The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-19
!, Conference q on Consultation and
Arbitration at Chicago haye
important Session.
4 .doAPERs AND MIR LUsK.
Exchange Ei,,l Compliments
Wants Labor 10 Have ''the
Strength Of a Giant"

CHICAGO. Dec. 1s.-The conference
on arbitration and conclllatlon which
passed into Industrial history with Ito
adjournment Tonight, was enliyened
during the day by debate between
Samuel Gompers, president of tho
American Federation of Labor, and
Hugh b. Lusk, ex-member OF parlln-
Sment, OF New Zealand. The venerable
New zealander during the forenoon,
turned aside from his prepared ad-
dress to express dlspleasure at declar-.
alton made by Mr.. Gompers in hts nd.
dress last night. The labor leader on
Z the occasion mentioned asserted that ho
wanted to see labor organizations re-
tain the privilege of striking when they
pleased, why they pleased, or merely
because they pleased.
THAT is not liberty" cried Mr..
Lusk, "it is license"
AT this moment Mr.. Gompers entered.
The speaker proceeded. ~
"Mr. Gompers wants conciliation and
says you can never have any concilia-
ton unless you are ready to cut ono
anothers throats. Well, II that is the
unfortunate condition OF the people Of
America. am sorry for them. We are
not SO anxious to cut one another's
throats where came from.
Fling at Gompers.
II wish Mr.. Gompers had taken the
trouble to find out what our compulsory
arbitration law is before he told you
about 1t. but as he has not, am obliged
to do 1t for him." =
During the afternoon Mr.. Gompern
secured the stage and reiterated his ass
ssrtieps af i the n! Ght, Eray lalls.
we do fot.,1 II dee Jared, Clutch 20nas
another,s throats unnecessarily, but I
would rather have the right to clutch at
mans throat than to have my arms
amputated. The compulsory labor law
Is. equivalent to the amputation refer
red to. I want labor to have tho
strength OF n giant, but gently"
Following this TWO speeches were
sandWiched In, and then MI. Lusk
again !! secured eel the iloor. he argued at
length about the workings OF the arD.-
tration court OF New New Zeaiano, etl generally.
talking straight at the labor president
You'd cut my arms on in your coun-
try said MI Gompers, speaking from
his seat.
III you were good we Wouid NOT am
putate your arms replied the New
Zealander, but we might enlarge your
head. z,
There was q lively exchange OF cues
tions ana answers winch pewheefeo
the audience. Mr.. LusK said that dur
Ing nearing OF a dispute oee"een an
employer ana MS unionizea empioyes
neither side could. under penalty
change the conoitlohs "hleh CAUSED seq the
appeal to, the arDitration court ihe
hearing during which neither sac mao
the right to independent action Genef-
ally lasted about a month.
& I'D rather be at swords polnts IN
America, an independent tnan 10 sur
render my right to strike lot one MN
ute" shouted DIT. Gompers. ana WIZ
that he left the hall.
Y Aside from the skirmisdes petWeen
these two men, and they TOOK up con-
siderable. time, there were numerous
speeches. all favorlng voluntary afoi-
tration. Even Mr.. Lusk was NOT reaaY
for compulsory arbitration.
At the evening session the COMMITTEES
on resolutions submitted Its report
The resolutions recognize the Iace
that compulsory arbitration, aside from
all other objections urged against it's
not at>this time question Of pracacali
industrial reform, and that such sys-
items as are now in vogue, do not seem
to fully meet requirements OF tho DIFF
fercnt committees
The resolutions further recommended
that the presiding officer Of the confer
ence appoint a committee to serve for
one year. 10 be composed OF Elk repre-
sentatives Of the employer class and siS
OF the ;cmploye class. to be selected as;
nearly as consistent from the different