The San Francisco call., 1896-12-20
TO SHORTEN THE
HOURS OF LABOR
Scope of the Work Before
the Federation of
America.
Headquarters to Be Removed
From indianapolis to Wash
ington, D. c.
Some Delegates Opposed the Project,
Fearing tamination From
Capital Lobbyists.


granting of charter to the American
Federation of Musicians. which now has
mem bership of nearly 5000, be indorsed,
and the recommendation was unanimously
acQulesced IN.
On reorganization it was recommended
that the National Association of Electrical
Workers be granted affiliation and CO.
operation of the American Federation of
Labor in the work of organization, and
the recommendation was approved.
A recommendation that the executive
council extend aid to the International
Longshoremen's Association in the mat
ter of organization was agreed to-.
Con sideration of the report of the spe-
cial committee on the eight-hour move
ment was taken up, the convention acting
on each recommendation separately and
indorsing each unanimously until the one
favoring the appointment of a committee
of two to go to Washington was reached.
Delegate Lloyd moved to amend that the
convention elect the committee instead of
that it be appoln led by the executive coun-
Gil and the amendment was carried, after
a long discussion, by vote of A to 43.
Another amendment was offered that
in order to meet expenses in carrying out
the provisions of the special committee's
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, the other for 1 cent-and the mat
ter was discussed until the hour for ad-
iournment arrived.
An assessment OF cents would amount
to more than $50, 600, and it was stated to
the convention by Delegate Furuseth, who
was at Washing ton during the last session
of Congress to urge an eight-hour law,
that $1,000 would defray all necessary ex-
penses there for two months.
Just before ad iournment Delegate
Lloyd, in behalf OF the delegates IN attend
ance at the convention, presented to Fra
ternal Delegate Sam uei Wood of Great
Britain a handsome diamond d-studded
watch charm, and TO Fraternal Delegate
John Manlinson a beautiful gold watch.
Each of the gentlemen responded feel
ingly to Mr.. Lloyd's presentation ad-
dress.
The report of the committee on the
eight-hour movement recommends that
series of simultaneous mass-meetings be
held by the wageworkers of the entire
country, preferably on public holidays.
The dates suggested are as follows: Feb
ruary %, May l, July T. September 6, No
VEN ber "a; further meetings to be deter
mined by the convention of 1897. The is
suance of pamphlets, circulars and other
literature upon the advantage of the
shorter workday: 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
simultaneous discourse; the issuance OF
circulars to the employers generally and
directly, requesting the concession of the
eight-hour workday; the appointment OF
committees by local central bodies and
local trade unions 10 wait upon employers
with view of securing the e1ght-hour
workday without cessation of work.
The report further recommends:
THAT the officers of the National and
international and local trade unions fur
nish data as to the progress made in the
matter of organization and preparation
for the inauguration of a general move
ment to reduce the hours oil labor. That
this convention will recommend 10 all or
ganizations that an effort be made to Sc
cure a reduction in the hours of labor at
as early time as possible, and particu-
larly during the spring, or May l, 1897.
We earnestly seek the cooperation of all
fair-minded men and women of our time,
and declare openly and unequivocally our
purpose to demand the enforcement of
the eight-hour workday, May l, 1898, and
to that end we shall bend our every effort.
The eight-hour philosophy deals with
men in the conditions that surround them
and lifts the class of wageworkers out of
wage conditions, and thus inaugurates q
true peaceful method, the new era of man.
hood and womanhood emancipated from
economic slavery"
Immediately upon the assembling of
the convention for the afternoon session
the roll was called on the proposition for
a Scent assessment, and resulted in an
almost unanimous negative vote. Roll
call on the proposition for 2-cent assess
ment resulted in 665 ayes and 1910 noes.
The proposition for a 1-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 A. +. of L..
now in session, there have been formed
an engineers National union, bicycle
workers National union, butchers Ma
tional union and coremakers' inter-
national union.
The special committee reported on the
Erdman arbitration bill, and after recit-
ing several defects recommended that its
provisions be not indorsed.
A motion was made that further consid-
Grafton of the report be deferred until
Monday morning, the committee mean
while to get legal construction of Sec
tions and 6. and was carried.
The committee on law recommended
that a resolution enabling an amendment
to the constitution TO be made by ma
jority instead of requiring two thirds
vote of the convention be not concurred
in, and the recommendation was con-
CURED in.
A resolution for the establishment of
defense fund by the levying of 1-cent
monthly dues was favorably reported by
the law committee and the recommends
ton acquiesced In.
Delegate Meyers offered a resolution
that hereafter A. +. of L. officers be
elected for term of two years and it was
promptly negatived.
The matter of moving the National
headquarters has been much discussed by
the delegates and was brought before the
convention. President Gompers vacated
the chair and gave the convention his
views on the subject which were strongly
in favor of removal from Indianapolis
His chief arguments were that that CITY