Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-05
WORLDS W0RKMEN.
A UNIVERSAL UNION OF ORGANIZED LABOR
TO BR FORMED.
First International Congress Of Skilled Wage
Earnsrs to be Held at Paris During the Expo
sihOn-Every Shade Of Opinion TO be Rep
rsssntsd-The Objects in View.

NEW YORK, February 4.-For organ
lied labor, both in Europe and America,
this year promises to be one of the mcst
memorable on record. To-day the Ameri-
can aud European wage earners stand, as
rule, sloof from each other, both in times
OF prosperity and times of sdversity. The
chances are thousand to ore that q year
hence they will be bound together by III
dissOluble ties of friendship and self-inter-
est.
During the latter part of August, while
the great Exposition is in full swing skilled
wage earners or their representatives will
gather in Paris from all parts of the civil
lied world and will hold there the first
international congress of workingmen that
has ever been held. Socialists, Anarch-
lists, Possibilists, Nihilists, revolutionists
Of every shade and type, will sit beside
conservative trades unionists from Egg
land and America, and beside the Jealous
Knight Of Labor from New York will be
found the sturdy social democrat from
Berlin and the hot headed revolutiOnist
from Madrid. Any reputable body of men
who have distinct views to express on the
labor question will be allowed to express
them, and, no matter how visionary their
views may be, they will receive patient
hearing and due credit for whatever modi-
cum Of wisdom there may be in their plan
for the reorganization Of society.
The object of the congress is two-fold.
In the first place it proposes TO establish
and maintain, on q permanent basis, an
international association of American and
European wOrkingmen, and in the second
place it proposes 10 formulate and sanction
fixed policy, which shall be strictly ad-
hered to by all regularly organized labor
ers. In other words, as trade unions pro-
tect and otherwise look after the interests
of their members, so this congress proposes
to protect and otherwise look after the in
terests of all the organized workiDgmen in |
the world.
Credit for this great idea is said to be
due to the Paris Socialists, or Possiblists,
as they are also called. Believing that all |
evile of society can be eradicated by peace |
hDlO ulcdUS, tbCSC COnOluuCQ
that they could not better celebrate the
centenary of the memorable French Revo |
luton than by inviting to Paris represen-
tatives of the various bodies OF wage earn
ers in all parts of the civilized world, with |
the object not eoly of letting the world see
the real strength of labor, but also Of weld
ing into one coherent macs the many con-
flicting elements which have hitherto
proved fatal to any permanent and univer-
sal union of workingmen.
The reporter was assured by Belgian
Anarchist, who will very probably attend
the congress as delegate from Newark,
n. j., that the change will prove most
not only 10 the wage earners of
the world, but also TO their employers.
'Aa long as trade organizations are isOlat-
d." he explained, ''they cannot success
'ully compete with capitalists. As soon,
however, as the men in Europe and Amer
ca who work at the same trade become
sworn allies, their employers will think
twice before they offend such q powerful
organization. Mind you, don't believe
he congress will pass any extremely radi-
,al measures. 1t will not ask too much Of
employers, and it will not give working
men all they want. II will simply show
he workingmen of the world how they
nay protect themselves in case Of oppres-
ZION. Such, at least, will be the aim of
he conservative delegates, and thwsrted
ls they may be in regard to matters of de-
all by the extreme radicals, / am inclined
o think that conservative policy will
prevail.
81 expect there will be at least thou
and delegates at the congress. OF these
.bout two hundred and ifty will come
rom Great Britain, two hundred from
Germany, two hundred from France and
he remainder from the United States and
rom the other countries of Europe, Mr..
will represent the Knights of
labor, and every trade union Of any prom
nence in America vii have at least one
lelegate there. The deliberations will last
or some weeks, and you may rest assured
hat every phase of the labor question will
be fully discussed"
The groups Of New York Anarchists
were invited some time ago to attend tie
congress, and it is probable Ethat at least
three of their number will accept the in
vitation. Like all other workingmen, they
regard the event as one of unprecedented
and are confident that it will
prove a turning point in the history Of the
abor question.