Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

Page 25 text:

Immigration has had a great influence on labor. For instance the Chinese who immigrated to America in vast hordes could afford to work for much less than our people. In this case would it have been right for our people to have been forced to work for the same rates as the Chinese people? Is this the way the United States shall treat her citizens? If it is, the next step is placing the right to buy and sell laborers in the hands of their employers. In an interview with Samuel Gompers, president of the American federation of labors, George K. Turner says, “a combination of laboiers is not like any other economic association. It does not sell steel, iron or other inanimate things, but the power of labor. All laborers are tree men, and Should enjoy the inalienable rights of free men. None of these are more fundamental than the right of association of tree speech, and a third right—the right to work for whom they please, to quit when they please at any time for any reason or for no reason. If they are deprived of this right, it means that some one else has the ruling power of their labor which means slavery. Therefore in view of these points and those which my colleague has shown, we of the negative contend that compulsory arbitration should not be adopted. HERSCHEL BAKER FIRST AFFIRMATIVE There is an urgent need for some sort of an adequate settlement of labor problems. The continual conflict between an employer and his e rployees is becoming intolerable for the public is coming to realize that whoever stands to gain by a st» ike it stands always to lose. The results of a strike indirectly affecting the consumer as great as the effect upon the parties directly involved in the strike. The only reliable method of settling continual disputes between workingmen and employers and of checking the increasing number of strikes, is arbi- tration. The establishment of a broad of arbitration would not be more than a legitimate interference by state or public in affairs not within their our province. Arbitration is not a greater encroachment upon the liberty of a laborer or employer than the state laws which are restrictions upon personal liberty. The state should exercise its right 10 prevent strikes, just as it exercises its right to prevent crime and other offenses against the public welfa re. Arbitration has met with remaik-able success in nearly all European countries, nine has been especially successful in Germany and France. These countries have adopted a system ol industrial courts similar to that developed in New Zealand. Countless disputes have been settled and strikes prevented bv means of these industrial courts. Since New Zealand’s plan has proved successful in other great nations it would not be unwise for the United States to adopt a similar system. HELEN DAVIS S ECON D AFFIRM AT 1V E In the labor world strikes are becoming more and more common and complications which involve not only the direct parties but the entire public, as well, are arising. Men bent solely on gaining what they desire resort to all sorts of schemes in order to persuade the employer into granting their desires or the employer endeavors to frighten his men into working. The public suffers more or less directly in either case, and should not hesitate to interfere when the parties involved cannot or rather, will not settle their dispute. Government interference in the form of compulsory arbitration is only an action necessary for the prevention of harm to the public. Of course, a settlement entirely satisfactory to both sides would be impossible between two parties so widely divided in opinion as the em

Page 24 text:

‘• round. Perhaps the charter of Hull House, the pioneer Social Settlement of America, will give a clear idea of their purpose. It reads thus: “To provide a center for a higher civic and social life, to institute and main DEB FIRST NEGATIVE Mr. President, Honorable Judges, Ladies and Gentlemen: in support of the negative it is our purpose to show you that the New Zealand plan of arbitration of labor disputes is not practicable and is also theoretically wrong My col league and I defend the negative side of the question by the following points, which we have proved. That the affirmative have greatly exaggerated the need of compulsory arbitration in labor disputes, since out of 23,798 strikes during a period of 10 years, only about 10 per cent proved harmful to business. That a relation exists between the employer and the employee which would make it impossible to arbitrate labor disputes. That compulsory arbitration would soon lead us into a great slave question. That arbitration of labor disputes has been tried where conditions exist as they are in the United States and it has failed. That it is more of an affair between the parties involved than that of the public, becausea disinterested party could not understand the circumstances on either side. That owing to the unorganized labor conditions it would be impossible to enforce the arbitration decisions without an enormous amount of civil strife which would greatly damage the commercial prosperity of the nation. That the New Zealand plan which they propose is not practicable and is also theoretically wrong. tain educational and philanthropic enterprises, and to investigate and improve the conditions in the industrial districts of Chicago.” This is the object of almos' all the social settlements of our large cities. MILDRED HlfiGS. ATE That strikes do not hold an ambitious laborer from rising in his work. Then, owing to these points, we, the negative, assert that although the usual method of settling strikes was originated centuries ago, modern times and civilization have produced no better way and that compulsory arbitration could not be used in dealing with labor disputes under the present conditions. KENNETH WILSON SECOND NEGATIVE Mr. Chairman, Honorable Judges, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is my purpose to further the arguments of the negative concerning the plan which the speakers of the affirmative have proposed this evening. As the speaker of the affirmative has said, strikes and lockouts are becoming very numerous. But the slight differences which arise between employer and employee, resulting as a rule in onl}7 a two or three days’ walkout are easily settled and the world is none the worse for it. In cases of this type, if a board of arbitration should interfere neith er side would be satisfied. Laborers are so numerous and their occupations so different that ;• strike affects a nation as a whole very slightly. As 1 have said before, owing to the high cost of living, men are often not able to -upport a family, and this occurring in a great many cases at one time, as it always does, a strike is the inevitable outcome.

Page 26 text:

ployer and the laborer and it is true that perhaps either would oppose arbitration but the former, in one sense of the word suffers as much as the laborer and should be anxious for a speedv settlement of affairs; labor should never oppose arbitration so long as it has the right to choose one of the arbiters and be represented thus in the conciliation. The advantages to be gained by an act compelling arbitration are numerous. Prompt settlements would be insured, continued strife prevented, and the main feature of a system of compulsory arbitration would be that business would continue undisturbed pending a settlement of the dispute, thus preventing unnecessary expense or trouble to the public. BLANCHE ROGERS ORATION EXPERT SERVICE There was a time, and that when the value of expert service in public affairs was scarcely recognized, if at all. From the time of Andrew Jackson’s unwise declaration that “to the Victors belong the Spoils” down to comparatively recent years, public positions have been handed around to Tom, Dick and Harry for almost any reason except for proper qualification to till these positions. But one of the most hopeful signs of the present century is the increased interest in and appreciation of Expert Service This service has been recognized and well thought of in the Government bv President Taft. He has shown this by appointing a non partisan Tariff Board of five well-informed men who enable him to learn quickly the cost of all articles specified in the Tariff bills, both at the place of production, and at the place of con sumption. Postmaster General Hitchcock, an expert, aided .by several helpers of great ability whom he has appointed has been able to save eleven million dollars of the previous year’s loss without anv curtailment in postal facilities This answers the question whether it is possible for the Government to manage its affairs on an economical basis and I think my readers will advocate handing over the management of the post office to a private corporation. But in the state we also have hopeful signs of expert service. Gov. Deneeti has appointed an educational commission whose duties were to at tend to the matters of education in our state. The Waterway commission, the Pure Food Commission and the Insurance Board are all the result of this commendable movement made by our present Governor. In many cities we have a commission form of city government. The difference between this form and a council is that in this one every man has a certain part in the Government which he must handle carefully and reasonsibly; the men are chosen for this position regardless of their political views and the best men air selected for the places which they are to fill. Those we see that on every hand we are greeted by the commendable conditions resulting from a lack of it. Whether it be in regard to the nation wide project such as the revision of the Tariff ora movement as small as the grading of the streets in a country village we realize the importance of the service of competent men. There is this same demand for men who know. Bv placing the proper value upon “Expert Service” and by repudiating those who seek advancement upon anv other basis, the public audits officials could very soon set the world to aught bv turning it over to a body of men who are Experts. PAUL FISHER