The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-14
ENDS IN UPROAR
Industrial Conference Thrown
Into Confusion Today.
Chadbourne's Arbitration Board
Proposal Responsible.
FOR A GENERAL COMMITTEE
Would Go Into All Big Indus
trial Disputes.
Labor Group Threatens To Get
Out If Motion Lost.
FOR A GENERAL COMMITTEE

Washington, Oct lathe indus
trial conference was thrown into con-
fusion and compelled to adjourn again
shortly after converting this afternoon
by a proposal from Chairman Chad
bourne of the central committee of
fifteen that six members of the con-
ference be delegated to act as an arbi-
tration board not only for the steel
strike, but for all big Industrial dis
putes now under way In America.
A fight over the labor groups res
olution for mediation of the steel
strike was the business before the aft
ernoon session of the conference. Ad-
journment was taken at 1880 p, m.
for lunch after a motion to refer the
resolution back to the general COM
mfttee had been defeated by unani-
NOUS vote of the three groups-labor.
capital and the public.
Rumors of n Split.
There were rumors during the
lunch period that labor was prepared
to quit the conference in case the
resolution Is voted down this after
noon. No member of the American
to confirm this. altho, most of them
talked pessimistically. One of the
railroad brotherhood delegates how
ever. said that while the brotherhood
men were not prepared to leave the
conference on that issue. he had been
position of the American Federation
of Labor Men.
Six resolutions dealing with the re-
iations between capital and labor and
particularly the right of labor to deal
with employers thru unions were in
troduced by members of the public
group today.
Chairman Bernard NJ. Baruch of
the public group. announced that the
resolutions were not those of the
group as body and that their presen-
tation had merely been assented to be-
cause the subjects were believed to
relate to the purposes for which the
conference was called.
Spargo's Resolution.
John Spargo of New York. offered
a resolution proposing that the con-
ference endorse the following princi-
pies:
The recognition without qualifica-
ton of the right of workers to COM
bine into unions and to form combin-
atoms of unions.
Making it a penal offense for any
organization or industry to refuse to
hear claims. demands or complaints
of organized labor as voiced by union
officials and recommending that con-
gress enact laws to- make this princi-
pie Immediately applicable to every
department of the government except
the army and navy and to every in
dustrial corporation.
Providing that any attempt on the
part of any employer to penalize any
worker for lawful activity in promot-
ing the interests of any union be made
unlawful.
Indorsing the right of labor to use
every peaceful and lawful means ito
promote the principles and aims" of
labor ORGANIZATIONS. including the
right to free assemblage, speech and
publication subject to necessary re-
strictions in time of war or great ma
tional emergency.
Advocating the establishment in ev-
cry state of a special group represent
Ing capital labor and the general pub
lie. to inquire into charges of suppress
sion of the rights of free speech and
assemblage and to order the removal
of any prohibition of these rights
which may have been issued without
just cause.
To Prevent Outlaw Strikes.
To prevent unauthorized strikes.
Louis Titus of San Francisco today in
troduced In the conference a resolu-
ton asking congress to give the labor
department authority to force all
unions to hold secret ballots before
calling strikes.
Thomas d. Jones' of Chicago, intro
duced a resolution providing that en-
plOyes of federal, state and municipal
governments be barred from member
shlps IN OF animation with orgahlza-
tons using the strike as method of
enforcing it's demands.
Both delegates are members of the
group representing the public. The
group gave its assent to presentation
of the resolution but Chairman
Baruch explained this should not be
understood to mean the group had
decided to support the resolutions.
Both resolutions automatically were
referred to the central committee as
were other resolutions presented to-