New-York tribune., 1919-10-11
Strong Prospect for Set.
tlement Cheers Dele
gates, as Committee of
is Seeks Agreement
Recess Is Taken
Until Tuesday
Employers Platform
Grants lamentations:
Safeguards Open Shop
By Chester M. Wright
New York Tribune
WASHINGTON Bureau

~ uSHlUytOn bureau
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1o.-With the
strong prospect of arriving at an
agreement on the resolution intro
duced yesterday by the labor group
proposing settlement Of the steel
strike, the National Industrial Confer
encc adjourned to-day not to meet
again until Tuesday morning.
Until the steel strike resolution is
disposed Of nothing else will be con-
sldered by the general committee of
fifteen. The delay in arriving at the
voting point is regarded as a circum-
stance IN favor OF the resolution.
When the conference was called to
order this morning the employers
group presented a proposition outlin-
ing an industrial platform.
In this platform the employers grant
the right of association and of en-
ployers and workmen to agree upon a
union shop basis OF operation. The
so-cailed open shop is, however, care
fully safeguarded. The employers
would make no effort to abrdge the
right to strike or to lock out in private
industry but do declare emphatically
against such action in public utility
plants.
Adjourn Until Tuesday
Upon conclusion oil the reading of
this document Thomas l.. Chadoourne,
chairman Of the general committee,
moved adjournment until Tuesday,
Mr.. Chadbourne told the conference
that the committee had considered but
1,,t,o T., ,,L l, \
reached no agreement. "The general
committees" he said, has large vol
umc of work before it. We can report
on nothing of moment until after to-
morrow. | am told that some of our
members must go to New York to
register, and | therefore move ad-
journment until Tuesday morning"
Mr. Chadbourne's suggestion pre-
vailed.
In all Of the discussions to-day, the
subject before the conference was not
mentioned by a delegate. Nobody said
"steel." The general committee went
into session and remained closeted
for nearly an hour. AS the members
came filing back into the conference
room, their faces bore expressions
that bespoke progress toward agree
ment. There was no disappointment on
the faces of the labor men. There is
good ground for the belief that some
members Of the three groups in the
general committee favored the resolu-
tion at the hour Of adjournment Of
course, the labor members are for it,
and it is regarded as certain that the
majority of the members of one of
the other two groups are ready to vote
in the affirmative.
However, it was evident that had
the resolution been brought to the
floor to-day it would not have come
with the united support Of the COM
mittee and probably could not have
mustered the support of the three
The adjournment, however, indicates
that there is hope that by Tuesday
success may attend the effort to end
the steel strike.
Optimism Rules Conference
Despite the gravity and size of the
issue before it, the conference to day
presented scene of hope and opti-
msm that has not been present in any
where near so great degree on any
other day. Those who until to-day
have been inclined to withhold any
promise of definite results were in
clined to relent from their sternness
OF attitude and to forecast definite
accomplishment for the industrial well
1T was asserted freely that if the con-
ference could bring the steel strike to
an end. that alone would justify the
hard work that has been done.
If the resolution is adopted on Tues
day 1T Will constitute a request to the
steel strikers to return to work at
once. The conference then will select
committee Of six, two from each
group in the conference, which will
proceed to "adjudicate and settle" the
strike.
While no official comment has come
from Steel Corporation sources, it j
the general impression here that the
language of the resolution leaves the
steel mill employers free to accept such
mediation, even in view Of the past
position of the Steel Corporation. What
ever the fact may be in this respect.
there Is cheerful minimum of doubt
among conferrces on the point.
Weariness Passing Away
1t was evident day that much of
the WEAKNESS manifested has worn off.
There is considerable amount of what
may be called mellowing in process
of development, and this in spite of
the fact that most Of the members
have been working on a fiftcen-hour
day schedule since the conference
opened and that some Of them ave
laboring under burdens of work that
constitute peak loads.
The platform submitted to-day by
the employers group is not of char
actcr to Justify any great amount OF
optimism in itself, for taken as
j