The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-11
CAPITAL-LABOR
PARLEY HALTED
BY STEELISSUE
Deadlock Over Workers.
Group Resolution Causes
Conference Adjournment.
MAY BREAK UP MEETING
Employers Representatives
Produce Programme Demand
ing the Open Shop. (
Special Despatch to The suS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10-A deadlock in
the general committee of the National
Industrial Conference over the steel
strike forced the conference into an
adjournment to-day that will carry
over until next Tuesday. The general
committee is to meet Monday morning
for an all day session to dispose IL pos
sible Of the resolution presented to the
conference by the labor group asking
the appointment of a committee of six
to settle the steel strike. According to
the labor proposal all employees are to
go back to work and to be reinstated
pending the committees deliberations
President Gompers of the A. F. OF
L. kept the conference in session to-
day pending the committees action on
the resolution. but the committee could
not agree. There is unmistakable evil
dence that the labor group proposes tc
make the steel strike an issue before
the conference. Whether they will
make this issue a condition to con.
tinued labor participation is not
known.
Arbitration Is Opposed.
On the other hand there rs ample evi
6ence Of equally determined opposition
to arbitration of the steel strike by tn,
conference. This is evidenced In in
ability of tina general committee t.
make a report and in the resolution!
offered by the employers groups to
day. The employers statement, of prin
clples embodied in effect the stand takeI
by Judge Gary in the strike. They pro
vide that each Industrial establishment
Is to be considered as a productive uni
in dealing with industrial problems
each Industrial establishment as uni
to provide adequate means for settling
disputes: fundamentals of individua
freedom of contracts asserted and tn,
principles of the "open shop" wher,
membership or non membership in an,
association is not made n condition o
employment shall not be denied or ques
toned.
Labor has a trump card in that undel
the rule of the conference action o
some sort by the throwing of the stee
strike on the floor OF the conference fol
debate is unacceptable. After adjourn
ment of the conference to-day ther,
were many VINO had given close atten
tion who We're convinced that the con
ference would split on the subject ant
that unless 1t acted the conferenc,
would come to naught; that it woulC
either disintegrate through lack of ac
ton or that 1t would blow up through
stubbornness of the groups in refusing
to get together.
May BE Extraneous Subject.
The view was freely expressed tha
the conference could not escape, tn
issue. But there Is, 1t was pointed out
the possibility that the steel strike cal
be construed as an extraneous subjec
and not one for action by the conference
This IL supported by the fact that II
the call for the conference, in the open
ing instructions given by Secretary o
Labor Wilson and in the acceptance o
the Craftsmanship by Secretary OF tn
| Interior Lane, II was made plain tina
II was not the duty or the affair of tn
conference to settle existing disputes
The conference was called by the Presi
dent to determine a ground of settlemen
of industrial unrest. In reaching its con
clusions It was to take cognizance O
! the situation and all relevant matters
But there was nothing in the call abou
settling them.
There are many hundreds of strikes ol
in the United States to-day and ther
are indications that those opposing tn
labor resolution will take the groun,
that the conference might as we'll con
stitute itself an arbitration board an
undertake to settle all present difhcultie
before getting down to the purpose 70
which II was called.
May Name Principles First.
There are also indications that thos
opposing conference action and the ap
| pointment of a committee to settle tn
steel strike will likewise make the con
| tention that the conference, IL itlfulfil
the objects of its call, win recommen
means for settling the Industrial situa
tion and that consequently steel strik
discussion or action should wait o
agreement upon the fundamental prin
ciples of settlement before any settle
ment was undertaken.
| At the same time there Is a possibilit
| of a conference deadlock unless some
thing is done. Under the rules the gen
eral committee must report all matter
submitted, with or without recommends
\ tions. So the steel strike resolutio
] must come out into the conference. One
! ont It cannot be disposed of withou
unanimous approval or agreemen
among the three groups. IL the labo
group holds to a determined stand
might defeat any conference progress
! resolution.
1t was the committee deadlock on tn
| Continued, on Fourth Page.