The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-25
LABOR PARLEY
NOT HELD in VAIN
So Declares Report Made 10
President by Public Dele
gates Group.

Washington, Oct. 25.-President
Wilson's industrial conference was
not in vain, it was declared in the
report made to the president by the
public group today. President Wilson
had before him the report urging
that he establish a commission to
carry on the work which was started
by the industrial conference.
The accomplishment of the indus
trial conference as outlined by Ber-
nard Baruch are these:
/. 1t brought the issues involved
home to the nation.
2. 1t demonstrated the great diff
culties of a solution.
3. The discussions are authorized
public thought, and from that thought
will come a solution of the industrial
problem.
4. The intimate relation of the
farming interests to industrial ques-
tions was demonstrated.
s. 1t was demonstrated that both
capital and labor owe society any
production at the lowest possible
cost.
"All workers merit not alone proper
financial treatment but recognition
of the position as part of the founda-
ton of society ITSELF" declared Ba-
ruch today. This recognition must
come not as a grant, but as matter
of inherent right. The outcome of
this conference must be that there
will be manifest and increasing eff
fort on the part of the employers to
see. that not alone proper wages are
paid, but that the human rights of
the workers are considered. The en-
pioyer has certain rights which must
be recognized and protected. Coupled
with these rights is the obligation to
see that all of Dis employees are ac-
corded just treatment"
Groups Report Follows.
The report of the public group to
the president was in part as follows:
"The public group, as was intended
differed from the other groups rep
resenting labor and capital in one
important particular. 1t had not the
homogeneity of interests of either OF
these groups; it represented, rather,
cross section of American life. Not
withstanding this diversity of inter-
est and relation there was manifested
throughout an astonishing amount OF
agreement upon the most vital sub
jects. This we regard as a most
hopeful sign for the future and an
evidence of the possibility of united
action in the interest of the entire
nation.
THE existence of the steel strike
had the effect of focusing interest and
attention upon present conflicts as
against constructive. measures and
agreement for the future and made
the calm discussion of such con-
structive measures difficult. Because
it was manifestly impossible to dis
pose of this subject by agreement un-
der the rules of the conference, which
required concurrence of at least a
majority of each of the three groups,
the conference decided to defer ac-
tion upon the question until the sub
ject of collective bargaining was
passed upon.
I'VE deem it important to empha-
size the fact that the conference did
not at any time reject the principle
of the right of workers to organize
and to bargain collectively. The diff
ficulty that arose aSd the issue which
the conference failed to agree upon
was not upon the principle involved,
but upon the method of making II
effective.
lndorse Collective Bargaining.
obviously. the important principle
of collective bargaining cannot be
sharply separated from other ele-