The Washington times., 1921-10-13
BY II. X. REYNOLDS.
International News Service.

widely divergent lines today In the
reports submitted by the various
committees dealing with the present
economic depression and suggested
remedies.
A report submitted to the confer
ence by the powerful committee on
manufacturing contained recommen-
dations of a. drastic. nature, includ-
ing the total abolition Of the Rail
way Labor Board. and the transfer
of it's powers to the Interstate Com.
merce Commission; the repeal OF the
Adamson (railwaY act. and the set
tlement OF the Governments obliga-
tons to the railroads.
Minority Report Denunciatory.
Opposition to the reduction of wages.
the repeal Of the Adamson eight-hour
law, abolition OF the railway labor
board and "the granting of vast sums
of money to railroad corporations"
was voiced In minority report from
| the manufacturers committee pre-
sented to the conference by Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation Of Labor. The report was
signed by Gompers, Mrs. Sarah Con-
boy. of New York, secretary OF the
United Textile Workers Of America,
and Roy Dickinson. magazine editor
Of Orange, N. j.
I'VE deem Is necessary at the out
set to emphasize more fully the in
dustrial disaster that must result from
any further application OF a policy OF
wage reduction" the minority report
stated. industrial prosperity OF the
country Is based upon the purchasing
power Of the masses Of our people,
The masses OF our people are wage
earners.. and ability to purchase COM
modities depend upon their wage
Hits at Wage Reduction.
Mistaken reasoning has never ex-
pressed itself more falsely or more
crudely than in the declaration that
reduction or wages would induce q re-
turn OF prosperity. The industries OF
today In the most sdeplorable condition
are those which are affected. 40 the
highest degree by reduced earning
power Of the people" -" 80 81
The minority placed the following
recommendations before the confer
| ence:
'u). There must be adopted no
policy of wage reduction. On the
contrary, there must be policy
calling for the highest possible rate
of wages in every industry.
"(2). There should be adopted az
| q, permanent policy everywhere bust
ness, standards, which eliminate prof
] iteering, place commodities upon the
marked at = The lowest possible cost
per nhh epd snahIA manufacturer
to base unit costs Upon 100 per cent
ttilization Of the productive capacity
Of plants.
"(3). The establishment of uniform
cost accounting and publicity for
production accounts
Schwab's Name Missing.
The chairman of the Committee on
Manufacturing is William M. Butler,
president of the Butler Mills Of New
England. Among its members are
John r. Edgerton, president Of the
National Manufacturers Association;
A. l.. Humphrey. Of Pittsburgh; w. ii.
Stackhouse. Of Springfield Ohio, and
J. A. Campbell, of Youngstown, Ohio.
Charles M. Schwab also is q member Of
the committee, but he has been absent
during the major part of the con-
ference and his name was not signed
to the report.
} The majority of the manufac.
turers' committee held that by the
transfer Of the functions of the Rad
road Labor Board to the Interstate
Commerce Commission opportunity
would be given for the reduction ot
reflected in the decreased cost Of
/. transportation"
Want EightHour Law Repealed.
The repeal Of the eigbt,hour law,
the committee declared, would be an
| "initial step in the reduction Of arti-
ficial and uneconomic cost imposed on
the shipping public by law"
The Manufacturers Committee also
recofr,n1endAd Az substantial reduc.
tion ir the operating expenses of
the. Federal Government, and the
prompt enactment. by Congress OF
a law free from ambiguity providing
for substantial, downward revision
Of taxes, equitably distributed" and
urged early passage Of tariff Iegis.
lation ito give certainty and conf
dence to r'~~ ro-nove an
oareht obstacle TO the revival of
Industry ~ ~ sat,;
Urge. Huge sTFGhd for Roads.
| Passage Of the soScsiled $500, ,000.-
900 fsiltoad nipd]ng biD was urged
by the Committee. on Transportation,
and the suggestion was made that
railroads which are In a condition to
do so should increase their main.
tenapce,.. .. construction. and other
kinds of work to the fullest possible
extent. ... -.
| William s. Carter, president Of the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemen,
who represented labor on the Trans.
portation Committee, concurred In
the report of this committee with
the exception that he inserted a
paragraph recommending that the
unemployment conference endorse
the railroad funding bill with the
stipulation that funds advanced 70
the carriers be used solely in assur.
Ing the employment Of railroad labor.
Other Recommendation Made.
other recommendation were made
to the conference as follows:
Committee on Public works-that
| the Secretary of Commerce be re.