The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-12
Fears of Ending Conference
Far From Views Expressed
by Delegates.
REAL WORK NOT STARTED
Steel Strike Is Most Serious
Problem Now Before Ma
tional Gathering.
Special psspateh to THs Sur.

Delng beset by Tears OF bloWup ana ut
ter failure Of the National Industrial
Conference as a result of lack of prog
ress and the apparent opposing interests
of employers and employees That there
is no real basis for this pessimism is
plain even to a superficial observer,
much less those who have given close at
tention to the conference and its devel-
opments. There is scarcely delegate to
the conference who is not honestly opti-
mistic as to the outcome and outspoken
In his or her beliefs.
The conference is beyond doubt facing
serious problem in the steel strike
settlement resolution of the labor group.
Members Of the conference who are the
moving spirit In the effort to bring re-
suits are unit in scoffing. the idea that
there Is any such thing as an impase or
even a situation approaching one.
They point out-not for quotation
that those who expected labor and capt.
tai would bring the same viewpoint to
the conference or that they would
reach a common viewpoint even before
discussion in the conference was under
way, to put it mildly, need something
by way of industrial or economic educa-
tion. They are inclined to laugh over
the apparently serious statements that
labor and capital are far apart and
both determined and unwilling to make
any CONCESSIONS
Real Start Not Yet Made.
One OF the leaders In the conference
movement and an active participant
pointed out to-day that neither capital
nor labor, employers or employees, have
had good opportunity yet to unbend.
and that much has been and will be &C
complished in this direction in a short
time.
Up 10 the present time employers
and employees have each advanced a
set of principles, AS usual there are
some uncontested points in each. but for
the major part they represent opposing
positions, but lack anything startling
new or radical Neither the conference
nor the general committee Of the con-
ference has yet reached discussion of
these principles and has made no at
| tempt to bring together the opposing
| views stated
In this situation many delegates who
| were in Washington to-day, while OBJ
| jecting to an exposition of personal
views, agreed that there was scant foun-
dalton for repeated reports that the con-
/ ference faced disaster and could only be
saved by an appeal to the President.
! SO far as could be learned there has
been no definite move made by the con-
ference for an appal to the President or
for any form Of reorganization. There
are those who are frankly determined to
| reform the rules OF procedure. ii pos
sible to break up continued and binding
| group action on every subject.
II was learned on good authority to-
| day that there Is an apparent preponder-
ance of opinion among the employers
group that nothing could be gained
l rcrh IN nA prAo dnf1t a.
least SO far as the employers are con-
cerned. They take the position tha
there is thorough understanding of the
purpose of the conference, and that Il
could not be further enlightened. This
position is taken with regard to tht
conference, however, and not the stee
striker
The forces OF labor represented in the
conference might obtain sympathetic sup
port from the President on the stee
strike issue, as the Chief Executive ha.
made his position plain. He urged set
Element by arb'trat. IN before the confer.
ence met. Because Of opposition from
the employers and possibly from the
public group. however, It seems that any
appeal to the President on the stee
strike resolution would come from tn,
labor representatives and not from this
conference.
.
obtain Intervention by the conference II
the steel strike shifted to-day to New
York and steel centres, where member,
OF the steering committee of fifteen
which came to n deadlock over the reso
luton yesterday, are endeavoring to Sc
cure sufficient concessions from the stee
corporations to enable the committee t
agree upon report to lay before tn,
! conference Tuesday.
af tha -
out that conference action would be use
less unless the United States Steel Cor
poration was willing to accept mediation
by the conference and agree to reinstat
the striking workmen pending the repor
of the adjudication committee of six pro
posed by Mr.. Gompers.
Judge E. II. Gary returned to New
York yesterday following the session o
the conference. and is expected to confe
with the directors of the Steel Corpora
ton, Of which he is chairman.
Plans for Outside Proposals.
Proposals sent by the League for In
dustrial Rights to the conference wer
. made public to-day. The conferenc
has decided that proposals of this ma
ture from outside agencies will be fur
nished each Of the three groups, whicl
are at liberty to bring them up for dis
CuSSlOH- III tHe regular way.
One of the measures proposed woul
make 1t unlawful for any person or cor
poratlon to support any strike, lock
out or other kind OF industrial welfare,
J. before the parties involved have had tim
to act upon the terms demanded. An
other would make 1t a misdemeano
for policemen or flremen to affiliate wit
any labor union not composed exclus
lively of fellow employees.
The three women members of tn
public group began formulating de
mands TO be presented on behalf @
: women. The delegates-Ida M. Tar
: bell of New York, Gertrude Barnum O
Chicago and Lillian Wald OF New Yor
} favor legislation equalizing the lega
} status In industry of men and. wome
and are drafting their Views for presen
tation to the conference through tn
public group, Tuesday,
Miss Barnum said that while a com
: plete list OF standards of working con
: ditlons would not DO presented, a
, matters affecting women in industr
} which were within the scope OF the con
, ference would be brought before tn
! conference.
MINISTERS FLEE HONDURAS.