Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-11
DEADLOCK over
LABOR PROPOSAL
IN CONFERENCE
Meeting Adjourned Until
Tuesday, When Committee
of Fifteen Disagree
on Report.

washington, oct. lU.-Deadlock
in the committee of IS, or the
steering committee" over labor's
proposal to arbitrate the steel
strike, brought about adjournment
of.the national industrial conference
until Tuesday. In the meantime the
steering committee" will meet in
an attempt Il crree on a report to
lay before the conference when it
reassembles.
Adjournment came after the con-
ference had received the proposals
of the employers group, declaring
for the principle of the open shop
and affirming that no employer
should be required to deal with men
or groups of men who are not his
employees or chosen by and from
among them. The latter principle
created quite stir in the confer
ence, and was considered by some
of the delegates as approval of the
stand taken by Judge Ebert H.
Gary, chairman of the United
States Steel corporation, in refus-
ing to meet the steel strikers.
Proposals Directly Opposite.
Other principles enunciated in the
declaration of the employers in
clude:
Acceptance of the right of strike
or lockout, excepting in the case of
government employees; opposition
to sympathetic strikes and lock
outs; insistence on the function of
management in directing industry;
emphasis of shop unions as opposed
to the industrial councils proposed
by organized laor; and a declara-
ton that cooperative relat be-
tween capital and labor should be
worked out in individual establish
ments with due regard to local fac
tors, instead of along the lines of
entire industries as suggested by
labor.
High industrial efficiency" was
stated by the employers as the
tombstone of sound industrial rela-
tons.
After receiving the proposals of
the employers. an hours recess was
taken to permit the committee of IS
to bring III report on the lone reso-
luton" which, it was announced
was under consideration. On recon-
vening. however, the committee in
formed the conference that it was
unable to agree on a report and
after objections had been registered
by Samuel Gompers of the labor
group and Thomas L. Chadbourne of
the public representatives adjourn
ment was taken.
Satisfied With Work.
With tie fundamental proposals
by the right" and cleft" groups
before the conference, as we'll as
number OF important proposals by
representatives of the public, men,
bers of the conference expressed
their satisfaction with the result of
the first weeks deliberations. Many
of the delegates with the exception
Of the labor representatives, who re-
NAMED to attend sessions of the sue
eessive council of the American
Federation of Labor, left Washing
ton late in the day for the week
end.
In explanation of the employers
attitude, NJ. w. Alexander, managing
director of the National Industrial
Conference board, in a statement to-
night said:
"The statement of principles which
should govern the employment rela-
ton in industry presented to the
conference today was originally pre-
pared by the delegates appointed by
the National Industrial Conference
board and assented to after discus
sion by the employers group, includ-
ing the delegates of the United
States Chamber of Commerce. the
farmer associations. the investment
bankers and the railroad executives.
First Concerted Declaration.
"This document will become his
toric because it is the first con-
certed declaration by industrial lead
ers of these fundamental principles
under the operation of which alone
American industry must live and
move and have its being if it is to
achieve its highest destiny. 1t is
a constructive, reasonable state
ment Of economic laws, phrased in
language sympathetic and humane.
The employers group was graft
fled at the many expressions of ap-
proval from representative of the
public in various walks of life which
followed the presenting of the state
ment to the conference"