The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-01
Labor and Those Who Di-
rect Labor to Hold a
Conference.
ASKS TOR COOPERATION
High Cost Fight Can Only
Be Won in That
Way.

WASHINGTON, Sept. president
wilson in a Labor Day message to
american workers last night, an
,ounced that he would call in the near
lntnre a conference of representatives
,f labor and industry "to discuss
fundamental means Of lettering the
whole relationship of capital and la
BOZ and putting the whole question OF
wages upon another footing"
Hhe President said he was encour-
aged and pleased with the results thus
lar Of the governments efforts to
bring down the cost Of living and ex:
ptessed confidence that substantial
resuIts would be achieved in the SOW
inesoflthis problem. Patience and Wig
lance. however, he said, must be ex-
ercised and the governments EFFORTS
must have the cooperation OF every
eitizen.
Presumably referring to the exist
ing labor unrest and threats OF strikes
tte President appealed to every citi-
zen to refrain from doing anything
iat would tend to increase the cos
oflivtng but instead to do all possible
toSpromote production.
The President expressed particular
Ratification at the attitude taken by
rhe representatives OF organized labor
III supporting the governments pro-
eram 10 meet requests for additional
wages through a lowering OF llVlns
costs and said he hoped that the
workers themselves would move with
me government instead Of against 1t
ii the solution of this great domestic
problem"
The Labor Day message was mado
public at the White House as follows:
u am encouraged and gratified
BIZ the progress which is being
made in controlling the cost OF
living. The support of the move
nent Is widespread and | conf
IDENTIFY look for substantial results,
although must counsel patience
as we'll as vigilance because such
results will not come instantly or
without team work.
'Let me again emphasize my
npeal TO every citizen Of the
country to continue to give his
personal support in this matter,
and to make it as active as pos
slble Let him not only refrain
from doing anything which at the
moment will tend to increase the
cost OF living, but let him do all
n his power to increase the pro-
daction; and further than that let
him at the same time himself
carefully economic in the matter
OF consumption. BY common &C
ton in this direction we shall
overcome a danger greater than
the danger of war. We will steady
situation which is fraught with
possibilities of hardship and suf-
fering to a large part of our popu-
lation; we will enable the process
ses OF production to overtake the
PROCESS of consumption; and we
viii speed the restoration of an
adequate purchasing power for
wages
i am particularly gratified at
tie support which the govern
ments policy has received from
llie representatives Of organized
labor and earnestly hope that
the workers generally will en-
practically indorse the position Of
their leaders and thereby move
with the government instead OF
AGAINST 1t in the solution Of this
Greatest OF domestic problems.
am calling for as early date
as practicable a conference in
which representatives of labor and
OF those who direct labor will
discuss fundamental means OF bet
ering the whole relationship of
capital and labor and putting the
whole question of wages upon an
other footing.
(Signed)
.'WooDRoW WILSON"
The proposed conference, 1t was
stated authoritatively, would be called
.o meet soon after President Wilson
returns at the end Of September from
his speech making tour of the west
It was thought likely that the meeting
would be held at the White House as
vas the reconstruction conference Of
governors ana mayors last spring.
n the Presidents promise to call
labor-capital conference, officials
saw alienation Of the tension existing
mon organized labor. Coming on the
ave ~ Labor Day 1t was believed II
would have a most beneficial effect