The Washington times., 1919-10-16
GROUP BARGAINING
UNDER DISCUSSION
tContinued from First Page.l

7 O. make concessions in other direc-
! tions. 10 would not take 90 heart the
1 defeat OF the Gompers resolution on
! the steel strike GO &C were met half
way ~ the vital point bargaining
/ collectively.
The Baruch resolution, which linked
these two issues together and called
FOR collateral action upon them,
threw CONSERVATION into the employ
er camp yesterday and caused their
4 spokesmen to voice their dissatisfac-
tion on the floor.
r. Pemberton Hutchiason warned
Mr.. Baruch that he might do all the
directing he pleases,' but he would
not force the employer group to take
hasty action on such an important
issue as collective Bargaining.
Baruch sharply Accused.
L. F. Loree sharply accused Mr..
Baruch and his coadjutors Of turning
the conference into a political"
rather than an economic channel. and
inquired blUntly why there was such
a persistent effort to delay action on
the steel strike resolution.
This drew forth a rebuke from
Thomas L. Chadbourne. which in some
respects was the most Significant
speech yet made In the conference.
II resent the lluUllGhlluu AllaL luEIE
Is any political motive involved in an
effort 10 settle the steel strike" he
said, "or On an effort 10 have this con-
ference try to settle q. ] can con-
ceive how certain men may propose,
when a cOnhaEratiOu is raging. that
the community turn its efforts 20 the
manufacture Of fire apparatus: and
can conceive how other men believe
the primary duty is TO put out. the
FIRE with any means at their disposal,
no matter how defective; but I cannot
conceive how the latter can be ac-
cused Of havinE a political motive
when they are doing so.
This conference was called by the
President, as I take il, TO establish
some means Of repairing a gotten and
totteTinE structure, OF bolsterinE up
the present order before il becomes !
subjected 10 irresistible strain. In do
ing that we ought 70 have the coop |
Grafton Of the employer group, and |
not their opposition"
The speech drew a sharp line be- /
tween the public group and the en-
plOyer group, and made IL evident |
for the first time that the influence /
Of Mr.. Baruch and Mr.. CharboUrne /
was predominant in the public group. /
and that there was a radical shift OF /
Generally speaking, IL is probable |
that hereafter the public group will |
line up with labor on most important /
issues, particularly on such a fUnda- i
mental as collective bargaining.
The conference, however. requires 4
a unanimous vote Of all three groups /
before any action can be taken. This /
makes II extremely unlikely that the 4
conference will ever take any ac-
tion on anything" in the words Of
But the nation will see the public
supporting the cause OF labor, and the
employer group standing alone, and
the moral effect will Re strong. This.
at least, is the way in which the
appears at present Through
the Intervention OF Mr.. Baruch. labor
has been placed on a strong tactical
position overnight. Previously il
seemed certain that labor would have
to bear the responsibility Of making
the conference a failure. The bal
ance Of forces is exactly reversed
now.
The conference meets at 2:3O o'clock
today, but IL is unlikely that any re-
port on collective bargaining will DE
brought in BY the steering committee
at that time. II is probable that
the conference will adjourn until to-
morrow or Monday.
Hitting directly at the United
States Steel Corporation and its head.
Judge Ebert II. Gary, who stead
'astedly has refused 20 meet WITH the
committee Of the steel strikers, George !
P. Hampton, managing director Of the !
Farmers National Council, declared J
IN a statement issued this afternoon
hat any corporation refusing TO deal {
with its employees through represen- |
.atives Of their own choosing, whether
Jr not they be employees, should have
is charter revoked.