The sun., 1919-10-01
LABOR
ARBITERS SOUGHT
Council to Adjust industrial
Disputes to Be Urged at
Conference.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 30-Proposals for
the establishment of a council for SET
Element of Industrial disputes, replacing
the recently dissolved War Labor Board,
probably will be one of the first sub
jects brought up for discussion at the
labor and Industrial conference called by
President Wilson TO meet here Monday,
II was learned to-day from Department
of Labor officials in close touch with
the arrangements for the meeting.
Secretary Wilson has drawn up ten
tative programme for the conference, but
the question of whether the meeting
will be open to representatives of the
press has not been decided. 1t was said
to-day by those making arrangements
for the meeting the question OF publicity
probably would be left to decision of the
conference. A suggestion has been maze
that newspaper men not be admitted TO
the conference room, but that such
parts of the proceedings as the conferees
decided to make public be given to the
press as the conference proceeds. This
plan would be similar to the recent
White House conference between Pres
ident Wilson and the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.
In event that President Wilson Is I'M
able to open the conference as planned
II is not known by officials here who the
presiding officer will be. although 1t was
considered likely that the President
would designate some one to act for him.
Secretary Wilson, to whom the Presi-
lent left the detailed arrangements for
the meeting when he left on his speak
ing trip, 1t was said to-day, prefers not
to act as presiding officer, but rather
to take part in the discussions as a
member of the conference.
Secretary Wilson. 1t was said by sew
eral officials, may submit. proposal
for arbitration boards, as he is known
to look with favor on a plan providing
for district board of arbitration, the
awards of which would be put In force
by the issue of an injunction by the
Federal Court of the district restrain
ing employers who are parties to the
dispute in question from paying wages
other than provided for in the award.
This plan would preserve the right OF
the men to strike. but is expected to
take away the incentive to strike, as
employers would be restrained by a
court decree from paying higher wages
than the sum fixed as just by the dis
trict boards.
Some means of removing causes OF
dispute and Of comforting a larger de-
gree of participation by labor In the
management of industry along the lines
Of the Whitley Councils in England prob
ably will be discussed, it was said
Whitley Councils, so called after the
Scotch manufacturer and member of a
British Ministry of Reconstruction COM
mittee who proposed them, have been
established in more than fifty important
British industries. There is a separate
Joint standing Industrial council, as they
are officially named, fer each industry
accepting the plan.
In addition to the national council
district and local boards are created &c
handle problems arising within their
jurisdiction. Both employers and work
ers are represented on the boards, which
deal with the general policy of the fac
tory, the efficiency of the plant and
similar matters, as well as with posi-
BILE sources of friction between capital
and labor