Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-23
PRESIDENT TO THE RESCUE.

degree II the national industrial con
ference at Washington should adjourn
now with the various industries, en-
ployer and employee. farmer and manu-
facturer. apparently farther apart than
when the conference opened. 1t would
be disappointment to the public. 1t
would be an admission that in this, the
land of democracy, sane men and
women are not willing to forget their
private. petty grievances and stand
upon broad ground in working to-
gether to solve the perplexing indus
trial problems, that not only confront,
but actually threaten the nation.
But this is actually the situation that
has developed. To avoid the split,
president Wilson from his sick bed in
the White House, has come to the res
cue with more of an appeal than de-
mand that the conference remain in
session until such a time as some
satisfactory agreement is reached.
"At a time when the nations of the
world are endeavoring to find way of
avoiding industrial strife, are we TO
found for carrying on industry except
In the cpirit and with the very method
Of WARP" queries the president in his
communication to the conference. 1t
Is a pertinent question worthy of the
concentration of the greatest minds of
the country. "Must suspicion. and
hatred and force rule US to civil life?"
he asks. Clearly he confronts the lead
ers of industry and labor with an ulti-
matum which will be Endorsed by the
nation at large when he says Are
our industrial leaders and our indus
trial workers to live together without
faith in each other, constantly strug-
Cling for advantage over each other,
doing naught but what is compelled"
The President very properly holds
that if these things are true we invite
national disaster. From this his mind
turns away as does the minds of all
fair thinking men of the United States.
With him they agree that lin this
land we have learned to accept the
general Judgment upon matters that af-
feet the public wealth; that this is
the heart and soul of democracy"
The public had high hopes hat in
this great national conferences there
would crystalize a deeper feeling of
fellowship and a concentrated desire to
harmoniously solve grave industrial
problems. But what has been the re-
suit? Reorganization of the right of
workers to bargain collectively was
swept aside, frs. by defeating "a pro-
posal by the employer, next a sub
stitute declaration by the conferences
general committee, and third, the origi-
nal proposal of the general committee.
The labor and public delegates in the
conference voted down the collective
bargaining resolution offered by the
employers. The representatives of en-
ployers stood firmly behind it. This ac-
ton was followed by voting down the
collective bargaining substitute reso-
luton known as the Chadbourne, labor
and public delegates separating on it.
Capital and labor delegates both COM
bined to defeat it. The public dele
gates stood Loyalty by it.
The original Cbadbourne resolution
provided for the right Of wage earners
to organize in trade and labor unions
to bargain collectively, to be repre-
scented by representatives Of their own
choosing in negotiations and adjust
ments with employers, and in respect
TO wages, hours of labor and rules and
conditions of employment. The sub
stitute resolution defeated struck out
the words, trade. and labor unions
and substituted associations of their
own choosing" Employers objected tc
the trade and labor union" clause as
they claimed It restricted recognition
4 of the right to collective bargaining tc
the American Federation Of Labor.
1Ho view tdhcn Was Marrow. NJ
right to organize khas been conceded
The right to make unfair demands
either by employer or by labor. organ
ICED or unorganized, has never beer
conceded and never should be. The
people a. whole expect both sides &c
Be just and fair. Big men represent
both capital and labor in this confer.
snes. They ought to rseognize the ex.
listing evils and dependency upon each
sthsr. II they are willing TO do thai
I President Wilson's plea will be needed
and disastrous ending of what looked
9 Hike q promising conference for tho
general good Of the country will b
avoided