay for the higher education
ol those educated in the State univer
sity, and consequent! why should not
the children of these more humble
citizens, who are year after year con
tributing their mite to educate others,
lie enabled to at least sC.L. that their off
spiing have at least a fighting chance
111 the world?"
KOl'TII IS NOT ALOXIC.
Bridgeport, Conn. Mrs. Marv Scul
1.. v 1.- ..f t : 1...1: .1...
1 , i, 1 . 111 1.. , fi Kiiu ' , ui:iivTl Mil:
South is not the 011! section of this
couuuy litre cunu lanor is exploited
She says :
"Puritanical New England has long
looked askance and pointed the accus
ing finger at the South for eniploving
child labor, but my investigations have
convinced me Connecticut should first
cast the beam out of her own eye bc
fme trying to pluck the mote from the
eve of the South or anv other section
of the country.
Labor laws supposed to lie lor the
promotion of women workers in Con
necticut have long been a joke. It is
the most backward State in this respect
i,l T,, Ill.r1'lll1 r,mw.t;l,t Ik IKlt
II .V-,I I'lll. ...... Xr,l..-.,V.,,t I. .....
one bit further advanced in regard to
cunu lauiir aim us laws mr me iiuuit
welfare of the human race bv safe
guarding the health of the women
vvoikers than in the South. I have
found girls II and 1 years old work
ing in factories here for 0, 11 and .1.1
cents a day."
PATTKItX .MAKKItS ('.IX.
---
- -. f
PROTECTION FOR ALL
The Western and Southern Life Insurance Co.
HOMIC OFFICli CINCINNATI
W. J. WILLIAMS, President
Assets Over ,
Insurance in Force Over
. . $9,000,000
$85,000,000
In our Industrial and Ordinary Departments, life insurance on all
approved plans can be secured on insurable risks. Premiums can be
paid weekly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
Low Rates, Absolute Security, Prompt Payment of Claims.
Are You Insurable? Life Insurance Eventually Why Not Now?
The Tragedy,
The shoemaker sat
With his rat-a-tat-tat,
While fitting my shoes with new soles,
new soles.
And there stocking looted
I sat as if rooted
With holes in my socks, blooming
holes, holes, holes,
Alas, what a sin to
Look out through the window
And see Mary passing, my sweet, 111;
sweet.
Hut how could I hollo
And how could I follow
With holes in my socks and no shoes
011 my feet?
I begged the shoemaker.
The blooming; old faker.
To give back my shoes without soles,
without heels.
But though they weren't done, he
Demanded the money
And turned a deaf ear to my frantic
appeals.
So off down the street
On her dainty small feet
Walked Mar, sweet Mary, with swift
graceful stride.
And but for the shocking
Large holes in my stocking
Por sure, without shoes, I'd 'a' walked
at her side. U. S. IIasmx-
Cincinnati. President Wilson, of
the Pattern Makers' League of Noith
America, announces that the Cleveland
local of this organization secured,
without strike, the eight-hour day in
all job shops, effective September 1
Over 200 men are interested. The nine
hour day has been secured in Kaciiu.
Wis. A general betterment of condi
tions throughout the country lias been
recorded dining the past few months.
CLKKKS IWIOXIZK KTOICK.
Boston, Mass. A. A. Voreuberg &
Co., one of the large clothing md
gents' furnishing concerns in this citv,
has agreed with A. I", of L. Organizer
McCaithv and icpieseutativcs of the
ttctail Clerks' Union, to unionize its
establishment
The Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal, at gra, Tndia. is 1
said to be the most beautiful structure 1
in the world. It was build by Shah Je
han as a tomb for his wife and is of 1
the purest white marble. It shines sol
dazzling in the sun that ou can scared
look at it except in die .norning or even
ilitr. liverv nart 1? inlaid with the most
exquisite designs in marble of different 1
colors, the finish being so perfect that j
the entire building may lie said to re
semble in the delicacy of its workman
ship one of those Chinese caskets of
ivor.v and ebony which are now so com
mon" in Europe and also in America ,
New York American
A 10 Bill
Installs
Gas in Your
Furnace
W c know jou will enjov it
heat, convenience, and cleanli
ness, therefor make ott this
LIBERAL OFFER
Should ymi fur am caue
become dissatisfied by Feb. 1 st.
11)1 (i, we will remove the con
nections and give Mm back
your TEX.
J 11 order to enjo the advan
tages of this liberal offer, our
order must be placed sU the
work can be completed b
Oct. 1st, 1 !H o.
Union Gas and
Electric Co.
Fourth and Plum Sts.
al-
STitiKi: at sciii:xi:cr.iv.
I Schenectady, X Y Xcaily ..111 men
land girls employed by the Genera!
IKlcctiic Company are on strike lie
I cause officers and active members of
I their union the electrical workers
I were discharged when the presented
'giicvances to the management.
I .
I
I'bieouraged,
'I be Bailiff 'I hiiik vou'll be admit
ted? 'I he Accused Sine! 'I he judge in
structed the jui that I was entitled to
the benefit of the doubt, and he said
1 had the most doubtful defense he ever
listened to. Xew York Globe.
l'oliteuessi.
Politeness costs nothing and is a good
j investment. Politeness is a sou of
I guard which covers the lough edges of
I our character and pi events their wound
ing others. We should never throw it
loll, even in our conflicts with coarse
I people. Joubeit.
Klies I'lce Blue.
, A h'tench scientist is authorit.v foi
I the statement that Hies have a distinct
injection to tlie color nine. 1 Ins was
first discoveicd by a fanner who keeps
a laige number of cows in several shells
One of these sheds happened to be paint
ed blue on the inside, ami in this the
cows weie little troubled by flies. He
blued all the walls and thus protected
all his cows.
Keen Kyesight of Birds.
A hawk can spy a lark upon earth
most exactly the same color, at twent.v
times the distance at which it is percept
ible to a man or a dog. A kite soaring
out of human sight can still distinguish
and pounce upon lizaids and liel 1 mice
on the ground, and the distance from
which vultures and eagles can spy their j
prey is almost incredible.
MEDALLION
WHISKEY
1
t
A Iteiniiider.
"1 almost wish we hadn't named our
boy William. Kverhody calls him Bill,
and I just hate that name."
"Yes, 1 suppose it is rather anuov iug
to be reminded of your debts." Xcvv
York World.
Compensation.
Giubbs Biuks evHentl thinks him
self some pumpkins.
Stulibs Yes, he dots, but his ac
quaintances balance the equation. The
unite in regarding him as one cabbage.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
All One Sided.
"Did iu ever have an family de
bates at our house, Billbur ?"
"Let's see. A debate has two sides. 1
believe?"
"Yes."
"'o." lliiniinghani ge-l lerald
The Kruit of Kpcrieuce.
"The longer I live in this w 01 hi." ob
served Mr. I. Puller Gloom thoughtfull.
"the more 1 am siirpiised at the enorm
ous amount of good advice that I can
get along without "Woman's Home
Companion.
Bogus.
"My face is my foitune," said the
blushing maid.
"And it's counterfeit at that." mut
tered the .voung man, who had observ
ed that the blush was permanent. St
Louis Post-Dispatch.
Forfeits Citizenship.
The law upon the Mibjcct of forfeited
citizenship reads a- follows "When anv
naturalized citizen shall have resided tw.
ears 111 the foreign state from which
I he came or live ears in an other mr
eign state it shall be presumed that he
lias ceased to be an merican citizen.
and ln's place of abode shall be deemed
his place of residence."
t I'hone-, Mam 1000 401(1. ar-av OsJ
j Ileum l'huiie. W.ir-au ls(7
JOS. H. BIECKER
CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER OF
BUILT-RITE HOMES
Westwood Office, 3006 Harrison Ae.
"Got
shoe
. Spoiled Joke.
put mv foot in it toda
.von. liougnt a new
-Baltimore American.
pair
of I
601 First National Bank Bldg.
CINCINNATI, O.
The Menu.
"Will ou have some of the tomatoes
an! lettuce with Flench dressing?"
chirped the joung wife.
"So," returned the husband, musing
on his bachelor dinners, now forever
done. "My salad days are over."
"Well," spoke up the wife sharp!
"the ne.t course is the roast."
And she served him a large poition
piping hot. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
c 1
Scandal.
Scandal is that which gives us pleas
ure, in the thought that somebody else
has done something which we have
escaped doing because we were not simil
arly situated.
Scandal furnishes an occupation for
women and newspapers. It began in
the Garden of Eden and will cud a few
minutes after the last man has left the
earth l-l fe
L. F. DAWSON FRED. GRUBLER
Telephone, Canal 893
Gas and Electric Fixtures
LINDSAY LIGHTS
Gas Consumers Benefit Association
23 West 7th St., Bet. Vine and Race
Estimator, c. c. Keyler CINCINNATI, OHIO