Evening star., 1919-10-06

tween nations, The President hlm-
self is, too i'll to. attend the confer
way only to open the meeting and
leave the representatives to work out
their own plans and problems. Mr..
Wilson's opening address and pres
ence, too. would have been inspiration
but the compulsion behind the big
conference is even greater than any
words that could fall from Mr.. VIII
sons lips or pen. The problem 1s
concrete-industrfal unrest g spread
ing, reaching out, inoculating the
whole tissue of American life with
germs Of uncertainty.
cynicism Clouds Atmosphere.
found in the atmosphere as the con.
ference begins There will be lot Of
talk, much abstraction, much general
ity- and little done, 80 think many who
don't believe in discussing matters
with their enpioyss. And nressing
side comes another cynicism and
doubt, but Of different character. 1t
Is the cynicism Of the radicals, Who
look upon Samuel Gompers and HIS
crowd as bourbons. ultra-consefva-
tives and compromlsers. and who re.
gard direct action. and the methods OF
the soviet as the only means to, In
dustrial emancipation. ~
Outside the doors of the big labor
eonference-moInentoN IN. the history
Of these critical days Of reconstruc-
tion-stalked The bosey Of bolshs-
masses will lose confidence in both
Of us--leaders Of cEpital and so-calI-
ed leaders of labof,rtis the sentiment
one heard in labor circles. And Il
we let these labor people take an
inch. he'll ks. 2 fmHes The
snspiSSssssids. M s sBat az feprseestise tiss Z
public are cs1eAill men, Identified
"a ltS lshin 70 .msuni' nj sale; 81 sSs IS.
WtlsoMian spirit ~ consiliAfioa who
Will be q vital factor In the settle
nents that issue from the conference.
Personalities Diseussed.
.msss Taks sny 4ssr.. .y,s &. Of nesss sf :. Gil
fornia, who has had remarkable ex-
perience in conciliating labor and
capital on the Pacific eoast-a big
hearted. broad-gauEed citizen with AZ
progressive 1 viewpoint al. the. west
Then. there's Bernard M. Baruch, who
mosphere of Wall street mixing
money. but OF whom it ID said now-
adays that when he came TO Wash
IA H.
up his seat in the stock exchange and
dedicated his life to public service.
He handled the War Industries Board
during the war, which had much to
do with keeping labor satisfied H.
B. Endicott, shoe manufacturer, who
was one of the first to proclaim the
eight-hour day. has had. remarkable
success az, an arbitrator between capt
tai and labor in Massachusetts,
E. T. Meredith OF Iowa, Is another
Srrof Yvroy nf
lieves in the cooperative idea az be-
tween employer and employe. Thomas
l.. Jones Of Chicago, a personal friend Of
Mr.. Wilson and dominant figure in
the zinc industry, is imbued with the
Wilson idea OF bringing about cornpro-
Then the socialistic. writings Of John
Spargo and Charles Edward Russell are
well known. Men like. these will not
permit the labor conference to wind up
after prolonged debate in merely q ma
jority and minority report or a lack of
They are not extreme radicals. any of
them-they will in the end like COM
promising legislators. get as much as
they can. And they will sacrifice some
things to get unanimous agreement and
nationwide support. They win not at
tempt too much in the beginning. But
they will endeavof to get agreement on
certain fundamentals affecting the relA-
tions of employer and employe to which
men can turn as they would to charter
or constitutions in any political.s or
private organization. -
capital-Labor Treaty Possible. :
The opportunity to write q. peace
treaty between capital and labor ap-
peals to the cenferees as almost az, big
an opportunity as the delegates had
at Versailles. A feeling Of bigness,
Of distinction. OF Importance, OF tran
scendent prestige envelopeds the con-
ference at its opening-an encouraE-
ing sign. For the delegates felt the
backing. the compelling voice Of the
constituent bodies which they repre-
sent.
Practically every interest involved
in industry Is represented; but the dis
organized. disorderly, lawless elements
which want no common counsel. no
afhliation with the American Fedora
ton Of Labor or allied bodies, no agree
ments and no understanding but abso-
aute soctalization and possession Of
the sinews Of industry, were naturally
not invited. Their strength will dimin-
ish according as the achievements OF
the conservative, orderly, but never
theiess aggressive. leaders Of labor arc
successful in making the average
Wv. AnA6nAoH bSuSVe tudI IN discussion
and counsel lies some advantage to
the employe. for the employers usually
are willing to grant advantages, to
| make concessions, IL they can be GER
| tain of efficiency, OF stimulated pro-
duction. of the validity Of contracts
! made with labor and OF an era of
stability instead OF the intermittent
| menace of strikes and extremist asita-
tion.
Both sides in the conference know
| the prfnciples--they are not new.
They know the. basis Of a reciprocal
understanding. The problem is to get
all employers everywhere to subscribe
| to them and also to get all employees
+ everywhere to respect them. The
dominant note at the conference ia
/ optimism because the mere getting
together is an advance over the past
| and the willingness to agree. the de-
! sire to work something out that will
! be mutually. hsipful and establishing In
its psychological effect 10 upquestIon-
| ably present. The. arSt days Of q. do
mestic peace conference have begun.
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