Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-25
THEY WILL BUILD
Federation Of Labor and Their Head
quarters In This City.
CLOSE TOUCH With CONGRESS
Many Advantages viii Result From
the Removal.
THE ZIG HIT HOUR LAW

Among the matters that will, it Is under
stood, receive early attention from the ex-
of Labor after the location of the head
quarters of the organization here. as was
directed to be done by the recent conven-
ton of the A. F. of l.. at Cincinnati, will
be the purchase of lot for the purpose of
building thereon a suitable building to be
used for permanent headquarters.
OF course, temporary headquarters will
be secured to serve the purposes of the
order meanwhile and while no steps in
this direction have as yet been actually
taken, 1t is known that those members of
the local trades unions who hoped that
the executive council would locate in the
Typographical Temple are not likely to be
gratified. 1t is stated by some of those who
are in position to know that the general
officers of the American Federation of La
Dor do not think 1t would be advisable to
rent quarters in any building owned by a
labor organization, as to do so would look
as though the A. F. of L. was disposed to
unduly favor that particular organization
and to avoid all talk of that character they
Will select quarters apart from those used
by any labor societies
Eight-Hour Law.
ne HTSt mdtteT tnat Will receive atten-
ton will be the amendments to the eight
hour law adopted by the recent A. F. of
L. convention, and, in order to have them
enacted into laws as speedily as possible,
President Gompers and Andrew Furnes-
the matter to conclusion speedily as
possible. the latter being directed to come
to Washington forthwith and ask that
Chairman Phillips of the labor committee
which has them in charge, take them from
their present resting place and ask the
House to pass them without unnecessary
delay.
One of the most important of the pro-
posed amendments is definition of what
constitutes a great emergency" and this
is made so PLAN that there will, it is said
be no possibility of it's meaning being mis-
understood.
Advantages in Moving.
Conversing with Star reporter today in
Baltimore on the future of the American
Federation of Labor. Vice President James
Duncan said:
1.-The removal of the headquarters of the
American Federation Of Labor from Indian
apolis to Washington will serve two good
purposes in particular for that large or
ganiZation, apart from the many general
beEefits the new location will bring.
In the first place. the work of the organ
iZation has been greatly retarded since the
headquarters has been in Indianapolis, ow-
and the apparent Indifference of the local
agents of the press associations. SO much
was this a menace to the best interests of
the American Federation of Labor that it
was found upon various occasions to be
necessary to interest the Associated Press
officials i'll Chicago. ST. Louis and Boston
in the dissemination of news of general
gccd and emanating from the American
Federation of Labor headquarters.
THE magnificent Associated Press facil-
tiles Washington is known to have will, it
is expected, be Of great benefit in an edu-
cational way for the student of economic
thoughts who look for any part of their
knowledge to the American Federation Of
Labor proceedings as a feeder to the prop
agation of economic reforms.
In Touch With Congress.
1.-The other particular manner in which
Wa shington will benefit American Fedora
ticn of Labor affiliations Is in placing the
executive offices in close touch with such
senator's and members of the House of Rep
rtsentatives as are friendly to legisla ton
in favor of workingmen in general and or
ganiZed labor in particular.
This latter matter became more real to a
great body of the delegates to the recent
convention of the American Federation of
Labor during the time Representative Nc
| Gam of Illinois was chairman of the labor
| committee. There were several measures
| of great importance submitted during mis-
| craftsmanship and upon all occasions when
| of Labor officers to meet his committee h,
never lost chance to impress on the minds
| of advocates of labor measures how vastly
| beneficial it would be to all interested in
| the enactment of such legislation to have
the leaders of trades union thought ant
| the producing of economic reform in the
| closest kind Of touch with the labor com
mittee of the House of Representatives: sc
much so, that as matter of fact the
| labor committee room in the Capitol should
| be open at all times to labor leaders anG
| be considered by them an adjunct tc
their official headquarters, so that when.
! ever measure affecting the welfare of the
| toilers was submitted 1t would only be a
matter of an hour or two at the furthes
! until an exchange of thought could be ha6
| with respect to the merits or dement's OF
| the legislation asked for.
| Since that time several committee.
| have been sent to Washington by differen
| affiliated organizations, and therefore a
| great expense, each being interested in tn,
| times they were successful, but at grea
cost to the organization, owing to the SLOW
| process of passing bills through the com
| mittees. but at other time unsuccessful
| and yet with as great expense as if tn,
| mission was a success.
This will in future be obviated by tn,
| fact that at least one of the executive off
| GERS of the American Federation of Labo
| will be in Washington at all times. ant
| both of them most of the time, and 1t Ii
| therefore expected the results in as far a.
| legislation are concerned will rebound will
| great benefit to the vast membership of tn
| organization
| IAN arrangement has been entered int,
under the terms of which one man Of eacl
| affiliated national organization with
| branch or local union in Washington will
| form an advisory committee to act with tn
general officers of the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, upon any or all matter
affecting the organization or organization
they represent, SO that through this sys
tenn of closer relationship not onl between
affiliated bodies and the American Fedora
ton of Labor, but through both, with Con
gress legislation looked for by the affiliated
| bodies is expected to receive the attention
it should have received long ago and whicl
the welfare Of the organization requires.
The action of the above local advisor!
committee will at all times be subject t,
the approval Of the American Federation o
Labor executive committee, but the fac
| of a representative of each affiliated or