The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-18
GOnpers Sounds Warning NOtl
 Against the Capitalists
CAPITAL MUST CONSIDER MEN
Senator From Ohio Says the Future the Industrial World Depends Upon the Success of the Fed
 eratlon Movement.

eration Movement. l Chicago, October IA warning to can ital against cutting wages, if fnaneia I depression comes, was uttered by Presi dent Gompers of the American Federation l of Labor, and a plea for harmony be tween employers and toilers by Senate l Hanna was made at the closing sessioI of the National Civic Federation confer ence today. Mr. Gompers had listened t the argument of the representatives capital and labor who had come fror various parts of the country to discus questions that would end in bringing then closer together. It was in reply to on, of the speakers the editor of New Yorl paper. who at the session the day befor took occasion to tell the employers an, employees in the event of possible fnan cial reaction not to make any unreason able demands on the employers. that NIT Gompers spoke of the harm that wouli follow any attempt to lower wages.
 Senator Hanna as did number of tn other speakers, including those for cap itol and labor, advised conservatism il all disputes by both sides, and praised tn element of labor organizations.
 Labor leaders and employers believ that the conference has done much il bringing the wage earners and the eapl talsts together in an effort to establsl more harmonious relations.
 Hanna Presided.
 United States Senator Hanna presided at todays session. The conference end tonight and it is not considered unlikeE that before adjournment recommendation advising labor organizations and employ CTS associations to use the greatest con servatism from now on on account the present industrial conditions will b adopted
 Ex-Judge Waterman of the local brancl 1 of the federation introduced Senate Hanna, the president of the National Civt Federation. MT. Hanna spoke of the i'm portance of the work engaged in and th success of bringing together capital an, labor, which at first seemed to him impos slble.
 Muck. iIs s..fd. vas s4e to the conserga tive element of labor organizations H expressed the hope for the future and sah that members of the federation who first were reluctant to join were now tn most active workers. Since his conneo ton with an Ohio strike thirty years aga he said he had made up his mind ther was a way to settle differences.
 The future of success in the industria world, the Senator said, would he largel guided by the civic federation movemen which was started four years ago. Tn duty of employers was greater than tha of employees, and the work of eonciliatio was the great work to be done. 1 In all great difficulties, political am otherwise. compromise Is the only thin to bring success
 The work of the federation he said the work of education and he added tha patience is required in the work for tn | good of our felowmen, individually am for society as a whole.
 Future success in maintaining industra success was a greater matter than tn | question who Is the next President. Cap tains of industry, he said, and the othe side were only too willing to learn fron | teachers who have experience.
 Distrust preached by labor leaders. h declared to be an unfair proposition There is not, he said. any real difference that cannot be settled. but fair dealinl was necessary.
 He referred to the wastefulness strikes and lockouts and the effect the had on capital and labor and how aid | the movement of the federation could hel all.
 w. l.. Mckenzie King of the departmen of labor, Ottawa, Canada. discussed tn conciliation act in force in Canada an how a number of strikes were successfull settled by the law. John T. Wilson, pres ident of the International Brotherhood O Railway Maintenance and Way, als spoke.
 Marcus Marks president of the natlona clothing manufacturers association New York, argued against the enforce ment of a high minimum wage showinl that 1t brings Injury to the under-averag workman. throwing him out of employ ment except on the most prosperous time
 Samuel Gompera, president of the Am erican Federation of Labor. followed MT. Gompers expressed his appreciation of the work of the federation and de sired to correct a misapprehension whicl he said existed in the minds of some re garding organized labor and clear fals notions so labor and capital could g along hand in hand in the production the wealth of the country.
 MT. Gompers argued against views O freedom and individualism expressed b some at the conference and replied t the address presented by Marcus M Marks regarding the minimum wage, de nouncing certain manufacturers.
 He replied to T. F. Woodlock, a NeV York editor. who In an address said tha because of the reaction in business nov confronting the country, labor shoul make no unreasonable demands upon tn employer He said:
 "If the time comes to suggest the ad visibility of the employe. the employo 10 cutting or making any attempt to GU wages. it will be disputed by us. WI will not let that go easily We will mak stand because it simply accentuates tn industrial crisis and gives 1t greats strength"
 Labor Mir Gompers said, asks no spec ial privileges. nor immunity from law but labor objects to the single douh when laws are made to apply to it. am 10 no other individuals or aggregation O individuals.
 Successful arbitration, Mr. Gomper said, was impracticable unless the em ployers are strong and workmen organ zed and prepared to defend the stan they may take He discussed the charg that organized labor was taking advan tage of too many things to secure tn best possible conditions obtanable. IT said that was not what organized labo believed should be, done, but what wa wanted was improved conditions. sayin --~---------~~~--------