El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-10-09

4 S INTERESTING as anything that is going on the
n world today is the industrial conference Washing
between representatives Of labor capital and the pub
lie 70 see If 1t is possible 70 find common ground Of
agreement by which the intermittent clashes be-
tween labor and capital by which labor capital and the
public suffer there is class warfare, this conference
is expected result in the signing Of truce If there
economic warfare Of classes but merely series Of
disputes which and again interfere with production
and throw communities and states into turmoil it
is intended to terminate that condition.
This parey spoken Of "the industrial peace con
ference quite important to the welfare Of the United
States peace conference in France It is assumed
that the representatives, Of organized labor carry authou
cation, within limits perhaps to enter into Whatever
Agreement for betterment Of conditions may be proposed
and that the representatives, Of capital least carry with
them the approval Of the employing class
As for the representatives. Of the public they viii have
the public backing in any agreement they able to
assist making only it VIII prevent strikes and lock
whiting giving either labor capital such advan-
tags may react dsastrousy the public The public
7ust asks protection and Hts decent consideration; not
only asks it but demands it. and VIII have 1t BY one
means another.
The fact that the conference is called by president VII
son and is watched by two cabinet officials secretary
Of interior Franklin K Lane and secretary Of labor
William B. Wilson, gives It very much an Official atnos-
phere ard complete official sanction. Certainly It Is no
Ford peace ship proposition
What II viii be able to accomplish depends wholly
the willingness Of the coneress merge their individual
convictions into common agreement basic principles as
relations between capital and labor Perhaps me
conference viii evolve plan to eliminate the StoPpage OF
industry pending the settlement Of disputes as 10 wages
hours OF conditions Of labor Perhaps It viii attempt TO
pledge organized labor not 10 seek increased wages and
capital cut the present STANDARD OF wages We
both pledge themselves to strive earnestly to increase pro-
duction TO such degree above the present that the cost
Of living viii drop with the oveTsupply.
Any number Of propositions Possible-or It may DC
that the conference win resolve itself into mere debating
society and accomplish nothing definite at all If that Is
the case there VIII be much disappointment Great hopes
certainly are being pinned this industrial parley
nat TuyfI
presumably representative Of public opinion N all parts OF
the United States have devoted columns Of editorials ana
news space the conference, generally expressing edl
torav very optimistic view Of the event That pres-
dent wilson himself expects something definite to be &C
comphed is evidenced by his request to or
anizsd labor TO hold off the steel strike until after the
industrial conference the fact also that he OF his CAD
met members who representing him on account OF MS
illness have prevailed on the railroad DIoInehoous 10 JUN
II the conference,
The president IN his Labor day statement said that
the confsrees %n discuss fundamental Of better
ing the whole relationship Of capital and labor and putting
the whole question Of wages another footing The
latter clause carries suggestion that the president has in
mind plan the nature Of which has not been disclosed
but which viii doubtless become manifest long before the
conference ajourns In fact It is stated that the pres
ident expects obtain from this meeting recommends
lions which he VIII sndeavor to have embodied into laws"
That lire about putting the whole question Of wages
upon another footing suggests profit sharing Of
DR. Wilson is known be sympathetic toward that plan,
and the an labor and the public also look it with
favor Naturally employers be expected to retor that
If labor would share in the profits Of business 1t must
also be prepared TO share IN the lossss any That IS
phase which labor has liked 70 consider It is hu
man nature want to share in benefits while avoiding
any risks Many firms have adopted profit sharing
plan but only those have attracted attention which
been large and prosperous enough to distribute to
the shareholders profits and not deficits The laborer is
generally unable 70 stand losses.
Further indication that proposal o. profit sharing
nay be expected is found in the fact that not only is