The record-union., 1896-12-20
The Recommendation With Slight
Changes, Indorsed.
One Declaration Is That an Open and
UnequivOcal Demand Will be Made
for the General Enforcement of the
Eight-Hour Work Day on May l !,
IS08-The National Headquarters
of the Federation to be Moved to
Washington City.

CINCINNATI, Dec. 19.-At to-day s
session of the Federation of Labor the
Committee on Presidents Report rec
commended that the action granting a
charter to the American Federation of
Musicians, which now has a member
ship of nearly 5000, be indorsed, and
acquiesced in.
On reorganization it was recommend
ed that the National Association of
Electrical Workers be granted affilia-
tion and Cooperation of the American
Federation of Labor in the work of or
ganization, and the recommendation
was also acquiesced in.
1t was recommended that the Execu-
tive Council extend aid to the Interna-
tional Longshoreman's Association in
the matter of organization, and was ac-
quiesced in.
Consideration of the report of the spe-
cial committee on the eighthour move
ment was taken up, the convention act
ing upon each recommendation separ-
ately, and indorsing each unanimously
until the one favoring the appointment
of a committee of two to go to Wash
ington was reached
Delegate Lloyd moved to amend that
the convention elect the committee in
stead of that it be appointed by the Ex-
ecutive Council, and the amendment
was carried, after a long discussion, by
a vote of Al to 43.
Another amendment was offered that
in order to meet expenses in carrying
out the provisions of the special COM
mittees report an assessment of >
cents be levied on each member of all
bodies affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor
Two substitutes were offered for this
amendment, one for an assessment of
2 cents, and the other for l cent, and
the matter was discussed until the hour
for adjournment arrived. An assess
ment of ) cents would amount to more
than $50, 900, and it was stated to the
convention by Delegate Fureseth, who
was at Washington during the last ses-
sion of Congress to urge an eight-hour
law, that 81 900 would defray all neces-
sary expenses there for two months.
Just before adjournment Delegate
Lloyd, in behalf of the delegates in at
tendance at the convention, presented
to Fraternal Delegate Samuel Wood of
Great Britain a handsome diamond
studded watch charm, and to Fraternal
Delegate John Manlinson beautiful
gold watch. Each of the gentlemen re-
sponded feelingly to Mr.. Lloyd's pre-
sentation address,
The report of the Committee on the
Eight Hour Movement recommends
that a series of simultaneous mass
meetings be held by the wage workers
of the entire country, preferably on
public holidays. The dates suggested
are as follows: February 22d, May 1st,
July 4th, September 9th and Novem-
Der 24th further meetings to be de-
termined upon by the convention of
1897. The issuance of pamphlets, cir
culars and other literature upon the
advantage of the shorter work day;
to generally request all public speakers,
newspapers, and the labor press to
make the aims and purposes of the
eight hour movement the theme of sim
ultaneouS discourse; the issuance of cir
culars to the employees generally and
directly, requesting the concession of
the eight-hour work day; the appoint
ment of committees by local central
bodies and local trade unions to wait
upon employers. with view of secur-
ing the eight-hour work day with ces-
sation of work that the officers of the
national, international and local trade
unions furnish data as to the progress
made in the matter of organization and
preparation for the inauguration of a
general movement to reduce the hours
of labor: that this convention will
recommend to all organizatio tions that an
effort be made to secure a reduction in
the hours of labor at as early a time
as possible. and particularly during the
spring or May 1, 1897.
The report concludes: I'VE earnestly
seek the cooperation of all fair-minded
men and women of our time and de-
clare openly and unequivocally our
purpose to demand the general enforce
ment of the eight-hour work day on
May /, 1898, and to that end we shall
bend our every effort. The eight t-hour
philosophy deals with men in the con-
ditions that surround them and lifts
the class of wage workers out of wage
conditions, and thus inaugurates
through peaceful methods the new era
of manhood and womanhood emanci-
patton from economic slavery
Immediately upon assembling of the
convention for the afternoon session
the roll was called on the proposition
for five cent assessment. and resulted
in an almost unanimous negative vote.
Roll call on the proposition for a two
cent assessment resulted in 665 yeas
and 1.51O nays. The proposition for
a one cent assessment was adopted by
very large majority. The committees
report as a whole was adopted
President Gompers announced that as
a result of the convention of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor now in ses-
sion there have been formed an Engi-
neers' National Association, Bicycle
Workers National Association. a
Butchers National Association and a
Coremakers' International Association
The Special Committee on Arbitra-
ton reported on the Erdman arbitra-
tion bill and after citing several de-