Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-09
CAPITAL ANDLABOR
WELCOME CHANCE
IOGET TOGETHER
Both See Opportunity in In
dustriaI Conference Called
by the President.

by the President.
! Spokesman for investing capitalists
and organized labor agree that Presi-
! dent Wilson's industrial conference
(which will be held in Washington Oc-
tober offers great opportunity for
| the beginning of a solution of the
! complex economic problem now wor-
rying the country.
They say that when capital and Ia
Dor, and all the elements between,
tget together, air their differences,
clear their systems of destructive
criticism. then put heads together on
States truly will be Gods country"
Gas tourists abroad are won't to say)
in the years to come.
But immediate action is necessary.
The time for long-winded discussion
lis past. Right now the situation is
critical.
Two men were interviewed -yester-
day regarding the industrial confer
ence. One is former banker, now
field director of the United States
Chamber of Commerce, just returned
from a nation wide tour of observa-
board of directors. The other is a
national officer of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor closely In touch with
la Dor conditions in all regions.
The substance of their expressions
might be exchanged and the author of
each would indorse the others as his
own.
Views of the Labor Man.
Said the labor union man:
"a conferences series of confer
ences-is the only way the vital pro-
ducing elements of the nation can
work out a cooperative program. We
want to get together with the other
elements, throw all our grievances to-
gether In pot and start all over
again with just one working rule laid
down. That rule should be: Fair play
for everybody; a voice in the manage
ment of industry by those employed;
equitable division of the profits of
production, either in actual dividends.
or in fxed reduction of consumer
cost.
With regard to the presidential in
dustrial conference, j believe one of
the greatest aids WIN be given by
widespread publicity in the news
papers. I think the conference should
be open to the press. The newspapers,
will discover the sores in our eco
nomic body and we can get at and
cure them. In other words, unre-
exposure of evil conditions, which
means agitation, and agitation brings
reform.
I'VE labor men IRE going to quit
hating capitalists when we get 2c-
qualned with them across the con.
ference board. Very rich men, cor
poration chiefs. whom our fancies
have painted to us as murderous dew
lis deliberately grinding the faces OF
the poor under heel, we're going to
find Gkable fellows at close range.
We're going to find most Of them 90
Gkable we'll he able to convert them
to a lot Of our IDEAS
'sOn the Other hand, they who have
looked upon labor leaders as a crowd
of blaclcma Ting highbinders win find
us 'sfncere wDrkefs for the cause sof
industrial 5ugtfce. They are going to
going to be able to convert usSto some
OF their ideas. I've no doubt the
scalawags in all groups represented
will have much less influence every
where once honest men of all Gle
ments get together.
Says No Time Should Be Lost.
But believe we ought not to lose
any time arranging a conference, and
after the conference we ought to start
action At once The situation all over
the United States now. because of
generally upset conditions, with which
everybody is more or less familiar, is
really dangerous. Hotheads, fools,
bad foreigners, uncontrolled elements,
may start very serious trouble at any
time
These inflammables will have
plenty of fuel for a terrible social
fire that will spread all over the land
if they can point out to the over
burdened masses Of the people fat.
sleek Indifference to the wrongs and
needs OF the masses by governmental
and industrial powers that be. You
know, that was the thing which
caused the overthrow and the present
chaos in Russia"
Another Optimistic View.
And the Chamber OF Commerce d.
rector said:
Eyes, nm sure the Presidents con-
ference rs going to show US all how
and how the looms of industry and
prosperity can be put to running
smoothly And shown how, we're GO
ing ahead and act. My opinion is that
we can't delay cooperative action
including all classes OF working Amer
leans, rich and poor. employer and
employed-with safety. There's plenty
of trouble now and more is coming
Il VIE don't get busy.
4 think we all want prosperity
and happiness for everybody, with
safety of life and property. There is
a lot Of suspicion in the camps of
labor and capital regarding the mo-
tives of the other. A primary con-
ference among the best minds of all
elements-and believe the presiden-
tial conference will bring out the
best minds-will kiln most of the sus-
picion. A whole program OF subse-
Quent conferences, composed of vari-
GUS group representatives, to work
out the several phases Of economic
reconstruction, should follow.
That the capital-labor conference
plan is practical was shown clearly
in the series of such meetings at
which ali kinds Of producing groups
were represented, leading to the for
mutation of the United States Cham
Der of Commerce plan for railroad
control. The air was full of sus-
picion at the first meeting or two.
But it soon cleared up and capital
and labor got on together like COM
rades-and they reached agreements,
too.
Sees Dangerous Tendency.
81 have just returned from an ex-
| tended trip to the Pacific coast. ac-
companying the Chamber Of Com