The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-22
PRESIDENTS
APPEAL READ
TO MEETING
Labor Representatives at In
dustrial Conference Threat
en- Break - Wilson Asks
Peace Between Interests.
LAYS BLAME ON NONE
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22-OrganiZed
labor's representative in the national
industrial conference today, forced the
reading of the letter to the confer
ence which President Wilson yester-
day dictated from the sick bed, and in
which he declared the public expected
the conference to stay together until
every possible means had been ex-
hausted TO establish a "surer and
heartler' cooperation between ali the
elements engaged in industry.
Immediately after the letter was
read, the conference recessed and the
| labor group went into private session
| to determine its future course. The
| men plainly were impatient and some
of the public and capital delegates
| seemed doubtful whether the labor
representatives would continue in the
| conference.
The presidents message follows:
| To the ladies and gentlemen of the
! Industrial conference: l am advised
| by your chairman that you have come
to situation which appears to threat
en- the life of your conference, and
because of that I am presuming to
address a word of very solemn appeal
| to you as Americans
| 1t is not for me to assess the blame
for the present condition. l do not
speak in a spirit of criticism of any
industrial leader or of any group. But
| having called this conference | feel
that my temporary indisposition
| should not bar the way to a frank
expression of the seriousness of the
position in which this country will be
placed should you adjourn without
having convinced the American people
that you have exhausted your re-
sourcefulness and your patience in an
effort to come to some common agree
ment.
Must Industry be War?
AT time when the nations of the
world are endeavoring to find a way
of avoiding international war, are we
TO confess that there is no method
to be found for carrying on industries
except in the spirit and with the very
method Of war? Must suspicion and
| hatred and force rule US in civil life?
Are our industrial leaders and our
| industrial workers to live together
without faith in each other, constantly
struggling for advantage over each
other doing naught but what is COM
| PEELED?
MY friends, this would be an in.
| toleraDle outlook, prospect unworthy
or the large things done by this people
In the mastering Of this continent-in-
deed. 1t would be an invitation to
national disaster. From such a DOS.
sibility my mind turns away. for nv
confidence Is abiding in that in this
land we have learned how to accept
the general judgment upon matters
that affect the public veal And this
is the very heart and soul Of de-
| mocracy
1T is my understanding that you
have divided upon one portion only of
a possible large program, which has
not fully been developed. Before a
severance is effected, based upon pres
ent differences, l believe you should
stand together for the developmnt of
that full program touching the many
questions within the broad scope Of
your Investigations.
1T was IN my mind when this con-
ference was called that you would con-
Germ yourselves with the discovery of
those methods by which a measure BILE
cooperation within industry may have
been secured and If new machinery
needs to be designed by which a mini
mum of conflict between employers
and employees may reasonably be
hoped for, that we should make an
effort to secure its adoption. 1t can
! not be expected that at every step all
parties will agree upon each PROPOSE
ton or method suggested"
All members of the labor group re-
turned to the conference at 2:30 p. m
today. Mr.. Morrison announced after
the private conference of the labor
delegation. Other members said the
group had decided as whole to re-
main in the conference.
Must Stay Together.
THE public expects no less than
that you shall have that one end in
view and stay together until the way
is found leading to that end, or until
it IS revealed that the men who work
and the men who manage American IN
dustries are so set upon divergent
paths that all efforts OF cooperation
is doomed to failure.
Il renew my appeal with full COM
prehension OF the almost incompatible
importance of your task TO this and
other peoples, and with full faith in
the high patriotism and the good faith
OF each other that you push your task
to haDDy cOncluSiOn -