Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-13
NOT MUCH LOVE LOST
BETWEEN THE LABOR FEDERATION
AND THE KNIGHTS.
No Interchange of the Cards of the Two
OrganizatiOns-The Australian SYs.
tenn Endorsed A Pittsburg
Delegate Secures
rrEc1AL TELEenAM To THE prsPArcH.l

|
| Seat.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcHI
Boston, December 12.-To-day the dele
gates to the Federation of Labor Conven-
| ton settled down to business. First they
considered the claims of Gustav Adams,
representing the German Trades Assembly
of Pittsburg, and after some discussion they
accepted him as delegate without the right
of franchise. Then came the report of the
committee to whom was referred the Presi-
dents report.
There was much eagerness to hear what
was done with the section referring to the
eight-hour movement for that is really the
chief problem to be tackled by the Fedora
ton. The committee favored the sugges-
tions of the President and recommended the
appointment of special committee to deal
with all matters pertaining to the eight
hour work day. That committee will re-
port soon, and then it will be known what
attitude the trades unions will take next
May. The committee reported favorably
upon the holding of an international labor
congress in the city in which the Worlds
Fair was to be held in 1892.
IABOR LEGISLAT1ON WANTED.
1t also recommended that all bodies affili-
ated with the Federation exert themselves
to secure the passage of proper labor legis-
lation. The committee believed that the
contract labor laws were satisfactory, but
not sufficiently well enforced, and, there
fore, recommended that the Federation seek
the rigid enforcement of the law and also
that for the exclusion of the Chinese. The
committee also recommended the agitation
of ballot reform until all States had adopted
the Australian system. The report was dis
cusSed and its recommendations adopted or
referred to special committee, except that
in relation to alien labor, which was referred
back to the committee.
The liveliest tilt Of the day was over the
following recommendation Of the Committee
on Organization: ''That hereafter all con-
ferences by the executive officers of the
Federation with executive officers of the
Knights OF Labor in relati on to trade union
organizations, or the mutual interchange
and recognition of working cards, shall
cease" This stirred up all the delegates
and the discussion opened up in a lively
manner.
NO LOVE FOR THE KNIGHTS.
The absence of any love between the Fed
Grafton and the Knights was plainly shown.
None of the delegates wanted to have any
dealings with the other labor organization.
President Gompers, who took the floor
for the purpose of giving his views
on the matter, said "The propo-
sition of the Knights Of Labor
to recognize the interchange of cards and
labels is ridiculous and preposterous.
These people organized in opposition to the
trade unions; we cannot recognize the inter-
change of cards. Outside of the unions
there is room for the working people to as
semble and discuss abstract questions We
proposed to the knights of Labor that the
trades districts of the Knights of Labor be
discontinued and we and our party would
use our influence to urge our fellow work.
men to Join the mixed assemblies of the
knights of Labor
Finally a motion of Frank K. Foster,
''that the resolution be referred to COM
mittee of five, of whom the President shall
be one, with request that they issue an ad-
dress to the American workingmen defining
the position OF the Federation toward the
Knights of Labor" was carried.
The secretary and treasurer's reports were
referred. The latter showed receipts 81, ,443,
and expenditures $6,576. A number of
minor resolutions were properly referred.
Among adopted resolutions were these:
Calling for revival of the labor press; urg-
ing passage by other States of the Massa-
chusetts employers liability statute; urg-
ing closer relations with central labor
unions, and recommending 9 common load
line for all vessels A motion to institute a |
political party was defeated.