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The Commoner
AUGUST, 1913
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merce and labor the bureaus of immigration,
naturalization, labor statistics, and the children's
bureau. The purpose of the department, as set
forth in the act creating it, is to footer, promote
and develop the welfare of the wage earners
of the United States; to improve their Working
conditions, and advL.ice their opportunities for
profitable employment. Due to the failure of
congress to provide the department at the time
of its organization With funds to carry on the
work, its activities have been limited and its
progress somewhat impeded. Undo: section
eight of the organic law creating the department
the secretary of labor "shall have power to act
as mediator and to appoint commissioners of
conciliation in labor disputes whenever, in his
judgment, the interests of industrial petce may
require it to bo done ..." Under this au
thority Secretary Wilson, without funds to carry
on the work, has by detailing men from other
branches of the service, been successful in sat
isfactorily adjusting several trade disputes,
among which we're the strike of the clerks on
the New York, New Haven and Hartford rail
road system and the strike of the forgemeii in
the works of the Erie, Pa., Forge company.
At the present time the department has men
detailed and at work endoavoring to adjust sev
eral other trade disputes. In the event that
congress provides the funds asked for in the
urgent deficiency bill for the carrying on of this
work of mediation and conciliation under sec
tion eight the department will be able to ac
complish much in this work.
The department of labor has a great work
ahead of it in the promotion of industrial peace
in connection with its activities along these
lines. In a recent statement Secretary Wilson
stated concisely his views relative to a closer
relationship between employers and. employes,
as follows:
"I loplc forward over the future of the der
partment of labor as a means of helping to
bring nearer year by year the goal of complete,
social justice. This must sure'y be the ideal
of those who regard humanity as something, to.o
sacred for. selfish exploitation. Eery.oiian ',is. ,
entitled to the', full social equivalent o what
he .produces'. tfhe problejri. is to .arrive at. that,,
figure! Capital' and labor are partners,, The.,
department of labor, is to prove a p:rmpte.r: of
industrial peace. Capital, without labpr is in7.,
effective. Labor without capital .is idle., Qapital
is an'inaiiimate thing.. It represents the, accum?
ulation of the unconsumed product of previous
1 ,bor. On the other hand capital is the means
by which Tabor can live until the products ,of
its efforts can be realized on. Capital, the In
animate thing, can produce nothing except by
providing opportunity for labor. Therefore,,
capital and labpr, to be effective, must .serve
each other. It' is only when it comes tp A divi
sion 'of what has, been produced that, their m-.
terests diverge. 'Here is where the opportunity
exists in this country for these two mutual in
terests to sit down in the council chamber of
judgment and work out a division that has re
gard for the proper rights of each.. Conse
quently, I look forward with great assurance
to the future of this department. It must tend
toward industrial peace."
The foregoing is a summary of the new duties
which have been imposed upon the department
of labor. In addition to these, of course, it takes
over the numerous duties incident to the exe
cution of the various statutes by the bureaus
which are transferred to, its jurisdiction, from
the former department of commerce and labor.
Closely allied With the new duties which de
volve upon this department are the questions
of immigration, the prevention of infant mor
tality which falls to the lot of the children's
bureau, and the many diversified duties of the
bureau of labor statistics.
uprising in the southern provinces. Moro re
cently there has been internal troublo in Vene
zuela and Peru, not to sneak -of the Balkan war,
with its'questlons relating to rollglous persecu
tion. The department has had to deal with the
continuing subject of dollar diplomacy, tho erad
ication of which has been commenced. All those
have demanded consideration in addition to the
changes Incident to a new administration and
tho routine work that runs along all the time.
The country seems to bo ploased with the poli
cies which the president has put forth through
the state department, as well as in tho other
departments of tho government.
In tho matter of peace, tho state department
has been making progress. The readers of Tho
Commoner have been informed of the peace plan
presented to all the nations last April. Accep
tances of tho principle involved havo been re
ceived from the following nations, twenty-fivo
in number: Italy, Great Britain, Franco, Brazil,
Sweden, Norway, Russia, Peru, Austria, Nether
lands, Bolivia, Germany, Argentina, China,
Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Spain,
Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, -Chill, Cuba, Costa
Rica and Salvador. Tho last on the list, Salva-.
dor, announced her acceptance, not only of the
principle, but of tho details suggested by this
government, and a treaty embodying tho pro
visions agreed upon, has been signed by tho ofll-,
cial representatives of tho United States and
Salvador, The details of tho signing of this
document, together with a full text of tho treaty,
will bo found on another page. Llttlo
"Salvador thus has tho honor of being tho
first country to join tho United States in a
treaty embodying a plan, which promises to bo
como world wido in its scope and lasting In Its
Influence. No nation, so far, has objected to
any part of the plan or any of the details, but,
with the exception of Salvador, they havo tho
details under consideration, action being largely
suspended during the summer months when tho
foreign representatives are taking their vacations.
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The state department has had a large amount
of important work before it since the fourth of
March. It inherited from the Taft administra
tion the Mexican problem the revolution hav
ing occurred just prior to the inauguration. This
problem still continues to engage attention, but
the country seems to be satisfied with the presi
dent's efforts toward the restoration of perma
nent peace and orderly gpvernment in that coun
try. The California alien land laws involved
this country in diplomatic correspondence with
Japan and the incident is not yet closed. The
Chinese loan has demanded attention, then came
the recognition of the Chinese republic, and now
there is a disturbance in China, caused by the
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D ,
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The administration hnfi glvon Its tin-
0 qualified endorsement lo the tariff anil
currency bills how before congress.
These hills are it fulfillment of the dent-
. . ocrntic national platform on these Ihmuch.
We .have every reason to believe that tho
enactment of these measures into law
will bring it much needed cello! front tho
currency and tarlu bills tlmt have been
put on our statute books by means so
illuniinatlngly described by Colonel Mill-
hall. It is the duty of every one who do-
. sires to see these measures passed wltJi
the least possible delay to write their sen- .
titers and congressman at once and urgo
them to stand shoulder to shoulder wlt.'t
President Wilson and not permit the bills
to lie emasculated or their passage de-
layed by special Interests.
0
HEARING FROM HOME
The " following resolutipns, adopted. ,jy the
democratic county central committee of J Sarpy
county, Nebraska, indicate the sentiment among
democrats relative to the tariff and currency
bills now before congress: -
Whereds," President Wilson has wisely recom
mended to congress the immediate passage of a
currency measure, carefully designed to protect
the people and honest business of the country
against the possibility of the money stringency
now and always threatened by the powerful
capitalistic combinations whenever just reme
dial legislation seems probable or possible, and,
Whereas, It is imperative that the adminis
tration' at this time receive the loyal support of
all democratic members of tho house and senate
in its great battle against greed and privilege,
and for the common people. Therefore, be it
Resolved, By the democratic county central
committee of Sarpy County, Nebraska, that all
democratic representatives in congress be and
hereby are called upon and earnestly requested
to loyally and patriotically give unqualified sup
port to the great administration measures now
pending before congress relative to tariff and
currency, and to defer until some future ses
sion of congress the offering of amendments or
criticism likely to delay, obstruct or defeat the
passage of either measure. Be It further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be
immediately transmitted to our representatives
in congress.
Adopted July 19, 1913.
P. J. MELIA,
Chairman.
Attest: W-. D. SCHAAL,
Secretary.
NEW YORK POLITICS
Governor Sulzer's break with Tair lany was
the very best thing for popular government that
could have happened. To bo sure, it has brought
upon him the enemity of powerful politicians
and assaults of all kinds havo been made upon
his character. But all Governor Sulzer needs to
do to be triumphant is to stand faithful and true
to the public welfare. If ho has made mistakes
a8 an men have in the past, they will not be
held against him, provided he avoid- the mistake
of yielding one inch of the ground he has taken
in opposition to the forces that traffic in the
honor of New York state and in the honor of
the democratic party.
SYMPATHY TO CUBA
Secretary of State Bryan sont a mes
sage of sympathy to President Menocal on
the murder of General Rlva, chtof of tho Cuban
national police. Ho said: "The government of
tho United States has heard with deep
sorrow and regret of tho tragic occur
rences at Havana on tho afternoon of July 7 and
desires to offer your excolloncy and tho govern
ment of Cuba sincere sympathy on tho loss of
a valued public servant killed In tho discharge
of his duty. Tho government of tho United
States notes with gratification that your excel
lency's government has evidenced Its determina
tion to mete out justice to tho perpetrators of
this crime, for it feels that only thus can respoct
for the law and tho tranquility of the country bo
maintained. Tho government ol Uio United
States haB no doubt of your excellency's desire
and ability to maintain order and enforce tho
laws x)f Cuba, and desires, in conclusion, to
assure you of Its hearty sympathy and support
in all proper endeavors to this end."
Til 1-3 COMMONER'S NEW FORM
Columbia (S. C.) State:. IBvon- once a month
is too often for Tho Commoner to appoar-r-for
tho standpatters. '
Washington (D. C.) Post: Hereafter The
Commoner will bo Issued monthly Instead of
weekly; and yet some folks will persist In say
ing that Mr. Bryan isn't a sincere reformer.
Omaha World-Herald: Since Tho Commoner
is to be published monthly instead of weekly
we may presume Mr. Bryan thinks that tho
country now does not need watching so closely
an heretofore.
Sioux City (Iowa) Journal: If Dr. Bryan will
mix tho medicine himself, Commoner readers
probably will bo willing to wait a month be
tween doses.
LESSONS ,OF THE LOBBY
The American people are at last getting somo
definite information concerning their govern
ment. The lobby Investigation, together with
tho Mulhall revelations, is sliowing why repre
sentative government does not represent. Tho
fact is also made plain that without tho safe
guards of initiative, referendum and recall, it
can not represent. The Public (Chicago.)
A GOOD WORD FROM ALABAMA
Editor The Commoner: I expect to continue
my subscription to your paper, let it come week
ly or monthly or annually, so long as It lives.
I am happy to know that Bryan Ism (and Chris
tianity) with Wilson are in tho lead in our
government. May God smile upon our nation.
J. R. Crumpton, Berlin, Alabama.
Watch tho judicial appointments and you
will see that the president and attorney general
are trying to secure men whose sympathies ara
with the people rather than with the special
interests.
Commencing with this issue Tho Commoner
will reproduce each month some of 'the best
cartoons from the daily press and other publications.
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