The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-10-30
SWITZERLAND.
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.
SArURDAY, Sept. III, 1859.

/
Tne Congress met, pursuant to adjourn
meot, at 9 O'Clock, President Jung 10 IL
chair.
After tho minutes of the previous meet
ing had been read and approved, the ques
tions on the programme remaining undis
posed or, were brought before the meeting
In consideration Of the fact that the session
was rapidly drawing to q close, 1t wal
agreed that the question Of trades unions
should take precedence The report of the
committee was then read, which set forth
'ne necessity for organization Of national
and international character, and Of the &C.
neral Council assisting therein.
Caporusso (Naples) opened the debate BY
stating tha the population of Naples, con-
sisting Of 600, 900 souls, was distributed as
follows: 100000 women and girls who do no
work $4,000 lazaroni; 100000 small re-
tallers; 100000 SPECTATORS, and 200, 900
victims of the above state Of affairs. Since
the fall of the Bourbon dynasty matters
nave been growing worse, wages getting
lower, and the number of working hours in
creaslng. Lsborers are now compelled to
work from twelve to fifteen hours per day
for from two to three francs. Many OF
them live from five to six miles from their
workshops, which takes them from two to
three hours to 60 to and from, thus virtual
ly making the length Of their days work
from eighteen to nineteen hours. Govern
ment here is the greatest Of all monopolists,
and the most exacting taskmaster. OF all
tyrants the Italians are the worst. Govern
ment factories are supervised exclusively by
gendarmes, who treat the operatives az cri-
mlnals are treated in other countries. Worse
than all, the Nespolitan artisan has no op-
portunity to remedy existing evils, the low
rate Of wages compelling him to work the
year round, without cessation. Either this
or starvation. He believed the " Interna-
tionaP could extend its operations with
benefit to that section, as any change must
be for the better. A general strike might
rouse the masses from their lethargy, but it
certainly could not make matters worse.
Applegarth Uondon) then offered the
following resolutions:
l. That the present age decomposition, by which
the employers of labor not only engage in rash
speculatioDs and unsound financial schemes to
underbid their competitors to obtain contracts
but in many cases have pitted the workmen Of
one colntry against those Of another, renders
trades-un;ons, for the protection of the work
men, an absolute necessity in every country
and federationl of trades of every nation
an indispensable condition of the age.
2. That as the interest of labor are identical
the world over, this Congress, representing the
Workmen of almost every nation, urges on the
trades not In unison to at once apply to existing
societies for information and assistance, with
view to he form alton of trades-unions in
every branch of industry every country,
whether carried on by male or female labor
4 10
societies Of all nations to form themselves into
a federation of societies, communicating either
by letter or exchanging reports at least once a
month, affording each other every Information
as to the rates of wages, working hours, and the
general conditions under which, in each coun-
try, the work people are employed
4. Thst the various sections OF the Interna-
tional Association be called upon to assist in
the formation, and the Sections and General
Council be requested to aid in furnishing ad-
dresses of societies to each other, and in traEs-
lating communications.
That this Congress urges upon the trades
unions the Importance of adopting arbitration
for the settlement of trade disputes, and at the
earliest practicable period the adoption Of the
pf11eipiea Of cooperation and the Utilization of
the funds of trades unions for that purpose.
9. That If competition is to be superseded BY
cooperative production, it is cleSr, by past ex-
perience, that trades-uniOns are the first and
most natural form of organic iton towards
which workingmen have resorted, and must re-
SORT for protection, 50 long as the present sys-
tenn OF competition lasts, and that such organi
zatiOn is, beyond doubt, the best means OF i'm
parting that love Of order discipline, and that
strict TegaN' for the interests of the whole,
which are Indispensable conditions to the sue
cess of cooperative production.
Z That this Congress urges on the trades
unions to make part Of their future policy the
demand from the State Of q national compulsory,
and unsectarian system Of worship, which must
precede any great social or political reform, and
is the only guarantee rendering such reforms
permanent and beneficial.
Applegarth London) then proceeded, and
said he desired to give practical tone to
the discussion. His resolutions we're based
upon a long and active experience. He had
not one word to say on the necessity OF
trades-nnions, because they existed On &C
count of the necessity which existed for
them, and they would exist so long as the
age of competition lasted. If we could
educate the workmen up to cooperative
production, the necessity for trades unions
might cease. The resolutions not only treat
the question from the point at which
trades -unjsns Start, but attempted to show
how they could be extended internationally,
and how they could be developed from their
first lorm to higher and better form of or
gsniz alton, and how, in the meantime, their
influence ought to be used for the extension
of education.
Fourreau (Marseilles) said trades organi-
cations are impossible in France, as the gov
ernment was their avowed enemy, and had
on several occasions seized their funds. 1t
would never allow the operatives to be re-
cognized as the equals Of their masters so
long as the present dynasty exists. Moral
influence will do mole than strikes. When
the funds were taken from tle organizations
they recognized on a new basis, and have
succeeded admirably SO far. They have es-
tablished a system Of secret correspondence.
When a strike occurs, instead of expending
money the men are taken from the district
to other quarters and furnished work, and
in this way the labor market Of any one sec
tion is prevented from being glutted.
Crensot (Rouen) thought the danger COM
planned OF might be avoided by adopting the
example Of the middle class. Several soce
ties in Wurtemburg had sent their funds 10
het Bank of England to escape the clutches Of
the German Parliament.
Trumeau (Parisl did not attach the same
Importance to trades unions or cooperation
on the present basis, as others had. He was,
however, in favor of establishing co-opera-
tive banks, which should under any circum-
stances loan money to cooperative establish
ments, said funds to be contributed by the
members of the unions. A few seasons
since, Belgian manufacturers went too Paris
and got the latest fashions and designs,
then went back where labor is cheap,
counterfeited these productions, and placed
them upon the market as French goods
In such cases trades trades unio ms in them
selves could do nothing, but true co-opers
ton could.
Toulaln (Marseilles) was opposed to tbs
views OF the previous speaker, because il
trades-unions invested their funds IN CO.
operative enterprises they could have nC
available funds In case Of . strike.
Grosselin (Geneva) deplored tho tact tina
newly organized continental labor associs
| tions were more prone to encourage strike