The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-10-31
WILSON IN PLEA
TO LABOR MEET
Lane Reads Presidents Letter
Urging Groups to Remain
in Session.
union CHIEFS QUIT FARLEY
Executives Message Urges Action by
Conference to Insure Industrial
Peace During the Reconstruc-
ton Period.


ton Period.
Washington, Oct. 23.-In "A last eff
fort 10 prevent the dissolution of the
national Industrial conference, Chair
man Lane read to the delegates the
letter dictated by President Wilson
from his sick bed and urging the i'm
perative necessity for some action by
the conference to insure industrial
peace during the reconstruction period.
The industrial conference blew up.
The labor group withdrew after the
employers bloc had killed a new res
olution on collective bargaining. Pub
lie and labor supported it, but capital
last a negative vote.
Samuel Gompers led his colleagues
)ut of the marble hall after a speech
n which he held the employers group
responsible for the break. He said
he employers held the same attitude
rs the /. w. w.
The presidents letter follows:
TO the Industrial Conference:
Il am advised by your chairman
hat you have come to Il situation
which appears to threaten the life Of
our conference, and because of that
am presuming to address a word of
cry solemn appeal to you as Ameri-
ans. 1t is not for me to assess the
,lame for the present condition. l do
lot speak in a spirit of criticism Of
my individual or of any group. But
having called this conference, / feel
ha my temporary indispositiOn
Ihould not bar the way TO a frank ex-
PRESTON of the seriousness of the pO-
;ition in which this country will be
placed should you adjourn without
having convinced the American people
hat you had exhausted your resource
illness and your patience in an effort
o come to some common agreement.
AT a time when the nations Of the
world are endeavOring to find a way of
wedding international war, are we to
confess that there is no method to be
'ound for carrying on industry except
n the spirit and with the very method
Of war? Must suspicion and hatred
md force rule us in civil life? Are our
Industrial leaders and our industrial
workers to live together without faith
n each other, constantly struggling for
advantage over each other, doing
taught but what is compelled?
MY friends, this would be an intol-
cradle outlook, a prospect unworthy
Of the large things done by this people
In the mastering of this continent; in
Iced, it would be an invitation to ma
tiOnal disaster. From such a posi-
bility my mind turns away, for my
confidence is abiding that in this land
we have learned how to accept the
general judgment upon matters that
affect the public veal. And this is
the very heart and SOIL of democracy.
1T Is my understanding that you
have divided upon one portion only
Of a possible large program which has
not fully been developed. Before a
severance is effected based upon pres
ent differences, / believe you should
stand together for the development of
that full program touching the many
questions within the broad scope Of
your Investigations. 1t was in my mind
when this conference was called that
you would concern yourselves with the
discovery Of those methods by which
n measurable cooperation within in
dustry may have been secured, and IL
new machinery needs to be designed
by which a minimum Of conflict be-
tween employers and employees may
reasonably be hoped for, that we
should make an effort to secure its
adoption.
1T cannot be expected that at every
step all parties will agree upon each
proposition or method suggested. 1t
is to be expected, however, that as a
whole, a plan or program ear be agreed
upon which will advance further the
productive capacity of America through
the establishment Of a surer and
heartier cooperation between all the
elements engaged In Industry. The
public expect not less than that you
shall have that one end in view and
stay together until the way is found
to that end or until 1t Is re-
vealed that the men who wor'- and the
men who manage American industry
are so set upon divergent paths that
all effort at cooperation is doomed to
failure.
II enc my appeal that with a full
comprehension of the almost incom-
parable Importance of sur tasks to
this and to other peoples, and with
full faith in the high patriotism and
good faith Of each other you push your
task to a happy conclusion.
WOODROW WILSON,"
kaiserss Trial Is Near