Evening star., 1897-02-18
WHAT LABOR WANTS
The Earth and the Fullness Thereof, Saws
Nj. Gompen.
Addresses Last Evening Before n
Ous Washington Organizations.

Arion Hall Sth street near F. northwest
was crowded last evening with members of
organized labor societies and friends of the
cause OF labor. for the purpose of hearing
president Samuel Gompers Of the American
Federation of Labor and other speakers
discourse on the advantages of trades
unions.
Besides Mr.. Gompers those who sroke
We're Andrew Furnseth of the Seamen's $
Union, Robert Blessed of the Tailors'
Union, and founder of the Central Labor
Union Of New York. and Milford Spohn
president of the Central Labor Union of ;he
District of Columbia
Among the prominent knights of Labor
| in the. audience were H. b. Martin of the
general executive board of the general as
sembly; Samuel De Nedry chief of the
printing department at the headquarters of
the Knights of Labor: James F. McHugh
president and c. A. Maidens, secretary of
the local Federation of Labor and others
Mr.. Furnssth. the first speaker of the
evening, IN referring to the general condi-
tfons of the working class, said that the
only means by which better conditions
could be obtained was through the organi-
cation of wage workers He deplored the
slow progress of the labor movement in an
era and under conditions Of such intense
competition that organization was abso-
luteiy necessary.
Mr.. GOmpers' Speech.
Mr.. Gompers, who made the principal
speech Of the occasion, said in part:
"One of the greatest impediments to
better appreciation by the capitalists of the
devoted efforts Of the trade unions to es-
tablish harmony in the industrial rela-
tions has been the perverted view taken by
capitalists in regarding their capital as es-
foil vholl,,
as the trade unions, taking a more COM
prehensive and purer view, regard all cap
itals, large and small, the fruits of la
bors. economics and discoveries. inventions
and institutions of many generations of la
borers and capitalists, Of theoreticians and
practtions, practically as indivisible as
living man.
Another impediment to the establish
ment OF correct industrial relations has re-
suited from the vicious interference of the
political economists with their unscientific
analogy between commercial commodities
and human labor
What does labor want? 1t wants the
| earth and the fullness thereof. There is
nothing too precious: there is nothing too
beautiful, too lofty, too ennobling. unless
it is within the scope and comprehension of
labor $ aspirations and wants. But to be
more specific. The expressed demands of
labor are first and foremost reduction of
the hours of daily labor to eight hours to-
day, fewer tomorrow.
rs labor justified in making this de-
mand? Let us examine the facts.
Within the past twenty-five years more
inventions and discoveries have been made
in the method of producing wealth than in
the entire history of the world before.
Steam power has been applied on the most
extensive scale. The improvement of tools
the consequent division and subdivision of
labor, the force of electricity, so little
known few years ago, is now applied to
an enormous extent. AS result the pro-
ductivity of the toiler with these new i'm
proved machines and forces has increased
so many fold to completely overshadow
the product of the joint masses of past
ages. Every effort, every ingenious device,
has been utilized to cultivate the greater
productivity of the worker.
LnbOrers as Consumers.
"On the other hand, the organized labor
movement, the trade unions, have concen-
trated all their forces upon the movement
to reduce the hours Of daily toll, not only
as has been often said, to tighten the bur
| d. MS of drudgery and severe toll, but also
to give the great body of the people more
time, more opportunity and more leisure In
order to create and increase their con-
sumptive power; in other words, to relieve
the choked and glutted condition of indus
try and commerce.
I'VE demand reduction of the hours of
labor. which would give a due share of
work and wages to the reserve army of
labor and eliminate many of the worst
cur poor houses and jails.
Local Organization
Mr.. Spohn's remarks were confined to a
review of the local conditions of labor He
stated the purposes of the Central Union
to be the thorough organization of the labor
of the District. He asserted that at no
time in the local history Of labor had the
proper methods been pursued which would
result in thorough organization
he l,Sx- ~,
mitted the following report which WIS
unanimously adopted:
''As directed. the subcommittee on orga ii :
cation recommends the formation of a
federal union, which shall be composed of
those engaged in any legitimate business
without distinction of sex.
THE purposes of this organization shall
be to combine those not having at this time
a sufficient number to organize distinc-
tive union of the craft or vocation.
The organization shall recognize and
maintain the cardinal principles of trade
unionism, and shall support by all lesiti-
mate means the interests of organized
labor.
1T is required that the members thereof
shall always maintain helpful rela lions
with the various unions attached to the
Central Labor Union. and that the mem
bership of the various unions will maintain
the same relations with those of the Fed
eral Labor Union.
when sufficient number Of any craft
has been secured members of the fed
eral pody tney snail be required to organ
fze distinctive trade III ion, which shall
affiliated with the national organizati ton of
the craft. Those belonging to union organ
izations shell not be eligible to membership
in the federal union. and no one belonging
to n craft now organized or which may
be organized and which is affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor or the
Central Labor Union shall be admitted to
membership.
THE details of organization shall be de-
termined by the membership and may ex-
tend in scope to the furtkerance of all in
terests of trade union organization,
At the conclusion of the exercises a num-
ber of persons went forward and expressed
their intention to unite with the proper
union of their craft which is affiliated with
the Central Labor Union.
American Legion of Honor.