The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-12-31
UNION LABOR STRIKES BACK
Suggestions of President Wilson's In.
dustrial Conference Not Favored

! Wash 'ngton, Dec 29-Suggest'ons
Of the Presidents industrial confer
ence for the settlement of labo unrest
drew fire today from organized labor
in the first of the public discus sions
invited by the comm ssion In its re.
port, published today.
Samuel Gomners pres dent of the
American Federation of Labor, said
the fai'ure of thu con 'erence to re-
ccgnize definitely the ganization7 Of
workers. -tradN -unions-as the basis
for REPRESENTATION was fatal omis-
sion wh'ie Frank Morrison. secretary
of the federation, noting the absence
cf rNfe~onoe nv the con -erence to col.
lective bargaining or the necessity 70
ORGANIZATIONS of workers said anyone
who would avert or postpone indus
trial conflicts, could not ignore these
principles.
Mr.. Gompers declared the commits
son should reconsider the question
of definite recognition Of trade unions
IN der to make possible the con.
fdence and cooperation of wage earn
ers which can be expressed only
through organizations OF their own
making"
ANY plan to establish or main
tain anything like fair relations be.
tween workers and employers must
avoid compulsory features" he de-
clared. "Any proposal 70. compulsory
labor is repugnant to American SOY
ereignty and citizenship
Mr.. Morrison said the declaration
against government employees joining
the American Federation Of Labor
would indicate that the commiss on
has been affected by the temporary
wave of anti-unionism."
"The statement" he added, Offers
no hope to lovers of industrial peace
who see the necessity of abolishing
autocracy in industry and giving EN-
ployes a direct voice in their work
ing conditions.
1T is no solution to empower the
President and cabinet official to Sc
lect representatives of workers to ad
have this power themselves"
NJ. Gompers, at the outset of his
statement, said that except for its
opening gdeclarat'on, he had found
nothing new and little of ipterest'
in the conference report.
In the opening statement" contin.
ued Mr., GomDers. "the report sets
forth the rigght relationship between
employer and employe in large in
dustries can be promoted by the de-
Lucrative 0 ganization Of that re-
1.,tr N,-If In p,sI L. t,
give definite recognition to the appli-
cation OF this truth. Both employers
and employees must be organized in
order TO become responsible parties
to any system of meditation or arb.
itration otherwise the arbr tation tn-
bunal must deal with individuals in
stead of ganized groups. The prin-
ciple of representation depends on or
ganization.
ANY plan to establish or maintain
anything like fair relations between
workers and employers must avoid
compulsory features. The mass of
Americas workers are Aemrican cit
liens and In that sovereign citizen
ship they free men. Any proposal
for compulsory labor is repugnant to
American severe 'gnty and citizenship
"ln order to promote constructive
and permanent changes that will elm
mate causes ofmuch industrial unrest
the conference should consider gov
ernmental agencies to provide r1c
necessary info nation and assistance
in securing continuous betterment of
working conditions. That problem
must ultimately be worked out by
employers and employees, but the gov
ernment should advise and assist.
ut should always be borne in mind
that our social fabric is based on mu-
tuality and voluntary Institutions
ut Is something not yet fully un-
derstood how perfectly safe freedom
is.'