The sun., 1919-09-01
q
President Will Call Confer
ence Of Capitalists and
Unionists.
SEEKS BETTER FOOTING
Rail Scheme Author Tells
Richmond Audience Basic
Change Must Come.
HE BLAMEs WALL STREET
Sees No Relief Until Non-Pro-
ducing Profit Takers Are
Eliminated.
SEEKS BETTER FOOTING
HE BLAMEs WALL STREET
speclal pe.pd.eA % Tnn suE..

CcSfNeNS''
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.-President
Wilson, in message to labor, tonight
expressed qualification at the progress
being made in the fight, to reduce liv-
ing costs and announced that he
would call at date as early as prac-
cable "a conference in which authori-
tative representatives of labor and
those who direct labor will discuss
fundamental means of bettering the
whole relationship of capital and
labor and putting the whole ques-
tion of wages upon another footing"
1t was stated on high authority
tonight that the conference as sug-
gested by the President would be
called soon after his return from the
"swing around the circle late next
month.
Resolutions have been pending tn
both houses of Congress urging that
labor and employers get together to
settle their disputes, and grievances.
officials saw possible alienation Of
the tension between labor and en-
ployers through to-day's message of
the President and expected beneficial
results would follow. - ", Il ssrl..5.
The message of the President did
not explain another footing and
there was no means available tonight
of learning what plan the President
had in mind. At the same time the
message of the President appealed to
labor to follow their lenders and
.'moye with the Government instead
| Of against 1t in the solution of this
greatest domestic problem" Whils
substantial results in the fighting
against living costs are practically
certain, the statement set forth, Presi-
dent Wilson warned that they could
not be instantaneous and that pa
tience was. as much needed as vigil
lance in the fight.
President Wilson and labor leaders
in Washington are holding an attitude
of watchful waiting 10 see what Labor
Day will bring in the Industrial stu
| alton of the United States, There was
every indication to-day that they were
| confident that the conservative work
1 ing man would not lend himself to
radicalism and that the day would
pass without the precipitation Of fur
ther industrial unrest.
Plumb Is Critical.
With the Administration and the
| higher officials of the labor movement
working together there has appeared
only one disturbing element In the sit
uation.
Glenn f. Plumb. author of the
Plumb plan for Government control Of
the railroads In speech before the
railroad men in Richmond Tonight
was severely critical of the measures
taken by the President to ward Off
railroad and other strikes, and told q
large body of railroad workers thai
the President was offering nothing but
promises to the railroad workers, that
his cost of living reduction propa-
ganda was nothing but temporary ex-
pedient and that he had no faith In II.
Only yesterday the executive council
of the American Federation OF Labor
withheld approval or disapproval of
Plumb's ideas as to the railroads for
further study and analysis.
So far as is known every other labor
element in Washington is cooperating
with the President in his efforts.
Though it had been expected that
the President would take action In the
threatened steel strike before Labor
Day, nothing OF this nature came from
the White House. The President
stayed in Washington over the holi-
day, driving with Mrs Wilson and
I preparing for his tour Of the country
in support Of the Ledgue of Nations.
Gary May Call Tuesday.
Nothing has been made known from
the White House as to the Presidents
efforts to settle differences between the
United States Steel Corporation and ite
organized workers. II is understood
that he will receive no callers to-mor-
row, but II Is possible that Judge Il. II.
Gary, chairman of the board OF the Steel
Corporation. who has refused to reeog-
n!ze the union or treat with Its repre-
sentatives. may be at the White House
Tuesday.
The President gave assurances to
Samuo! GoIlpers. president cs The Amer
lean Federation of Labor. and others
that he would do what he could In the
situation. but whether he had undertaken
ito bring settlement by correspondents
or would see Judge Gary after his
conference with the committee OF the
Iron and Steel Workers Institute. which
Judge Gary refused to receive. was not
known tonight tet
Tuesday Will be crowded day for
the Chief Executive II will practically
he his last working day In WashinEtcn