Evening star., 1919-10-14
Gompers' Resolution
Opposed by Public
and Employers.
REPORTED WITHOUT
RECOMMENDATION
Labor Group Alone Supports Pro-
posal When Before Steer
ing Committee.

/ President Wilson's industrial con-
ference today reached a critical stage
in its proceedings. The resolution by
Samuel Gompers proposing interven-
ton by the conference in the steel
strike. and which has the unanimous
support of the labor group. was laid
before the conference for debate and
final disposition.
The resolution was reported to the
conference this morning without rec
ommendation by the steering commit
tee of fifteen, the three groups rep
resented in the committee being un-
able to reach an agreement for rec
ommendatlon. as required by the rules.
mittee voted for favorable recon-
mendation. but this was opposed by
the representatives of the employers
and the public. There was a majority
vote in committee in favor of sub
mitting the resolution TO the confer
ence without recommendation.
Take Vote by Group.
AS introduced by Mr.. Gompers. the
resolution provided for arbitration
of the steel strike by a committee Of
six members of the conference. three
fore submitting it without recon-
mendation the committee of fifteen
amended the resolution to provide
that each group should select two
members of the arbitration commit
tee. either members of the confer
ence or not, as each group might de-
termine. In this form it Is before
the conference.
When the debate is ended and the
time comes for a vote, under the
ha taken nV
groups. and all three groups must
vote in the Affirmative before any
resolution can be issued ss the sense
of the conference.
This precludes possibility Of final pas
sage of the Gompers resolution. as a
majority of the conferees sitting In the
employers group are known to be un-
aiterably opposed to 1t. The labor group
while the anal vots Of the public sroup
is uncertain. It's five representatives on
the commitfee OF fifteen opposed recon-
mending passage Of the resolution. but
this does not neceesarily mean that
against Il when the test comes- But
even IL the public group should Join
the labor group, they cannot IN com
bination pass the resolution II the en-
ployers' group dissents.
Objects to Chairman's Plan.
In submitting the report of the COM
mittee of fifteen this morning Chairman
Chadbourne proposed that the report
Of the committee be read as whole.
and that each group pass on a block
OF proposals at one sitting In order
to economize time. Mr.. Gompers and
to this procedure on the ground that
the discussion, which should take place
on the floor Of the conference, would
thus be confined to group meetings.
M q - O q
conference, ended the discussion by
stating that the complete report of
the central committee would be
heard, and that then ample oppor-
tunity would be allowed for discus
sion of each proposal
A resolution by Frederick P. Fish
of Boston, chairman OF the national
industries conference board, assuring
labor, not represented in the meeting
that the conference would not neg
lect its interest. was adopted
Committees of Nine and Subjects.
The general committee recommended
that three committees OF nine mem
bers each, three from each group. be
appointed to consider the following
subjects:
unemployment, unemployment in
surance and immigration: hours OF
labor wages and women and children
in industry and production and In
dustrial and vocational training.
under it's own jurisdiction the follow
ing subjects: Collective bargaining,
mediation, conciliation and arbitra-
tion and freedom Of contract.
Only two resolutions, other than
that Mr.. Fish were reported with
recommendations for adoption They
were one by Fuller E. Galloway OF
Georgia, providing for encouragement
Of individual initiative and enterprise,
and another by L. F. Loree of New
York. providing for an industrial
census.
All resolutions heretofore introduced
with the assent of groups, including
the various planks of the statement
of principles made by labor and en-
ployers, were referred to subcommit-
tees of the committee of fifteen and
they will be reported later.
Suggests One Meeting Daily.
1t was recommended that in the
future the conference hold one regular
meeting each day, except Sunday,
from $3.50 pm. to, p.m instead Of
two meetings as at present, so that
10 am to pm. each day may be
reserved for committee meetings, with
the right on the part of the commit
tees to meet at such other times as
will not conflict with the conference
meeting or meetings of their own
groups.
Following the reading of the report
of the committee. which also embodied
a plan for a large number of subcom-
mittees, the conference adjourned for
a half hour to enable the groups to
nominate their members of the several
subcommittees.
When the conference reassembled
John Spargo of New York proposed
that labors demand for arbitration of
the steel strike be referred back to
the committee of fifteen, but his mo-
ton was defeated. The conference
then adjourned until 2:30 pm.
Amended Gompers' Resolution.
The text of the Gompers resolution,
as amended. and which is expected
this afternoon to be the subject of
acrimonious debate and possibly Q
vote, which will mark a turning point
in the conference, is as follows:
Resolved, That whereas the ma
strike now in progress IN
the steel industry Of America Affects