The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-03-01
GOMPERS EXPLAINS WHY HE !.
STUNNED SWISS CONFERENCE:
Continued From Page ~


upon at the peace table. Commits
sions representing the Allies, the
United States and other countries in.
terested are now sitting in Paris. and
it would seem the. logical course, and
we were so instructed by several con-
Vent1ons, to present labor's demands
at this time and place. Labor Of the
Central Empires has the same equal
right to present its. demands to the
commissions which will represent
those countries at the peace table.
Saw No Good In 1t.
Had we overlooked the irregular
manner Of calling the Berne confer
ence, and the fact that it was called
to be held in a neutral instead Of an
Allied country, and decided to go to
Berne, where would the commissions
of the Allies and the United States
get truly bona fide statement of AL
lied and American labor demands? We
declare the Berne conference to be ir-
regular. in. conception, and can con-
ceive of no good which would result
from our: attendance. :;
For these reasons the: American
labor delegation concluded not to par
ticipate in the Berne convention. The
Belgian labor delegation also conclud-
ed not to attend. However, in order
to be as useful and constructive as
possible, the American delegation pro-
posed that a convention be yet held at
Paris at the earliest possible date Of
the labor delegations from America
and representatives of organized labor
in Allied countries. This was approved
by the Belgian delegates and may vet
be held, for there is nothing the rep
resentatives of organized labor in
America and the Allied countries need
go to neutral country to discuss.
BESIDES, such action would be. as
already stated, in accordance with
inc original course mapped out. It
would also afford opportunity from
time to time to take action while such
convention was in session at close
range, with the deliberations of the
Inter- Allied delegates sitting i'm Paris.
-Won Meet Germans Now.
=. The: delegation from America is
not entirely. opposed to going into
conference with tina delegates Of the
Central countries, but they believe the
present is not the appropriate time
to do So, and that when the peace
with their deliberations that they can
invite the representatives CT the Gen.
2traa Powers to sit with them and to
sfgn'the terms, that would instead be
the oppOftune time, or as soon as pos
slble thereafter, to hold a great gen.
,eral labor, convention for the purpose
Of better understanding and arrang-
ing methods of procedure which would
be OF benefit not only throughout
Europe and America but the whole
world.
For the present. the American DEL
egates prefer officially to meet and
transact business only with the rep
resentatives Of labor in: countries
Which have defended themselves
against the ruthlessness of imperial
Germany, in which inhunlan proceed
ure there is ample evidence Of So
clalist and labor representatives, par
ticularly of Germany, having almost
unltedly supported German war activ-
tiles and atrocities. The American
proposition to mold an inter-Allied
conference of representatives Of or
ganized labor is now before groups
Of union representatives in the Allied
countries, and it is hoped and expect
ed that as soon as a full interchange
of views has taken place among rep
resentatives of those countries the
proposition of the American delega-
ton will be accepted.
meantime, in accordance with the
action of all it's delegates: now in
Paris, it will hold conferences from
time to- time with the official peace
commissioners of America, so. that
through these commissioners the es-
sential and progressive principles Of
organized labor will be submitted
fully to the official peace conference"