The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-18
is APLAY OF
PERSONALITIES
! slnendous Issues Of Indus
tual Conference Rest on
Men Under Pressure. 4
|! l|!SsEMBLAGE INTERESTING
.AL.LEN wHirE.l

,(nxFWILLJAM ALLEN WHiTE.)
Warrington. Oct. 1s.-The indus
rial conference Is largely play Of
'sergonalities. 1t is trying to do the
'nost Important work done in Amer
Ca for the generation by any parlia-
'nentary body, and what 1t finally
VII do will be largely the result of
|. ne play of personalities, the give
Ina take which men are able to
: tand under pressure.
iB probably more or less easy
pr the play of give and take to move
m0othly in the National Tennis
n Players association or in a Y. M. C.
Il. convention or conference of ad-
,1errSing men or even insurance men.
r3or Whatever men give and whatever
hey take in such assemblages the
7bccnd rate things of their lives are
1Pvclved, but here in this industrial
lPnference men are playing with tre-
pendous forces, deeply personal to
tenselves and to their own fortunes.
ere give and take u personal, and
/ fersonalities are under great strain
A Glimpse Of Groups.
The reader must understand that
Pis conference is assembled in three
Foups--the labor group, the en-
oyers' group and the public group.
sis important to know also that
hese groups sit in three separate
I tngs-labor on the left, public in
le the center and the capitalists or
nployers' group on the right. They
Fe not mingled one with another.
ach group sits by itself and men in
(ch group are continually getting a
Foup feeling and group interest.
his was graphically illustrated one
hy when the entire public group,
hich is represented by all sorts of
pnditions ss<of men. manufacturers,
hnkers, corporation lawyers, aca-
! Hmecians, writers, publicists, all
bted against the capitalist group.
kcept one man. The one man
hose personality was able to break
trough the group was Judge Gary,
the steel trust. In spite of his
foup he was a capitalist and voted
r. with the capitalist group. He is
! e most notable figure In the con-
rence, the best Known man there.
dge Gary sits in the midst Of the
blic group. generally fianked by
mo one of his kind, like Mr.. Lang
IA sand Mr.. Endicott, and watches
J |os&Conyention with q rather cold
NV eve. excestngily bright, terrier
light, and utters never q word. He
the dapperest -zran In the room,
ne. times he wears a light browrrish
y suit with rather q splendid light
NJ generally in his button hole
IT, f>,.Ak a.
If sitting for his portrait. with
bthes cerased and lienen immac-
hte, and hands manicured. They
herally rest elapsed together in his
as though sustaining his stom-
h, which is not large, and needs
support. He impresses as being a
rveless man. He sat for thirty
nutes without moving a muscle
cept once or twice to brush his
In while Samuel Gompers stood
raigning the steel trust and all it's
en, in a powerful speech one aft
boon. His terrier bright eyes
stened as they gazed dispassion-
ely at Gompers' face. but they did
t finch at Gompers' climax and
color came or went in his face as
3 tide Of Gompers' oratory rose and
Il. The whole conference, fifty re-
rters and roomful of spectators,
kre looking at Judge Gary while
mpers spoke, and Gompers was
bking at Gary with, rather a fiery
e. But never twicht moved aGry's
be. Not even by movement of a
BIT or hand did he indicate that
was under the slightest nervous
essure. The cold, determined, in
mitable physical nature Of the man
ver had more perfect test than it
ii that afternoon under the Com
rs arraignment. ..
Gompers a Striking Figure.
Sompers himself is something of a
lure, probably on the whole the
bst interesting figure in the confer
ce. He is little man-5 feet 3 or
probably; stocky, almost fat, but
{ quite, and with moth eaten hair.
ooth- shaven features and rather
kthery, pink skin, sloping rather
IN square shoulders, long armed
short-legged. He is Judge Gary's
4 tithesis.
iompers rarely sits STILL, One
ght know how the conference is
ing by looking at Gompers' half
Id head, which fiushes pink and
les white like the bulb of a ba-
meter as the proceedings go for
rd, pleasing or displeasing. He
es not fidget, but he rarely may be
md in the same position ten min
IS at stretch. He has his group
IL in hand; indeed, he is the soul
his group. There Is not much
4 hsultation in public, but Gompers
q by Frank Morrison and keeps a
~ ming fire of whispered talk to him.
|l sompers is nervous; he likes to
hitter in speech. He shows in a
busand physical ways his pleasure
|. b displeasure. His face is mobile,
mouth is large and strong, his
is rather brutal and indomitable.
has the big nose of the ruler, but
eyes-there is the mystery. They
} sheathed with thin, saurian lids !;
en- he opens them wide he gives a
ming effect to his face. Generally
" are half closed and back of them
the Jew. the quiet oriental, grim,
rposeful, imaginative-the eyes of
man who sees great visions. The
hl back of them dreams high
4ams, and yet the face around the
Is is mask, mobile, but on the
ole secretive, furtive.
iompers looks curiously unwest-
curiously like a Persian poten-
e. Ali he would need would be
front hall rug and a fez to simu-
the satrap in his power. Yet he
the ideal of the doughty bunch of
sh labor men who surround him,
h his will prevails without discus
n or argument. They have learned
believe in him; they know they
trust him. He is absolutely true.
buinely square in his relations to
Use about him. For all the furtive
entail cast to his face, his charac-
is western, fundamentally Amer
IN.
World Will Hear of Him.
near him sits short, dark, young,