The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-10-16
industrial Conference Begins Its
Efforts to Accomplish a
Tremendous Task.
MANY PLANS ARE SUGGESTED
Radical Elements In the Steel Strike
Getting the Worst Of lt-British
Railway Strike Ended-Senate
Deadlock on Peace Treaty
Possible.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD.

Alarm over the condition of Presi-
dent Wilson was considerably allayed
by the favorable reports issued last
week by his physicians. He was kept
quiet, in spite of his protests, and was
not permitted to pay any attention to
the mass of public business awaiting
him. The result Of this treatment was
his steady Improvement though he
may not be able to resume his official
duties for some time. The inactivity
irked him greatly and Mrs. Wilson and
the doctors had to exercise their in
genuity to keep him from getting In
communication with public men.
Or course the president could not
attend the opening Of the industrial
conference which he had summoned,
but 1t began its sessions, in the Pan
American building, with 60 delegates
present, equally divided among the
public, the employers and labor. Sec
rotary of the Interior Lane was made
permanent chairman and then the del
egates, split into groups, got busy on
the program that should be followed.
Naturally, they were swamped with
suggestions of all sorts and from all
parts Of the country, and the job of
sitting out the reasonable plans was a
big one. The rules adopted were de-
signed to prevent the wasting of time
by extremists and cranks who might
wish to talk at length on their theories,
whether radical or reactionary.
;, The somewhat hazy but mighty task
set for this conference is the discovery
of some method of accomplishing in
dustrial peace, Of bringing about an
understanding between employers and
workers, of ending or lessening strikes
and lOckouts so that production may be
increased and high costs lowered
Every group, and probably every indi-
vidual delegate, has more or less def
mite ideas as to how all this may be ac-
complished, and it Is to be hoped the
conference can hit on the right ones
and bring about their adoption.
The first plan presented to the con-
ference was for an immediate indus
trial truce to continue three months.
which would stop all strikes at once
This was proposed by Chairman Ba-
ruch of the public group, and follows
the scheme adopted in France. The
second proposition, made by Chairman
Gompers of the labor group, was for
immediate arbitration of the steel
strike by board Of six, two to be ap-
pointed by each group In the confer
ence; this contemplated the immediate
return of the strikers to work pending
the results Of the arbitration. A third
resolution, offered by Gavin McNab
of San Francisco. of the public group,
was for permanent arbitration board
of which all living ex-presidents shall
be members.
IL Samuel Gompers and the other
conservatives who have dominated,
and presumably still dominate the
American Federation of Labor, are
wholly sincere, they must be secretly
pleased with the developments in the
steel strike. 1t is becoming more and
more apparent that the strike was
forced and Is being managed by the
radicals who have been trying to gain
control Of union labor IN America, and
there is increasing evidence that those