The Washington times., 1919-10-05

CONTINUED from First Page.l
tention to ignore the conference al
together.
Big Fear Vet there.
Neither the United Mine workers
nor the four railroad brotheFhoods
will be represented at the conference
and there are various other unions
which at the eleventh hour may
"send regrets" or withdraw without
delay when It becomes apparent that
no agreement upon fundamentals can
be reached.
It is entirely within the truth to
say that an impasse probably viii de-
velop before the conference has pro
gressed a single day. The reasons
for this have become apparent.
For one thing, the employers
group will try to postpone any dis
cussion or agreement on the issues
which labor considers fundamental
and will try to open with q discus
sion Of ways and means OF increas-
ing production, aiming to enlist the
public interest in issues which are
secondary, so far as industrial unrest
Is concerned.
Labor Feels Cards Are Stacked.
Rightly or wrongly. the labor rep
resentatives are convinced that the
opposite side OF the house stands
with Judge Gary in the position he
has taken on the steel strike. On
this issue labor Is not willing TO COM
promise or parley, but only 20 dght.
1t Is quite true that certain conserv-
ative forces In the American Fedora
ton Of Labor will counsel g waiting
policy, will seek to gain its ends
through moral suasion," but boIder
spirits have determined on other
methods. And Il IS BY no means GER
tain that the entire labor delegation
viii not be forced to follow their lead
wanted WllBon.
The laborites are particularly dis
couraged because President Wilson
will not be able 70 guide or dominate
the conference. Ten days ago they
were certain they could gain his sun
port for their inslstence upon recog-
milton OF the basic tenets OF the labor
covenant. They were certain he
would see the essential logic and fus-
tlee Of the cause they are hghtinF.
NOW the conference Is leaderless, rud-
derless' without even q program or q
nXed policy, with nothing but rhetoric
ahead OF Il.
Another point Of friction Il the
personnel Of the representative of
the public, named By the President on
the suggestion OF Mr.. Baruch. The
pedigree" and record Of at least two
Of these men will be aired IN the con-
ference, and their fitness to remain Ia
the proceedings is Questioned.
Peace OutIooE DARK.
It Is not too much to say that the
outlook for Industrial peace fB darker
today than at any time since Presi-
dent Wilson issued his original sum-
mons for the conference. The steel
strike. has been converted into a
knockdown and dragout finish night
between capital and labor. It will
increase in bitterness during the en-
tire period Of the conference. Every
day that Judge Gary remains in the
conference as a representative OF the !
public will increase that bitterness. |
Every day will intensity the belliEer- |
ent attitude Of labor and make |
stronger its attitude.
And while the conference Is delfb- |
Grating, the nation will be waking up /
to the fact that the United Mine
Workers have called a strike for No |
vembeF 1, have determined to press |
demands which the operators have no /
remote intention OF meeting. Gener-
ally, IL Is assumed that this strike |
threat - merely threat, and nothing I
more. Equally general Is the assump- /
ton, carefully circulated by certain /
newspapers, that the steel strike Is /
over and that the strikers have lost |
Tomorrow evening there will be held 4
here a joint meeting Of the executive /
council of the A. +. OF l. and the /
presidents Of the tWenty-four interna- |
tional unions OF trades represented I'm /
the steel industry, which will have a 4
good deal to say about the situation. /
Labor Sees Red.
This meeting has before Il no alter 1
native but to fight. Labor viii bend /
every effort 90 make its stand In the I
steel strike paramount in the confer
ence. Efforts OF the National Indus
trial Conference Board representa-
tives, or tho Chamber OF Commerce
representatives, to sidetrack this IS
sue will be unavailing, it is safe to
say.
Nor will labor be diverted from its /
determination that some understand |
ing shall be reached as to the bases |
Of future Industrial peace-if peace /
there So to be-pTinciples which have /
received official sanction and reCOg- |
milton everywhere