The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-10-24
Employers Representatives
Follow Labor Men in Retire.
ment--Future Course of the
Conference Depends Upon
the Presidents Wishes

WASHINGTON. Oct. 23.--Out Of the
national industrial conference when
began it's sessions here thirteen days
ago with representatives OF labor. en-
ployers and the public in attendance,
there remained tonight only the dele
gates appointed by President wilson |"
act for the public.
Meeting today after the withdrawal
late yesterday OF the labor delegates.
the employer and public groups heard
through Secretary Lane. the conf"renc"
chairman. n message from President
Wilson requesting the public delegates
to carry on tho work for which the b"ny
was called--thc establishment Of new
relationship between capital and labor
Chairman Lane. after laying the
presidents wishes before the two
groups, declared the Confcrcnc" ad-
journcd. Tho employers representatives
after issuing a statement in which they
pointed out threo distinct gains from
Tho controversy over collective bargain
ing. dissolved as q group and dispersed
TO their homes.
Up In che Air.
The course which the public dele
gates will pursue was far from clear to-
night. After spending more than four
hours in executive session the major
portion of the time being devoted TO
discussion of various interpretations
Of Mr. Wilson's message. the public con-
ferees were not in agreement as 10 the
presidents intentions and were still I'M
decided whether they should merely
make recommendations as 10 the organ
ization Of q new conference or shoulu
undertake the mission OF the original
body. .,-- ~.
hA nraGlHnnt
had in mind. and hope was expressed
that the public delegates. which IN re-
aiity in themselves represent all three
groups would be able to formulate q
program acceptable to both capital and
labor, Secretary Iane .old confcr"cs
that the president would nominate iur-
ther representatives should that ACtloh
be deemed advisable. and suggested thlt
industrial experts be called IN case 'n'
group decided TO make extended inTcstl-
cations before formulating report
Opinions Differ.
Some of the public delegates main
tained that their duty was only 10 re-
port what has been done up TO the time
labor withdrew and then await the IL.
tber pleasure of the president. while
others insisted that they were called
upon TO proceed with tho program out
! lined in tho original call Conferr"S
who were willing TO continue as new
conference objected to being c%Sid"r"d
a. the left overs" from tho wreckagc
Of the old groups. AS the debate waNco
acrimonious and the members showed
the signs OF nervous strain ~hlch thcS
have undergone since october b. an at
tempt was made 10 obtain n recess OF
two weeks but the motion was defeated
bv a close vote and instead 1t was de-
cided to meet again toiuorio"
at 2:2O o'clock.
Meantime o committee Of which John
d. Rockefeller, jr. is chairman ani
John Spargo. Ida Tarhcll. Thomas ID
ZONES and Ward NJ. Burgess are mem
bers. will prepare Recommendation a1
| To the groups future action.
! President Wilson on being informed
carly in the day OF labors withdrawal
dictated from his sick bed message IL
| Chairman Lane.
Hot Made Public.
Later In the day Mr.. Lane appeare'
before the public group and read the
| message in the form of memorandum
but declined to make 1t public
Before the conference was adjourned
| the employers representatives express
| ed their willingness TO remain. Al
| though realizing that without tho labor
J delegates little could be achieved
In their statement tho employers de-
! clared that collective bargaining, n
accepted and desirable policy in industry
had been brought more prominently be-
| fore the country. with tho real1Zaton
! that the term must bc understood aS
| having various applications under dill
! fercnt conditions. Collective bargaining
! Is interpreted by labor in only one way
fcontinued on Page Eighty