Evening star., 1919-10-17
STILL IN DEADLOCK
OVER COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING ISSUE
Move to Send Matter to Com
mittee of Fifteen of Indus.
trial Conference.
SETTER FEELING TODAY
AFTER NIGHT OF REST
Head of Railway Conductors
T. Brotherhood Is First Speak
er Today.

At this mornings session Of President
Wilson's Industrial conference there
were no indications of an early break in
the deadlock over the question Of COL
lective bargaining.
The employers group was still firm in
its opposition to the collective bargain
ing resolution laid before the conference
yesterday and having the support of the
public and labor groups. Chairman
Wheeler of the employers group Of
fered a substitute resolution, which
served only to accentuate the differ
ences between capital and labor on the
part trade unionism should play in nego-
tiations between employers and en-
ployes. .
Principle Is Undisputed.
The two resolutions. that supported
by the public and labor groups and
that proposed by the employers, are
printed in an adjoining column. and
show that, while there is no dispute
on the principle OF collective bargain
ing, the opposing groups are far apart
In their views as to how such bar
gaining should be conducted
At this afternoons session an effort
will be made to have the whole mat
ter referred back to the committee Of
fifteen, with instructions to attempt
to bring in more comprehensive pro-
gram. embracing methods of arbitra-
tion and conciliation. If this Is agreed
to 1t Is planned to adjourn the con-
ference until Monday.
Better Feeling After Rest.
The overnight adjournment. giving the
eonferees time fof sober second thought,
resulted In a better feeling manifest
ing itself when the conference as
sembied this morning, which was NOT
until after II o'clock, the delay being
due to private conferences which had
for their purpose the seeking of some
common ground of Immediate agree
ment as to methods OF procedure.
These prftHte conferences disclosel
Z very keen anxiety In all the groups
. 20 md the way soma 1kAekical ac-
conductors' Head Speaks.
L. E. Sheppard. head of the Railway
Conductors Brotherhood. the hrst
speaker this morning, said he saw in
closer cooperation between capital
and labor in the meeting and declared
that In his opinion the gathering was
lust getting down to business"
The resolution by the capital group.
which Chairman Harry A Wheeler.
said had been assented to by eleven
Of the fourteen members present. was
understood to outline the utmost con-
cessions which the capital group was
prepared to make. -
Chicago Employer Replies.
Reply to 1dr. Sheppard was made by
J. w. OLeary of Chicago, employer,
who maintained that no one under
stands better than the employer the
value Of ,co-operation with the work
ers in securing productive efficiency.
But the agreement must be arrived
at with. a clear understanding" he
said. repeating former protests against
''the pressure of any one specific issue" :"
Mr.. Obeary announced that he made
IN effort in the central committee to
D. Rockefeller. jr., early in, the confer
ence discussed as a basis for agree
ment on collective bargaining, but
that orderly procedure" in the COM
mittee was impossible on account of
the time limit placed on its report
organization and of collective bar
gaining as we understand the term"
he said. -
Has Faith in Government.
Affirming his faith in the stability
of the American people. Mr.. O'Leary
objected to repeated talk of danger
of revolution and radical action,
which. he said. added fuel to the
MY faith Is in the government of
the United States and not in the en-
ployers, employees or the public
alone" he declared.
Miss Wald Is Heard.
Miss Lillian wald. public dele
gate. said any one who objected on
pie. clearly worded'' resolution pre-
sented yesterday was seeing things
at night" Basing her argument on
long experience as a social worker in
New York. she defended the right Of
the workers to choose whom they
wish to speak for them. saying that
employees are entitled to the best Dos
sible representation.
Plea for Less Debate.
Thomas d. James of the public
group. voiced a plea for fewer words.
less debate and greater simplicity of
language in framing the resolutions
to be presented to the conference. He
deplored the apparent distruct that
seemed to actuate members of the vari-
ous groups and. declaring that the
national industrial conference was
called for the purpose of "formulat
Ing a treaty of peace between capi-
taltal and labor" he demanded that
the conference reach some agreement
On the collective bargaining issue and
proceed to other important elements
entering into the industrial situation.
James stated that the resolution
before the conference contained moth
ing more than an Endorsement of the
right of workmen to bargain COL
lectively. and in conclusion he made
strong plea to the employers group
to adopt that principle as the first
clause in the treaty of peace" he
proposed.
DR.. Eliot inquiries.
DR.. Charles W. Eliot, president emer.
titus Of Harvard. public delegate, rose tc
ask the meaning of that part Of the EN-
pioyers' substitute resolution .ex-
pressing the right of the employer
ito deal or not to deal with men OIL
groups of men who are not his EN-.
ployes and chosen by and from
among them"
Frederick p. Fish, chairman of tn.
national Industrial board, explained