The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-07
Special Despdfch to THE SuS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.-Organized la
Dor. organized industry and the public
gathered at the council table in Wash
ington to-day for the first time in his
tory in an endeavor to find a common
understanding that will lead the ma
ton across the quicksand of after-the-
war industrial conditions to a broad
and firm pathway of industrial peace
and economic solidarity for the COM
mon good.
Little progress was made to-day.
This was due to conditions, however,
and the necessity that the conference
organize and find itself and is not indi-
cative Of the ultimate result that may
be achieved.
There was no bitterness, no bicker-
ing and no issue drawn between con-
tending forces.at the opening session.
Some few differences cropped up but
they were the result of misunder-
standings and were quickly smoothed
away.
The only action taken was the ap-
rointment of committees representing
the three major factions at the con-
ference for the purpose Of organizing,
for nomination of officers and for the
formulation of rules and mode Of pro-
cedure. This was accomplished with
out friction and adjournment was
taken until tomorrow.
Though there has been no test, dele
gates are apparently in an open frame
Of mind and there was no indication
of ante-conference organization.
Meetings to he Open.
The meeting was called to order by
Secretary Of Labor Wilson. Its setting
in the Hall of the Americas In the Pan
American Building was unusual in the
extreme. When the conference met the
great hall was jammed to the doors,
the delegates being lost in a sea of
spectators and newspaper men. The
spectators ranged from Cabinet men,
bers and lesser officials of the Govern
ment leaders in every eort OF nation
allstic movement down to the idly curl
GUS who were able to obtain cards All
| meetings will be open at least until the
| conference determines for itself a diff
ferent course.
Tho grouping of tho formal represen-
tation at the conference was ingenious.
On the right were representatives Of
the employers, on the left the represen-
the representatives of the public. be-
tween the upper and neither millstones
| OF Industrial contention
Never before in the history OF similar
gatherings in Washington has any con-
ference or other event been so we'll COW
| cred by press agents. There were eight
press tables each seating about ten men.
but these were insufficient. There
seemed to be few nationalistio move
! ments in any way connected with labor
| industry that were not represented.
Long before the conference began the
| tables in the press room wefe piled high
| with alleged news and propaganda. The
| irrelevance OF some OF II was comic.
| There are many hopes hitched to the
| tall OF the industrial conference kite, but
| IL the few brief passages to-day, when
| real representatives at the conference
| had a chance, are any sort of an indi-
| cation, the conference will stick mostly
i to the main line. This does not augur
we'll for the score or more programmes
OF reform of one kind or another pre-
|
| conference.
| For the most part the character of the
men who answered when the roll was
called would seem to indicate that II
anything concrete comes from the con-
ference in the nature of a concerted
recommendation It will be OF the COM
prehensive simplicity of the Constitution
Of the United States and one as far from
cults.
Two Committees Named.
Action to-day was exceedingly re-
stricted, the only thing accomplished be-
| ing the naming OF two committees OF
nine members each TO do the organiza-
ton work. Upon the suggestion of Sec
| retary Wilson each of the major groups
employers, employees and public-held
separate conferences to name three rep
| resentatives each for both committees
| The conference also at the suggestion OF
Secretary Wilson adjourned for this pur-
pose Immediately after the formal open
| ingr1
Con of these committees was named
to Illuminate permanent officers and &c
Continued on Second Page.
t.