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Show THE TRADE AGREEMENT. H A way to avoid strikes is pretty well elaborated H by Commissioner Carroll B. Wright in tho Inter- H national Quarterly. H J. P. Morgan outlined the idea though it was jH 8"! ff Mi steel strike in 1901, when he assorted that he was B' sij Km i nt hostile to organized labor; that he looked HLk isk 1 'ili upon it with favor, to the extent that ho preferred ii ft rffli' JR a well-organized and administrative trade union ll l 'ifJIi'l ip i as the medium through which contracts for wages Hf 4 t 'lltflj'i lH ' an(l other conditions of employment could he B'H jw! Hjp f 1 j made, rather than the chaotic and unreliable re- Bi Cl i ' UN ! nl sults following arguments with individual work- iP r i 'Ml j HMkIJH If f 3 Pa ' i men. S t : fl I I lii Commissioner Wright explains that "collective f ! 1 ! j p , bargaining takes place when a body of individuals, iTr'lP through its representatives, makes a contract, Hill!' tMlf i with the representatives of another body of indl- HISI LIll'S ' 1 viduals that is, in industrial affairs, collective Hgflllf III . ' bargaining takes place where there is an agree- rr"l f II I, life j mont between the employers, or a collection of B ! '- i i ' lira mcn anc tllG emPlyees as another collection." B ' I "1 1 'I 1 1 ' He further says: "The terms of a trade agree- m ' 1 i I "i 'i In ' ment must be clearly stated, and all the details il' ' jJI ! as to wages, hours of labor, and other working ' I'! I ! ' li ! conditions agreed upon, and so clearly that they B ' 1 ill ft ili are no suec to nny dipping interpretations; B fls f II mit there ar0 certain basic elements or stipula- B 41 ill! I tions which should be incorporated in every agree- B $ If til ment. It should be an essential feature of the B 'I if It contract that no question shall be conclusively B t ' III! '1 1 acted upon by either party to it independently, but B Wfi 1 1 1 r ' no oriual with him at the time of the great H t Jlllliii shall be referred for settlement to a joint com- fl H itiilll mittee, which committee shall consist of an equal Hi $ I 11 II I ! number of representatives from each association B'' Hi 1 n 1 1 or Dody or Party entering into it, and that the find- H H 1 i sill - ngs of "10 committee shall be final and binding H - fiS 'II' rf upon the parties and their respective members." H j i'ljll Other features we condense, as follows: No H , ' s strikes or lockouts can be permitted, all questions ilfl, l of the difference must go to the joint committee, 111 ijtnj ; the work must not be interrupted, and no sympa- J lUll j I thetlc strike can be permitted. There must be no ifPij! S discrimination against workmen or employers and ) llmm J the agreement cannot be annulled during its life 1 1 lit ' ' ky tne wIthdrawal of either party. The result 1 1 HH ; , would be that employers would have to fully recog- 1 1 jaw , nize the rights of employers. On the other hand, 1 H if ill I Labor Unions would naturally elect as officers the B i I hi I shrewdest and most careful members of their or- R ! 1 m I 1 1 ganization. Then there would quickly grow up a Hf hlfi feeling of mutual dependence between the men H '.'If I I who supply the capital and the men who supply HH , j the muscle and skill to carry on the work. It looks B 1 11 to us like a good arrangement, or at least the be- jH am ; ginning of a good arrangement, through which in a B ' 1 311 little while a system could be perfected which IB lllii ' would bo satisfactory to all parties concerned. B 3$ j Under its terms the joint committee would in H f ll.Ili i effect sit as an informal court, and meanwhile the B iPis ' 'work would be going on without interruption and BB i ijt the working men would be receiving their wages. BB ill Labor Unions generally should take this plan B IllfW ' under serious consideration. i .; '4' SHfli : I |