The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-16
LAWRENCE THINKS
BIG LABOR MEET
WILL GET RESULTS
Despite Delays and GOmperS'
Illness Expert Says Some
Agreement to Benefit Pres
ent Conditions viii Come.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent Of The News
ScInINaFl

Sclmltarls
WASHINGTON, Oct. l6.-These are
critical moments in American history
and nervous exhaustion has now taken
It's second victim-Samuel Gompers,
foremost spokesman Of labor. President
Wilson lies IN at the White House,
Capital and labor needed his inspiration
to bring about agreement. Now the
head Of the labor movement Is suddenly
subtracted from conference.
RuddeTless and still without a strong
enough feeling OF compulsion to take
tn. Initiative in vital questions. the in
dustrial peace conference moves on
partly on hope, partly on a blind con-
tldence that more discussion will bring
something concrete but mostly of a fear
Of what the public would say II the
conference did collapse.
Every important conference has its
ups and downs. The trouble with the
Industrial peace conference really is
not an altogether 100 ~steadfast cling
ing to respective viewpoints, but a feel
Ing OF ignorance concerning the extent
"a which concessions can or will be
made, The big steel strike vas in the
background Of minds of the delegates
when they got here. Labor Is disap-
pointed that its simple request for "A
committee 10 investigate the strike
situation was refused, 1t seemed for "A
while as II labor would lose all conf
deuCe In the conference because Of that
refusal But something tangible has
been offered which must keep labor in
attendance at the conference as here
tofore.
That something Is a definite promise
40 men to work Immediately upon a set
of principles including a court of con-
ciliation to which the steel strike, the
coal, strike and other industrial diff
cultks may be brought for adiudica-
ton.
Tendencies Shown.
Really the different viewpoint ex-
pressed on the wisdom OF accepting la
boris suggestion of the appointment Of
a committee to look into the steel strike
reveals some interesting tendencies In
side the conference, Judge Gary isn't
a member Of the committee Of Is but
members Of the whole conference feel
at liberty to- discuss the steel sltua-
ton with him informally.
Again and again one hears criticism
Of the head Of the steel corporation for
refusing to meet the workers, but one
also hears criticism of the steel en-
ployes for refusing to accede to the re-
quest Of the president of the United
States that the strike be deferred until
the Industrial conference could meet.
Judge Gary's objection Is said to have
been chiefly to recognizing certain men
with radical tendency and who were
really B~olshevists in theirA aims. The
existence Of such a radical group, or
rather the activity of B~olshevists and
l.. w, WIS in the steel district was ad-
mitted by Mr.. Gompers in his dramatic
speech at the Tuesday session. lie had
argued that radicals would get the upper
hand " the advice of the conservatives
was rejected, He practically confessed
thut ha md HE oguNain fnn l,l 1ta.-
proved tof the steel strike and had
wanted the steelworkers to accept the
presidents suggestion for a postpone
ment but that the strike was inevitable
because Of the tyranny the men had
suffered and that the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor had gotten behind the
strike really to control and guide II
along lines OF law and order, Probably
II Judge Gary could be free to get rid
Of the trouble makers inside his organi-
zation, he would have no hesitancy In
dealing with anybody that workmen
sent to represent them.
So the conference itself. recognizing
that the principles involved In the steel
strike are i%nseparably bound up in the
general question before the Industrial
conClave now in session here, has found
itself after all compelled to adopt a
program first and Their offer It to cap.
ital and labor everywhere as a basis
for adjustment, Coincidentally with the
working out OF such a program there Is
nothing to prevent the secretary Of la
Dor or the president Of the United
States to request the s~teelworkers tC
go back to work and the company tc
establish status quo until after indus.
trial peace conference has adopted a
vet Of principles to guide industrial
relations generally,
All groups seem to- be agreed on tn,
principle OF a court of Cancellation tC
which disputes can be carried Out Of
that suggestion will grow a concret,
plan. More ideas are being developed
daily and while action on the resolution
for a committee to settle the stee
i strike--a committee not necessaril,
composed of members of the conference,
here--is postponed whilst the confer,
enc works out u comprehensive plaI
for the settlement of strikes, neyerthe
less the fact that the steel strike Il
on and that a coal strike is schedule,
for next month and that the public Il
impatient that some machinery be pro
vided at once to handle growing in
dustrial unrest~-all this combined Il
having a healthy influence on the con
ference,
Neither the employers nor labor will
be willing to take tlN responsibility 70
any breakup, gloomy and diseouraginI
as the prospect may seem at times
Every confah fluctuates from optimism
to pessimism and back again and tn
Industrial peace conference here is M
exception. But ultimately It viii ge
some agreement, some compromise-th,
determination Is written in the face
OF the men In all three groups.
Copyright, 1919, by David I4Iwrence.
AGED WOMAN WALKS II