New-York tribune., 1919-10-10
Steel Strike
Injected Into
Conference
Continued from page l

procedure, and said he believed a new
start should be made if anything were
to be accomplished.
DIR. Eliot Is Optimistic
"Can we hopefully go into such a
he asked
1--WE are all, we must assume. clear
ly desirous Of finding new and bet
ter relations between capital and
labor. Should we discuss here either
the old or the present strikes? l
thoroughly agree with the last speak
cr that we do need new method of
operation in this conference, namely,
the presenting Of topics for DISCUS
sion which are really new, not old"
John Spargo and Gavin McNab had
urged revision of the group plan. but
pleas for patience with the machinery
prevailed without much difficulty.
Samuel Gompers at the same time
objected to a phase of the procedure,
holding that it would be unfair for the
committee of fifteen to proceed with
the consideration of matters now be-
fore it, and that it ought to wait for
propositions to be introduced by the
employers. This was generally agreed
to. 1t is, therefore, extremely doubt
full if any propositions will be reported
to the conference for discussion and
action before Saturday. 1t may be
Monday easily enough before the con-
ference begins to debate and vote upon
the issues involved.
So far as the industrial arbitration
and conciliation plans now before the
conference go, compulsory arbitration
is dead letter. 1t has not been sug-
gested by any delegate.
Proposes Joint Boards
A plan proposed by Secretary of
Labor Wilson contemplates a board
Board, findings of which shall have
the moral force of trade agreements
Creation Of a boa I'd composed equally
of employers and workers in each of
the principal industries is called for,
as we'll as board to deal with mis-
cellaneous industries. Workmen and
employers are left to determine for
themselves the manner in which their
members shall be appointed.
whenever" says the plan, "any
dispute arises in any plant or series
of plants that cannot be adjusted To-
cally the question OF" questions in dis
pute shall be referred to. the board
created for that industry for adjust
ment. The board shall also take jurs-
diction whenever in the Judgment of
onehalf of its members strike or
lockout is imminent. Decisions of
the board on questions of wages, hours
of labor or working conditions must
be arrived at by unanimous vote. If
the board shall fail to come to a unan-
imous determination Of any such ques-
ton, the question in dispute shall be
referred to general board appointed
by the President Of the United States
in the following manner:
Final Board Provided
Gone third of the number to be ap-
pointed in agreement with the or
i ganization or organizations of EN-
ployers most representative of en-
ployers; onethird of the number to
be appointed in agreement with the
organization or organizations of labor
most representative of labor, onethird
/ of the number to be appointed by the
President direct.
ANY question in dispute submitted
to the general board for adjudication
shall be decided by the unanimous vote
of the board. If the general board
fails to arrive at a decision by unani-
nous vote, the question or questions at
issue shall be submitted to an umpire
for determination. The umpire shall
be selected by one of the two follow
ing PROCESSES:
First, by unanimous selection of
the general board Failing of such
selection, then the umpire shall be
drawn by lot from a standing list of
twenty person. rared by the Prasi-
dent of the United States as competent
umpires in labor disputes.
Must Abide tv Decision
"1n all disputes that may be pending
| locally or before the industrial board,
or before the general board or before
the umpire, the employers and en-
ployes shall each have the right to Sc
lect counsel of their own choice to rep