New-York tribune., 1919-10-23
.Compers Seeks Again to
Win Union Recognition
and the Public Group
Aids Him Unanimously
Move Defeated
By Employers
Numerically the Delegates
Vote so to 9 i'm Favor Of
Collective Bargaining
By Chester M. Wright.
Ne,J York T71buns
Wdshin0ton Buyeou

Ne,y York T71buns
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Oct. 22.-Headed bv
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, the
labor group bolted the Presidents Ma
tional Industrial Conference at z
o'clock tonight. This action came
some hours after the reading of let
ter from President Wilson urging the
conferees to compose their differences.
Before the labor delegates walked
out they had turned the tide of yes
terday by securing the unanimous vote
of the public group in support of /.
resolution for collective BARGAINING.
At the close of an extended and i'm
to the employers group, said: 81 have
sung my swan song. You have bv your
action-the action of the employers
group-legislate US out of the confer
ence. Our regret is that there has
been rejection of everything like a
fair proposition. It's been done. The
die is cast"
After the labor group had departed
and the meeting had adjourned.
Chairman Lane said: THE confer.
ence will continue We will be here
President might be informed of the
situation, but would not say if efforts
would be made to get the labor group
to return.
Employers Group to Stay
Harry A. Wheeler, for the employers,
said that group would remain until the
building was closed to them"
Bernard NJ Baruch. for the public,
announced that this group would con-
tinue in session and formulate a report
to the President
Only the reading of the Presidents
letter by Chairman Lane prevented
bolt Immediately upon convening in the
morning. The labor group had decided
to make a final statement and leave the
hall. President Wilson's letter, asking
the conferees to exhaust every effort,
eXerted profound influence upon the
labor group. Mr.. Gompers, its chair
man, asked for recess to consider fur
ther action. During the recess the group
decided to make one more effort to Sc.
cure agreement on the issue of collective
bargaining, which labor regards as the
prime essential, without which no nego-
tiation is possible.
Reads Presidents Letter
Chairman Lane read the Presidents
letter slowly, allowing each sentence to
have its full effect. Prefacing the let
ter with an expression of his own views,
Mr. Lane said: 81 think ! am safe in
saying that the President regarded this
conference as the most important extra
legal body that has met in this city
during his administration. But he has
not been able to be here, and when I
wrote to him as to the condition OF
this conference and told him the state
Of mind that existed, doing it, | hope,
without color, he sent to the conference
this letter, signed by him in his bed,
lying or his back, and addressed it to
you"
From the time the letter was read
there was not moment until the final
adjournment that did not bring forth
fresh mplication, or a fresh posi-
blity. Every man in every delegation
was on guard, mainly with the record
in view.
John Spargo at once thrust a COM
plication into the meeting. A rising
vote of appreciation and sympathy had
been given the President. when Spargo
arose. He said a vote of that nature
was insufficient. and moved that the
conference vote power to the chairman
to notify the President that out of def
erence TO his wishes the body would
pledge each member and each group to
continue our efforts to find pro-
gram" Harry A. Wheeler, of the en-
ployers, seconded the motion.
Not Fair" Says Gompers
at is not fair, upon the spur of the
moment and out of respect 20 the Pres
ident, to place the labor group in such
position as the motion implies" re-
sponded Mr.. Gompers. Il think it most
unfortunate that the motion was made
in the form and in the manner in which
It was presented" y
Spargc withdrew his motion, and the
recess asked by the labor group was
taken.
Immediately upon reconvening in
the afternoon Mr.. Gompers announced
that the labor group had decided to
make one more effort to secure an
agreement He said that Chairman
Lane had been asked to confer with
the group for short time. The group
had considered every phase of the
situation and that it had authorized
him to present a resolution, which
read:
THE right OF wage-earners to or
ganize without discrimination, to bar
gain collectively, to be represented by
repres OF their own choosing
in negotiations and adjustments with
employers in respect to wages, hours
of labor and relations and conditions
of employment are recognized.
Gompers Pays Tribute
Mr.. Gompers paid tribute to tj,s r.: ;.
dent and said his letter "d.sclosv, a
us one thing, at least, tat must .sfve
hope to every liberty loving mar and
woman in our cs-ntry, and "a the
world-it disckcaed this fact. tEat tha