Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-12
WORKING FOR LABOR.
The Federation Spends a Busy Day
in the City of the Straits.
MINERS TROUBLE In ALABAMA.
Trying to Win Over Electrical Workers
and Retail Clerks.
THE WORLDS FAIR LABOR CONGRESS

DETROIT, Dec. 1.-THE proceedings OF
| the American Federation of Labor were
opened this morning by the reading of
telegram from Birmingham, Ala, saying
that the Executive Board there had been
released on bail, and adding that in that
city there was no freedom of speech for
organized labor. Chairman Gompers ap-
pointed a committee TO formulate the views
of the Federation on the subject of the eight
hour day. 1t was decided to elect officers
tomorrow. Immediately alter the election
the convention will select the next place of
meeting.
Delegate Morgan offered a resolution,
which set forth that occasion was taken
during the Philadelphia Centennial by em-
ployers to food Europe with advertisements
that there was plenty of work in this
country when there were thousands of idle
men, aud that the country was in turn
flooded with unneeded labor. The resolu-
tion asked action by the Federation to head
off such possible immigration during the
| Chicago Worlds Fair. 1t was concurred
in.
No Freedom of Speech in Alabama.
Morgan's resolution, asking the Fedora
ported favorably. The convention resolved
to extend sympathy to the Alabama coal
miners in the strike, whose Executive Board
was jailed in Birmingham, and it was re-
| solved to spare no pains to extend aid aDd
encourae to them. Those who took
part in the incarceration of the committee
were denounced.
a resolution looking to more discreet use
of the boycott was passed. The request OF
the striking picture-Irame and molding-
workers of Cleveland, also the boycott of
certain brewers and others, was reported
| favorably and referred to the Executive
Committee. Reports from the documents
in the hands of the Grievance Committee
show considerable strife between trade
uniocists and knights of Labor in Cleve-
land. a unanimous report Endorsed the
secretary's report, which pushed the eight
hour day forward, and was concurred in by
the convention. Pecuniary aid to the
striking Beaver Falls. Pa.. saw makers, was
asked for and referred.
A Worlds Fair Resolution introduced.
A resolution, which was referred, asked
that the Chicago Worlds Fair be open on
Sunday, since Sunday was the only day on
which an opportunity was offered to the
wage-workers to attend.
1t was decided by the convention to in
struct delegates to bring their influence on
all electrical wage-workers within their jur.
isdiction to form unions. A grievance was
read from Southern machinists' union re-
garding proposed atfiliation, and one of the
delegates arose to denounce section of their
constitution, which confined admission to
white men. A resolution excluding such
locals as draw the color or race lines, and to
organize the machinists in national body
who do not inject the race clause in the con-
stitution, was offered and finally, after con-
siderable debate pro and con, a respectful
request was added TO the resolution asking
the Southern unions to strike the color line
clause from their constitutions, and the
whole was referred to the Executive Coun-
Gil for action on that basis.
In Behalf of Retail Clerks.
A motion was made pledging the dele
, gates present to lend their aid in their
respective localities TO the formation of labor
unions of retail clerks, with a view to their
affiliation with the Retail Clerks United
Protective Association of America. The
pledge also included that of devoted atten-
tion to securing shorter hours and Sunday
closing for retail clerks. Referred to Com
mittee on Resolutions.
The convention voted to allow George E.
Mcneil to draft brief history of the de-
velopment OF the industrial system of the
United States, and to compensate him for
his time.
A resolution, introduced by Adam
Mensche. instructing the incoming Execu-
tive Committee to request organizers to de-
vote special efforts to organizing laundry
employees into labor unions, was carried.
Delegate Sweeney's resolution providing for
the appointment of a legislative committee,
was reported adversely by the Committee on
| Organization. After considerable discussion
| the matter was recommitted. with instruc-
tions !or favorable consideration to report at
the next convention.
A Contest on the Constit ution.
The report of the Committee on Constitu-
tion was begun. They reported that it mad
carefully gone over the constitution and re-
vised it. The revised version of the first
four sections was carefully read, re-read.
amended, and, after great deal of discus
sion, a motion to adopt was lost, the poll
vote standing 1882 to GAL, while a two
thirds vote is required to carry. The re-
mainder of the report was then recommitted
| to the committee.
The sentiment of the convention did not
seem to the committee on Presidents report
to be sufficiently strong in favor of the hold
ing of a Worlds Labor Congress at Chicago
in 1898, and they would not recommend
such an undertaking at present, hut the
| Executive Committee would be instructed
to-day to Keep up correspondence with a
view to possible congress.