The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-05-08
new LABOR ORGANIZATION
ADVANCED IDEAS.
Beginning Of the American Industrial
Union at Chicago.

The initiative steps in the organization OF
the long-talked-of American Industrial
Union were taken in Chicago during the past
week and the organization effected. About
200 delegates took part in the proceedings
and the new .order sinrts out with local
membership Of about 500, in Chicago, while
II is stated that q number OF Independent
labor organizations and unions throughout
the country have signi1ed their willingness
to affiliate with the movement
The Industrial Union Is 10 he International
In character, and the general plan OF the
organization Is much like the American
Railway Union. The preamble and constitu-
tion propose, in brief, the establishment Of
employment bureaus, general cooperation
and the Introduction OF a general eight-hour
work day on Sept. /, 1897. All differences
between employers and employees are 10 be
settled by arbitration, and the only thing of
political nature contained In the preamble
is declaration favoring the universal suf-
frage for women.
The cooperative feature is the one upon
which greatest stress is laid. 1t Is proposed
to ask for tho establishment OF postal savings
banks for the use OF wage-earners, and from
the funds thus accumulated the organization
expects 10 establish industries which will ab-
sorb the unemployed and enable them to
become at least self-supporting. The new
isting cooperative colonies thirty-hve or
more OF which have already been established,
and. instead OF setting aside large SINS of
money for strike funds and the payment Of
high salaries to officers, II IL intended TO use
all the available funds OF the organization for
the establishment OF more colonies or the in
crease OF those now In existence. Such q
thing a. n strike Is to be- unknown to the new
organization.
one OF the articles OF the constitution pro-
vides that no one who is addicted TO drink or
gambling can hold office IN the organization,
and any officer contracting these habits will
be expelled from membership. rho doors
Of the new organization are open to every
body except the representatives Of monopo-
listic corporations. Farmers. mechanics.
tradesmen, laborers and professional people
are all invited 10 enlist, and no discrimina-
tion IS made as TO religion, sex or color II
Is expressly stated that 1t Is not the purpose
OF the new organization to make war on the
old ones. but TO aid them in every possible
way. In fact. 1t will make q point OF asking
the older Unions to come into the co-opera-
tive feature OF the new without losing the
original identity.
Ii is set forth as n living principle that
with natural opportunities always open, to
the unemployed, and with general eight
hour work day, there would never be any
serious disputes on the question OF wages,
but that they would regulate themselves by
tho natural order OF supply and demand. In
order to have the opportunity always open to
absorb surplus OF workers In any given
place, the American Industrial Union pro-
poses to establish nearby colonies, where
any man who is willing to work can always
earn enough by his labor for self-support.