Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-16
Suspicion of Opposing Groups.


the workers of America cOntentment'
efficiency, hope"
Suspicion of Opposing Groups.
INQUIRIES made among individuals
eonnected with various groups to be
Represented at the conference snow
there is MT a little suspicion OF plans
which opposing groups may seek TO
"put over in the meeting. There is
fear, frankly expressed. among
manufacturers that the American
Federation of Labor Will have easily
the controlling vote. The distinct
capital am labor groups are main
tafning pretty closely sit tight. say
nothing attitude-watching and
waiting to see what move the other
fellow' will make.
II was said yesterday this situation
il due to the fact that nobody. except
perhaps the President. knows precise
lx what will be the nature Of the
conference, just what 1t Will talk
about, just how it will proceed This
condition is in contrast to the condi-
tion studiously developed by the Ca
madam government during the period
leading up to the capital-labor official
eonference which opened at Ottawa
yesterday.
The Canadian government issued
pamphlet setting. forth the purpose OF
would be discussed and the method OF
procedure, and distributed it among
all concerned. AS result. when capi-
tai and labor delegates-Seventy OF
them aItOgether-came to the confer
ence, at which Prime Minister Bor-
den Is presiding. they were prepared
to work to schedule for which
they had been able to plan at length
Seek Share of Profits.
There is a widespread belief that
in essence the workers of the United
states seek as their goal of industrial
contentment a share of the profits of
nroduction and a voice in the manage
ment Of productive enterprises The
sense of this belief was expressed
few days ago in a news article IN The
Evening Star.
TO this belief and to the publication
~ It. William c. Roberts, confidential
adviser to Samuel Gompers. president
OF the American Federation OF Labor,
yesterday voiced emphatic objection
The American Federation OF Labor
does not seek share of the profits
Of manufacture" he said And it
does not seek a part in the manage
ment. That is bolshevism. The re-
cent federation conference at Allan
these things"
Mr. Roberts was reminded that
many thousand workers In. the coun-
try in numerous Industrial plants are
working under such conditions-that
il. of profit-sharing and co-ope rative
controi-and that the Federation of
Labor could not speak authoritatively
for the workers who are not members
Of trade unions composing the fedora
sarSse American. Federation Of Labor
speaks for all labor" Mr.. Roberts
declared, organized and morgan
ised. 1t is the only voice the work.
ers of the country have. morgan
ICED workers have no voice, no power
TO secure their rights"
Federation Program Question.
IF the federation does not want a
proft-sharing plan and voice in
management of productive agencies,
what does it WANT What ia it's pro-
gram% Mr.. Roberts was asked
Higher wages and better working
conditions" he replied; laws that will
project the rights of workers. means
, OF assuring that they will receive
Justice"
With regard to cooperative man
1gement, Mr.. Roberts said: Take.
for example, the United States Steel
Cooperation. We hear now it is going
10 put on the board of directors rep
resentatives of its labor. Now. who
will these representatives be? Why
they'll be employees who have been
with the company for years and have
stock in the corporation. Well, you
can, imagine how they will represent
the workers who have no money in
vested in the concern. The corpora
ton Ia fooling the public to make be-
lieves the workers are justly treated
Mr.. Roberts declined to prepare for
publication q statement of any length
WhichAwould set forth the attitude OF
the American Federation Of Labor to-
ward Industrial cooperation between
capital and labor, or which would in
dictate the federation program for So
luton; of the present Industrial prob
lem whereby both sides should receive
q square deal.
Find out for yourself" said Mr.
Roberts, read the books on the sub.
ject.
Proposes Industrial Armistice.
An industrial armistice between or.
eanised industry and organized labor
to hast until such time as President
period of industrial readjustment t.
have passed, was proposed in a state
anent issued last night by Stephen c
Mason, president of the National Asso
citation of Manufacturers. an organi
gation embracing 5000 manufacturing
plants in all sections OF the country
and presented to President Wilson 70
his immediate consideration.
Mr, Mason says that the epidemi
of strikes and threatened strike
which has SO sorely afflicted the pro
cesses of industrial REIMBURSEMENT dur
ing the past eight months has cos
the, people of the United States a
much as $10,000,000 a day in los
wages. rents, retail trade and waste
industrial productive resources. H
expressed the belief that 80 per cen
OF this tremendous economic los
could have been prevented If organ
tied industry had embarked upon q
IN 70 AZ iro