New-York tribune., 1919-10-25
Report to President Sug-
gests Small Committee
to Work Out Program
for Another ParIev
Fighting g Policy Put
Up to ll2 Unions
25 Per Cent Assessments
Urged to Raise Funds
for death Struggle''

/ -
tional Industrial Conference. called bv
President Wilson to seek some basis of
cooperation between labor and capital
III the present unrest, and twice urge
by him TO stay at its task, formally
closed tonight, having failed in it's
purpose.
The public group, the last remaining
element of the conference, following
labor's bolt and capitals withdrawal
adjourned sine die this afternoon, with
recommendation to President Wilson
that he create 81 commission to carry
on the work which the conference had
failed to finish.
GOmpers Calls Conference
Samuel Gompers, leader of the dis.
satisfied labor group, let it be known
that conference OF the 112 interna-
tjonal unions affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor would be held
i'll Washington in the NEAR future" to
discuss present and impending dis
putes.
The report of the public representa-
tives, declining to assume the task for
which the original gathering was
called, was transmitted to the White
House through Chairman Bernard NJ
Baruch, in the form Of q thousand -word
letter. No information was forthcom-
ing from the White House as to the
Presidents next move to bring indus
trial peace to the country.
The nNbllc rpDDrt was Grattpd
committee of FIVE delegates, Of which
John ID. Rockefeller, jr., was chairman.
Although four or five conferees were op-
posed 20 final adjournment only DR..
Charles W. Eliot. president emeritus OF
Harvard University, voted against the
motion on final tests.
Agreed on Vital Points
The public group in its report points
out that while the groups bership
lacked the homogenity of the other
units in the conference, there was
"manifested throughout an astonishing
amount OF agreement upon the most
vital subjects" which, the group feels.
"is I. most hopeful sign for the future
and an evidence of the possibility of a
united action in the interest of the en-
tire nation"
"The existence Of the steel strike"
focusing interest and attention upon
present conflict as against construc
tive measures and agreement for the
future, and made the ca m discussion
of such constructive measures difficult.
Because it was manifestly impossible
to dispose Of this subject by agreement
under the rules OF the conference
which required concurrence of at least
a majority OF each of the three groups,
the conference decided to defer action
upon the question until the subject Of
collective bargaining was passed upon
Did Not Reject Union
"In this connection we deem it I'M
portant to emphasize the fact that the
conference did not at any time reject
the principle of the right Of workers
to organize and to bargain collectively
with their employers Neither the
conference as a whole nor any one
group in the conference opposed that
right The difficulty that arose and
the issue upon which the conference
failed to agree was not upon the prln-
ciple involved, but upon the method of
making it effective.
''In oUr judgment, even this diff
Guilty would not have been insurmount-
able had the conference approached is
task in another way.
"Obviously, the important principle
of collective bargaining cannot be
sharply separated from other elements
in the great problem Of the relations
Of employers and employed. The right
of organization, the protection, in the
exercise of their lawful rights Of those
who seek TO organize tne workers, the
careful definition of the various forms
Of organization through which the
right may be exercised. and the ma
chinery necessary for adjusting dis
putes arising in connection with that
right, must all be taken into account in
their proper relation.
Urge Broad Scope
I'VE believe that the experience of
this conference and of similar confer
ences elsewhere shows clearly the fu-
tility of attempting to deal with this
great question in Il piecemeal way by
adopting detached and unrelated reso-
lutions. The only efficient method, in
our Judgment, is that of formulating
a comprehensive and Systematically de-
veloped program.
I'VE believe that the right of work
ers to organize for the purpose of col
lectively bargaining with their employ
ers. through representatives of their
own choosing, cannot be denied or as
sailed. AS representatives of the pub
lie we can interpret this right only in
the sense that wage earners must be
( n1l M