Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-04-13
THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE
UNION CONGRESS,
BY ADoLpHE SMITH Official Interpreter).
AZ London, November, 1888.
concluded from last lceek,

-
concluded from last ,ceek.)
The great question Of the llmita-
ton of the hours of labor by the
State was discussed at some length.
1t would take too much space to
analyze the arguments for and
against. 1t is subject for itself.
For the present it will suffice to see
how it was decided by the Congress,
though but for the great self-con-
troll and discipline Of the foreign
delegates the question would not
have been decided at all. This was
the resolution proposed.
This Congress is of opinion that, ow-
ing to the concentration of capital, and
the relative weakness of trade unions in
proportion to the number of workers, it
is impossible to further reduce the
hours of labor without the aid of the
State, and that in every case eight hours
should be the maximum number Of
hours worked"
1t was not before Friday after
noon that this resolution could be
brought forward. Several speeches
were delivered in favor of the mo-
ton; and so that the arguments on
both sides might be fully heard, a
proposal was made that the Con-
gress should meet an hour earlier on
the morrow. The English preS-
dent, however, finding that it was
just five o'clock, suddenly adjourned
the proceedings without taking the
vote, and without consulting his
colleague and co-president, NJ.
Christensen. This gave great Of
Tense, and had the morrow not been
the last day of the Congress, a vote
CT censure would have been pro-
posed. But, so as not to lose time,
this was abandoned, and also it was
decided that no further speeches in
favor of the Eight Hour bill should
be delivered. 1t is noticeable fact
that, though they had thus an open
field before them, the opponents of
the measure failed to make any tell
ing speeches, and all the most inhu-
entail and best speakers remained
absolutely silent. Not member of
the Parliamentary Committee ut
tered word for or against. Mr..
Mawdsley, a member of the Parlia-
mentary Committee, moved the
previous question, on the ground
that plebiscite, taken within the
ranks of the trade unions, had re-
suited in vague, uncertain replies;
but he did not say anything for or
against the principle involved. This
motion was defeated. Then an
amendment was proposed to the eff
feet that an Eight Hour Day should
be enforced by law, but only for
State and municipal contracts. Had
this been carried it would have
shelved the resolution before the
Congress, and therefore the foreign
delegates, while approving of the
amendment so far as it went, voted
against it. The English delegates
adopted the amendment by twenty
three votes to twelve; but it was los
by five natonalities to one. Never
theless the fact remains that thu
whole of the foreign delegates, ever
including the Anarchist, and tn,
great majority of the English dele
gates, agree that for all work done
for the State or municipalities thu
! duration Of the day work should b.
limited by law to eight hours, Their
came on another amendmen
brought in by NJ. TorteIIier, TIN
Anarchist, declaring that it wa
childish TO expect Legislators (who
to maintain their privileges, were IN
terested in crushing the WORKING
cIassesl to pass bcnefclal laws re
duclng the hours Of labor. Tn
workers could only "rely on thei
own strength" to realize their eman
cipation. Had NJ. TortelIler mean
the strength of organizations or o
trade unions, he would have said so
But for several years it has been nc
, torious that this Anarchist believe
only in the strength of instruction
, aided by the chemical resources G