Evening star., 1919-10-14
STEEL STRIKE TEST
. OF PARLEYS VALUE
Public Groups Plan to Have
Workmen Elect Leaders
Appears Logical.
ISSUE BRINGS CONFUSION
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Possibly it was the weather. Pos
sibly it was an intuition of inevitab BILE
strife. But the Industrial peace con-
ference at it's session this morning
got all tied up in sarcasm, parlia-
mentary confusion and entangling pro-
cedure.
And the clearest thing visible was
the disinclination of the employer
members of the conference, including
some of that type on the pupllc
group, to take the initiative In set
Ting the big steel strike. That is
why Samuel Gompers spoke satlricai-
ly of an innocuous resolution that
was adopted on abstract matters:
That is why the labor group scowieo
as the committee of fifteen reported
without recommendation labors pro
posal that committee OF SIX De
appointed either from the MEMBER,
ship of the conference or OUTSIDE OIL
it to settle the steel strike
Labor plainly sees little value in the
conference itself if an issue such as Is
involved in the steel strike is slde-
stepped While many members OF the
public group realize this. they are
opposed to the mere appointment OF
committee without some dennloe un- :
derstanding as to the principles Which
would guide a committee. For, 1t Is
argued. il a committee from the con-
ference undertakes, for instance. to rec
oenize trades unions, the entire con-
ference might be regarded as having
sanctioned such a recognition.
Committee to Supervise.
So to avoid such differences or han
dicaps, the members of the pubic
group prepared to consider counter
sponsored by Thomas L.
Chadhourne, chairman Of the COM
mittee of fifteen.
Mr.. Chadbourne's idea is that COM
mfttee should be appointed but on the
definite understanding that nrst the
men must go back to Work ana tne
employers shall reinstate them, out
that Immediately an election shouio
be held to choose representatives OF
the workmen and that the committee
of ak shall supervise such an election
and that the company shall be re-
oufred to enter into collective par-
gaining arrangements with the rep
resentstfves of the men whosoeyer
they happen to, be. whether labor
union men or not
the trade union and at the same time
leaves it to the men to say who shall
them. Elbert Il. Gary, head
OF the United States Steel Corporation,
has contended that the union leaders
did not represent the workmen. Until
the definite question of who the work
ers consider to be their leaders is de-
termined. the futility of appointing
any committee to decide the strike is
apparent. The Steel Corporation would
question the source OF au-
thority of those who professed to speak
for the laboring men.
Is Root Of Conference.
But incidentally the point involved
in Mr.. Chadbourne's suggestion goes
to the root Of the industrial peace
itself. The whole affair
depends upon the right of workers to
a representation in industry. The en-
ployers' group stand ready evidently
to grant representation. but the form
of such representation Is the neart OF
the matter. Shall each shop or plant
be a unit? Shall workmen be obliged
to select their representatives out Of
the shop to deal with their respective
or can they employ out
side counsel. or agents, or officials,
as the corporations do in dealing with
the men?
The conference is tending toward
solution like that offered by the Col
orado Fuel and Iron Company after
distressful period of Industrial war
fare. Each plant elects its represent
atives. but there is no objection to
the selection of trades union men for
representatives.
The company is not required to deal
with any but the chosen representa-
tives Of the men, and a mutual agree
ment to submit differences to the state
industrial commission for final adjudi-
Sc
the creation of a national industrial
board with district and local boards
for the settlement of industrial diff
culties throughout the nation. a paral-
lei to the Colorado plan only on a
large scale is being suggested.
The plan to settle the steel strike by
applying at once the principles of
democratic choice of representatives
without coercion of any sort-for the
election in this case would be super
yised by an impartial committee is
the first step toward that democratic
zation of industry which employers
anS employees here represented say is
Labor Wants Settlement.
Labor is anxious for a settlement of
the steel strike. 1t is insisting upon
some action on that phase of indus
trial unrest at once because the fate
Of trade unionism in the steel districts
hangs in the balance. The employers
think a defeat means the deathknell
Of the unions. The labor leaders say
defeat means the downfall of the con-
servatives in their ranks and the sub
stftution for them of the radicals. who
bolshevists in their
throughout the conference the union
Ia bor people seem to have given the
impression that the alternative to
union labor is bolshevism. Most of the
employers group do not take such an
ntimation seriously. though it has
made it's impression on the public
group, who would prefer harmony
and a reconciliation of difficulties to any
stubborn desire on the side of capital
DR. labor to prove by future strife
which happened to have been right.
rhe different groups are foundering
around in the discussion of general
principles. That was inevitable at the
start, but the steel strike is still the
concrete test of the potential value
# the whole industrial peace con-
ference.
Copyright. 1912
Better Strike Situation in Brest.
rpEST 0cfoher IA (Hayasl-The