New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-31
Labor to Press
Its Plot Theory
At Conference
Leaders Aim to Utilize I'm
employment Council to
Push Charge Employers
Consrire TO Cut Wages
Unions to Provide Data
Hoover Ban on Agitation of
Special Grievances i Con-
coded With Reluctance
Special D,spasch to The Tr.buus


ATLANTIC CITY. Aug. 3O.-Apnroval
Of President Harding's call for a CON
ference on uncm ployment 70 take place
in Washington next month was voted
BY the executive council Of the Ameri
can Federation OF Labor >to-airht on
condition that organized labor be ado-
quately represented. Heads of the varj-
Gus unions affiliated with thh Fedora
ton throughout the country arc TO be
ordered TO provide data giving labor's
views as to the number Of UNEMPLOYED
and the causes OF unemployment in big
Industrial centerS.
If the conference can be made the
occasion 70 prove Samuel Gompers's
contention that the present business
depression. with 500 600 unemploved
is the result OF i concerted ATTEMPT on
the part OF EMPLOYERS to lower wages.
no opportunity will be lost to that end.
the labor leaders say. They assert it
Will be impossible to keep this phase Of
the question out Ct the discussion.
Secretary Hoover's stipulation that CON
troversial problems such as the closed
shop, wage standards and living costs
are TO be barred was accepted re-
luctantly.
Claims Credit for Council
Mr.. Gompers said he was much
pleased with the prospect of awaken
ing the country TO the serious problem
OF unemp loyment.' He attributed the
Presidents action to the recent de
. mand Of the council that the govern
ment De stimulated into taking relief
measures
Next to providing jobs for the I'M
employed the BEST thing is. perhaps, to
discuss measures to create jobs said
Mr. Gompers.
DO you expect labor to take an ag-
gressive part in the conference ~ he
was asked.
Since labor is the prime factor in
unemployment It would be quite an
anomaly to keep labor cut he replied
The councils sentiments were en-
bodied in this statement:
The present period Of unemploy
ment is causing great suffering among
the wage earners and their dependents.
1t IS apparent that i portion of this
industrial depression IS artificial and
was manufactured by profteering en-
ployers for the purpose Of lowering
living and working standards, weaken
ing the organized labor movement and
breaking the morale and spirit Of the
workers."
Members Of the council believe that
Dir. Gompers viii be one Of the first
70 De called into the conference.
Wage Factor Declared Vital
Mr.. Hoovcr's stipulation that wage
conditions must be barred Will surely
create opposition" said 4 member OF
the council We have already gone
en- record as having urged all workers,
union or otherwise, TO resist wage re-
dactions to the. limit. To enter into
any conference to solve the unemploy-
ment problem with stipulation that
wages must not De factor would
-everse our position~
Uniform compensation laws through
out the country on the style Of the
Ohio compensation la was urged by
me council today 1t declared the
caio laws were ideal from labor s
standpoint. and that every State Fed
Grafton Of Labor should work for the
adoption Of the same principles.
The council adjourned tonight to
aold It's next session n Washington
beginning November Il.