New-York tribune., 1919-10-08
EveryPlan Proposed Must
First Win Approval
of Majority in Its
Own Authors Croup
Must Then Pass
Committee of Is
Finally ON Floor, Vote
of All Three Groups
Necessary for Adoption
By Chester M. Wright
Nc.0 FORK Tribune
Tdstt,,Oto1l Ruroou

NctU Fork T',1bvre
Washington, Bureau
WASHINGTON. Oct. 7.-Undcr the
spell OF Secretary of the Interior Lanes
prediction that "this conference is
destined to success" the National In
dustrial Conference by tonight had
worked Its way through the difficult
problems of organization and metho Cd
OF procedure and had cleared the way
Ior introduction OF resolutions and
propositions tomorrow morning.
ME- Lane WAS unanimously elected
permanent chairman at the opening
Of to-day's session. j. i, Cotter and
Lathrop Brown were elected secre.
taries.
Under rules designed for efficiency
all resolutions and proposals offered
to the conference will so TO a com
,nlttec Of fifteen. and in order TO bs
acted upon by the conference will have
TO pass muster in that COMMITTEES
This committee thus becomes the mil
OF the conference and its most in,
portant unit.
Membership of Committee
Melnpera or thlS committee are:
For the public: Thomas l.. Chao
bourne. A. A. Landon, II. B. Endicoty
Charles Edward Russell and Lillian d
Wald.
Fc! the employers: S. Pembertor
Hutchinson, John W. O'Leary, John ]
Raskob, Herbert F. Perkins and ]. N
Tittemore.
For labor--Samuel Gomrers. Franz
Morrison, W. d. Mahon, Matthew Vol
and L. f. Shepherd.
Io-day's session was not one of un.
alloyed harmony. There were dis
agreements over the rules, and on one
disputed point employers and labo,
voted solidly against the group of pub.
lic representatives, which, however, is
not to be taken as an indication OF
what is in store for "the public" dur.
/ ing the balance of the conference.
Delegates from the group of public
repre- entativcs sought to secure
aniendtnents to The proposed rules. and
at least two hours debate hinged on
procedure.
Capital and Labor Agree
II was provided in the proposed rule.
that 10 proposition could be introduced
for action until it had first received
the assent OF the group to which the
introducer belonged. Thomas l.. Chad.
bourne, OF the public group. proposed
an amendment that would have le,
down the bars for minority proposi-
tions when the support Of one third OF
delegation could be secured for them
John Spargo said the originally pro
posed rules were "a travesty" ant
would operate to defeat the President:
purpose I'VE might IS we'll adjourn
as attempt to follow them," he de
n a 70 Qfl rt,4
men in the conference might be 81
lenced under the rules. He mentioned
President Emeritus Elliott, of HarvarG
as among those whose viewpoint nigh,
not be able TO find expression.
Mr.. Chadbourne said the committe,
felt such rule was needed to preven
the conference from becoming car
enormous debating society"
The amendment was lost. with onl,
the public group standing up to be
counted for it.
Minority Gets a Voice
A second effort to amend in the same
direction was successful. This amend
ment provides that one-third of an,
group may present a minority state
ment TO the chair to be inserted in the
record. There may be no debate or
any such statement.
Voting in the conference will be b,
groups. the chairman of each of the
three groups casting the vote. NJ
agreement may be reached unless III.
vote of all groups is favorable. Croup.
will determine their vote by maiorit,
within the group.
The plan is devised for the nurpos.
of preventing food of plans ant
schemes from coming before the mair
conference body to consume time. L
also is calculated to remove all i'm
portant debate from the floor of the
conference TO the room of the com
mttee. of fifteen. Any proposition
that Comes through he conference
successfully will have to have the sup
port of all groups, and for the sam,
reason any single group may exercise
an absolute veto power. Labor cal
prevent any distasteful proposition
from passing. Employers and the pub
lie may do likewise.
The sessions of the conference. vii
be open, but there is no such rule fol
committee sessions.
Resolution by Employers
Sentiment in the group of employ
/ ers was indicated this afternoon when
| Immediately upon adoption Of thu
rules, that delegation offered the frs
resolution.
Resolved" it said. that the ques
tons to be considered by this confer
cncc are of vital importance to al
the people of the United States. in
dividually and collectively Employ
ers and employees of every grade in al
branches of American trade and in
dustry large and small. as we'll as il
the public service. in transportat tior
systems, on the farms. in domestic
! Continued on page three