El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-04
WILSON 3 PLAN
MEANS TRUCE
Calling of Labor Confer
ence Expected to Pre-
vent Strikes.


ing masses, but there are the L ".
WIS and mining organizations which
have little regard for the American
Federation Of Labor. In the face Of
such chaos, the situation in America
has been drifting toward an open
break
Strikes affecting the cost OF living
and the welfare Of the American peO-
pie as a whole have been growing.
II has been feared in some
quarters, too, that the hitherto
unheurd Of idea OF social revolu-
tiOn was making more headWuy
among the inarflculate misses
than the newspapers generally
were able to reflect.
But federal agencies here. which
have means Of knowing what goes on
in labor councils everywhere. have
learned Of the strained relations. A
truce was Inevitable, or rather a
meeting Of minds, before industrial
hostilities began
Gathering Is Unofficial
So the labor conference called BY
president Wilson is an effort to work
out the problem by common counsel
Behind the conference viii not be any
force OF law. no judicial compulslOn.
alton, but an unofficial gathering Of
the heads Of several classes most in
terested in Industrial peace
II agreement Is reached. the recon-
carry with them, however. even more
compulsion than statute law. for pre-
sumably the whole moral force OF
American public opinion viii back
such an agreement.
Investment bankers. agricultural as
sociations, the United States Chamber
OF Commerce and the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor viii each send about
eight or nine delegates and president
Wilson viii name about eight or nine
10 represent the public at large About
IS in all viii meet al the white house
Meetings To BE Open.
The meetings viii be open in the
sense that they viii be stenographi-
cauy reported and the proceedings
given 10 the press.
In no other way might Il be 2ossi-
bic 70 get the attention OF large
masses OF radically inclined labor who
have been opposing Samuel Gompers
and the Federation OF Labor
II is not known who viii represent
the public al large. Il is quite likely
that the president " ~ pick some men
known 10 be familiar with the So
called radical point Of view and some
men known 10 be representatives OF
the great body OF conservative mind
folks IN America. None has yet been
selected The president wants to give
the four classes an opportunity TO
pick whoever they wish and he viii
select his men from those not named
on the other bodies.
There will he committees of
course among the - and the con-
ference will be in session for sew
erul weeks maybe months, eclips-
ing In Interest possibly the work
OF congress itself.
The congress may recommend Leg
islatiOn- but nobody can foreten just
what IL VIII recommend nor IS the
president pre1udicing the case should
II be necessary 10 call into conference
certain committees OF the two houses
consultations OF that character can be
expected
Mr.. Wilson feels that his absence
from Washington viii not affect the
situation adversely, for on the one
hand. II VIII give a months prepar-
alton among the leaders Of the sew
eral classes and an opportunity for
the delegates 70 consult constitutions.
And, on the other hand. Il viii enable
the president by his series Of speeches
to preach a doctrine OF industrial
reconciliation that may help rally
public opinion behind the decisions
OF the conference itself
il is not 20 be expected that the
conference VIII settle all labor trou-
bles or that II will work out a de-
tailed program But IL Is intended
by the president that certain general
principles be agreed upon and accept
ed by employers and employees and be
made basis for the settlement OF
local disputes and Industrial upris-
lngs-Copyright 1913. FL Paso
Herald.