Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-10-23
LEADERS
WITHDRAW when
MEASURE FAILS
Defeat of Collective Bargaining
Is Signal For Break From
Economic Meeting
WILSON MAKES AN
APPEAL FOR HARMONY
Gompers Says In Swan Song, Capital
Later Will Be Glad to Accent
Collective Bargaining
Plan

Washington, Oct. 22-Labor with
drew from the national industrial con-
ference tonight after it's final effort
to obtain adoption of collective bar
gaining resolution had been defeated
by vote of a ma jority of the capital
group.
Although the representatives of
both the public and capital announced
their intention of remaining in the
conference, the next move in the eff
fort to restore industrial peace to the
country evidently rested with Presi-
dent Wilson.
Mr.. Lane will make a personal re-
port to the president, but neither lead
ers in the conference nor officials gen.
orally would venture a prediction as to
what course Mr.. Wilson would take.
Meantime, the conference will be
called together tomorrow as usual.
Withdrawal of the labor group was
announced by Samuel Gompers. pres
ident oof the American Federation Of
Labor, after dramatic speech. It
came only few hours after Secretary
Lane, in an effort to prevent what
many from almost the first had re-
garded as the inevitable, had read a
letter in which President Wilson die
tating from his sick bed, appealed for
harmony in the conference and for the
final working out of a program Of in
dustrial peace.
Representatives of labor did not
ioin in the applause which greeted the
letter, and Mr. Gompers charact ,rized
as "most unfortunate" motion by
John Spargo, of the public group that
each group pledge the president it
would make every effort to accom-
plish the work for which the confer
ence was called. The motion was
withdrawn and the conference recess
ed so the labor group could meet to
determine it's future course.
When the conference convened in
the afternoon, the labor group pro-
posed their resolution.
GOmpers Threatening
After a suspension Of the rules, the
resolution was Immediately brought
to discussion and vote, the labor and
public groups uniting in it's support
on the roll call. The majority against
the resolution in the capital group
was one vote. but under the confer
ence rules, this majority was suffi-
Gent to defeat the resolution.
With the announcement, Of the re-
suit, Mr.. Gompers told the conference
the resolution had been rejected with
grounds so fiimsy that the men sitting
in the employers group will have diff
ficulty in explaining their action to
- I'll ALr{ 1oI Il -
"You have defeated the labor group
in it's declaration" declared the veter-
an labor leader, "but we will meet
you and when we do meet you, you
will be glad to talk collective bargain
ing.
II have sung my swan song in this
conference. You have by. your ac-
ton legislated us out of the gather
ing. We have nothing further to
say, and it is with a feeling of regret
that we are not able to remain long,
err. Our chief regret is the defeat
of every fair proposition on our part.
The die is cast. We cannot remain
longer"
Representatives Of the four rail-
road brotherhnods remained in the
conference until the session adjourn-
ed, but they announced that they did
so "out of courtesy to the other dele
gates" and that they were in ac-
cord with the main body of the labor
group.
Harry A. Wheeler, chairman Of the
employers group, in announcing the
intention of this group to remain
here for further work, said capital
representatives would not accept the
conference. He declared they had
worked sincerely for what they con-
sidered Just principles and that they
were willing to stand on the record
of the conference.
Wilson's appeal to the conference
today is as follows:
Presidents Letter.
The presidents message follows:
To the ladies and gentlemen Of the
Industrial conference:
~ am advised by your chairman
that you have come to situation
which appears to threaten the life
Of your conference. and because Of
that / am presuming to address
word of solemn appeal to you as
Americans. It is not for me to as
Isess the blame for the present con-
dition. do not speak in spirit Of
!criticism Of any individual or sof any
group. But having called this con-
ference, feel that my temporary me-
disposition should not bar the way
to a frank expression Of the Serio.1s-
ness Of the position in which this
country will be placed should YOU
adjourn without having convinced The
American people that You have OK
hausted Your resouxcefupn ess AIl