The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-16
EMPLOYERS
DIFFICULT
Their Group and Not Labor
Group Require GIoved
Handling.
WEEKS RECESS PLANNED
tBY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITLEY,

evident in yesterdays session of tn,
industrial conference that the EN-
ployers' group and not the labol
group. was the one that needed t,
be handled with gloves-the delegate.
neard a rumor to the effect that tn,
president was anxious to have tn,
delegates sit until their task is fin.
ished, and as an evidence of the
presidents feeling, Bernard Baruch
who is assumed to represent the
president. more than any other dele.
gate, bestirred himself to get a com
promise on the steel strike motion
which was introduced last week by
Mr.. Gompers. For four days the con.
ference has baked at that resolution
The Daruch compromise was to post
pone action without prejudice until
the subcommittee on collective bar
gaining should bring in a permanent
plan for the adjudication of all
strikes. The Baruch resolution had
the solid vote of labor, the solid vote
or the public group, excepting two
one OF whom was Judge Gary, him.
self, sitting with the public group
and the two farmer votes in the en-
pioyers' group. 1t had an overwhelm-
ing majority of the conference, and
the chair declared that so long as II
was merely motion to postpone a
resolution and not to determine a
policy of the conference, he would de-
clare 1t carried without the slnani-
nous vote of thee group. Whereas,
the employers group raised the cry
OF coercion.
Reason For Grievance.
They claimed they could not be
expected to act upon a matter of so
much Importance as a plan for COL
lective bargaining, and a court OF
cancellation in the "a hours fixed by
the resolution.
President Emeritus Eliot of Har-
ward. called the attention of the en-
ployers to the fact that these sub
Jects were matters of common dis
cussion, that every one knew quite
we'll the points for and against them
and that the employers would have ia
use very little Judgment in coming
to conclusions upon the subject.
He held that an hour or so at most
should be enough time to defeat OF
pass the necessary resolution, The
fact that the capitalists program
has formally committed the employ
ers to collective bargaining and the
court Of conciliation is suficient
reason TO indicate that they were not
coerced In being asked to sit with the
other groups In the committee OF
hfteeH and draft n plan IN "a hours
Z But they evidently felt aggrievei
Their first great desire was to crush
the steel strike. They displayed
openly a degree Of class conscious
pes which has been evident in COM
mttee rooms for several days, but
which until the Baruch resolution
passed, never had been visible upon
the floor of the conference.
And cu'riously enough. although the
group representing the public has
many employers in it, that group
with the exception of Mr. Gary, and
an Omaha delegate united against
the employers group. The employers
in the public group, men like Endi-
colt, Chadburne, Langdon and Rookie
feller, oil stood by labor as against
this particular aggrandizement of
capital.
Z The class consciousness Of the
employers seemed to grow when they
were isolated in group by them
selves, and not to be so evident when
they were associated in the public
group with socialists like Spargo and
Russell, labor men like. Forester,
settlement workers like Miss Wald,
college presidents like Mr.. Eliot,
writer's like Miss Tarbell. 1t was evil
dent that something must be done
to keep capital sweet. So labor and
the public are sending their delegates
about among the employers group
trying to mollify them one at time.
Carried Round on Chip.
They are being treated like tenn
peramental actresses, and probably
will have to be carried around on a
chip until they force their wrongs. In
the meantime, the conference ad-
journed to let the breach heal over.
In the committee of fifteen, last night
the public and labor groups were to-
gether. They have one member of
the employers group, the farmer
member, and feel that they have a
chance to get two others,
a majority of the employers
group. If they have a majority of
the employers group the resolution
by the public and the labor
groups will be favorably reported to
the conference.
1t is likely that this will be done
and that late today after the prelimi-
nary skirmishes are over, the en-
ployers' group will have to decide
it will block the work of the
SO far. all the employers
group votes have been negative upon
measures. Chairman
Wheeler of the employers group, in
a speech, apologized for this negative
voting, but explained that, believ-
ing as they do, the delegates from the
group could do nothing
else, even though it placed them in
an unenviable position. That position
may possibly weigh upon some en-
ployers sufficiently heavy to influ-
ence them to vote with public and
abor.
Every Day Gained, Counts.
And there is likelihood that capi-
tai will ask an adjournment until
morning if the situation de-
velops against the employers, for
Every day gained in the fight against
he steel trust counts. The employ
.rs' group feels that the steel fight
. tiieI HBhl, anu lne members Oh
hat group are trying to wear out the
men on strike MUCH more than they
Ire the men in the conference. For
hey have considerable compunctions
bout the opinions of the men in the
whom they are opposing.
A great bNndle of manuscripts
representing the various plans and
proposals before the committee of fif-
cen. is on the secretary's desk, but
Friday morning it is expected that
he various groups will have deliv-
sred all their proposals to the COM
nittee. When that finally is done.
chairman Chadbourn may be asked
" his committee to request a weeks
adjournment in which to give the
committee time to formulate its COM
,lete plan.