The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-11
SOME PROMISES
MADE TOLAB0R
So Delegates Voted for Ad-
journment of Conference
Despite Steel Issue.
MARINE STRIKE SERIOUS
Capital Contends Handling of
Concrete Gases Not Pur-
pose of Gathering.
(BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITLEY

j
Washington, Oct. 1.-THE first |
actual rock that the industrial con-
ference has struck is the demand OF
labor that the conference go into
the merits of the steel strike. The res
olution has some support among the
public group, but 1t is the chief de-
sire of labor. Labor stood and fought
for this resolution in the general
committee Thursday and yesterday.
and did not get satisfactory results,
but some promises were made, for the
labor delegates voted unanimously
for the adjournment until Tuesday
when every day counts in the steel
strike.
1t may be well to set out the rea-
sons for and against this action on
!, the part of the conference as brought
out by the debates in the general
committee. Labor maintains that this
is industry's peace conference, and
that the steel strike is a means of
industrial war which may go far be-
yond the limits of the steel industry
and involve the whole fabric of the
nation. Labor has asked that two
members of each group be empower
ed to investigate the demands of the
strikers and the contentious of the
owners, and promise that during the
investigation the strikers will go
back to work. Labor points out the
fact that it is asking no final settle
ment, merely depending upon the fair
ness of the labor cause in the steel
strike to achieve results,
On the other hand, capital contends
that the conference is not assembled
n ho
longshoremens strike is causing
acute suffering and Is based upon a
cause more obviously just than the
steel strike and Is keeping millions of
homes out of canned fruit by tying
up shipments of sugar from the
islands of the south. Capital also
points to the laundry strike and de-
clares that If the conference goes
into the steel strike it shouldrT5kc
up the laundry strike and any other
industrial disturbance that comes
along. 1t is obvious that there Is no
black and white or wrong or right on
either side of the convention, but
much is to be said for either position.
the steel strike is ignored, the con-
ference will turn it's back upon a
practical and typical case where
grave wrong is being done which i'm
perils the country, and that it the
conference turns it's back upon this
plea of the strikers for investigation
and publicity, labor throughout the
country-at least organized labor
will lose its faith in the conference,
and that much of the power Of tho
conference to enforce its dictum upon
labor hereafter will be gone.
There is real danger that the con-
ference may split irrevocably, not
upon the major issues as outlined in
the pronouncements of labor and cap
ital, but that the split will come upon
this minor matter. Viewed super
fcially there seems to be nothing in
common between the Interpretation
of principles made public yesterday
by the employers group and those
announced Thursday from labor in
the industrial conference. The two
documents seem to be in perfect
contrast There can be no doubt of
the militanCy of the labor proposals.
With defiance, labor stated its final
terms and dug in for siege. 1t
would seem as though the first shot
of the employers was a challenging
answer The points Mt variance, Of
course, are largely points relating to
the recognition of the unions and
matters growing out of the union.
, Labor demands the right to strike
! for any cause at any time. Capital de-
mands the open shop except by entire
| agreement with the employees. Labor
| demands the closed shop. or if the shop
remains open labor insists that nego-
| tiations shall be with the union repre-
| sentatives in collective bargaining. AS
| for collective bargaining, capital de-
| mands that each establishment in an
| industry should develop contact and
| full opportunity for interchange OF
| views between management and men
| through individual or collective dealing
! or a combination of body" Labor con-
| tends that labor is not a commodity
| but human element in industry and
| the point at which capital leans fur
| ther to any labor demand is upon this
contention Labor asks for equal share
| in board consultation and an independ-
| ent, selef- respecting status in matters
| to be arbtrated Capital definitely de-
| clares that there shall be no improper
limitation or impairment of the eXer-
else by management of its essential
! functions of judgment and direction in
| these matters" which. being trans
! lated seems to mean that arbitration
shall be resortcd toe when and only as
capital feels that the question at stake
is arbtrative.
Labor always has contended that il
had a different status from that grant
ed by capital; that labor unions could
not be responsible. legally or financial
ly. for their acts, as the purpose of the
union is not to make profits for itself,
but to better conditions for its iudi-
vidual members. In today's declara-
| ton, capital demands that labor shall
| assume the same legal and financial
responsibility that a corporation as
| sumes which is trying to make money
! for its stockholders. The unions, aC-
/ cordine to the view of labor, hold that
contract between men and master
! shall be through unions. Capital stands
! for the freedom of contract which, il
! granted, would make hours of service
! and qlhlitv of production OF each
| worker subject to an individual con-
! tract Labor would put all employees
| whether working for private owners in
| industry or in public utilities or for the
| government, I'm one category, giving all
| men the right to strike If displeased
| with their conditions of labor. The en-
! pIoyers declared today that they up
! hold the right Of workers in private in
! dustry to strike, but withhold it from
workers in public utilities and workers
! for the government. Labor always has
| contended against the vocational train
| ing school, and held that men should
| be trained in the shops Capital makes
| a strong demand not only for vocation
| al training. but in school and in the
/ shops.
CCopyrighted by Wheeler Syndicate)