The times., 1899-03-27
LABOR UNIONS
MAY COMBINE
RumOred Creation of One Great
international Body.
President GOmpers Not Yet Ready
to Discuss 1t.
General Secretary Hayes. of the K
of L., Inclined to Discredit
the Report.

The rumor which has been going the
rounds of the press for the last few days,
to the effect that there is a movement on
foot in labor circles which will probably
result in the amalgamation of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor and the knights
of Labor into one great international or
ganization has been discussed with much
interest by local labor people. The al
legged movement is at just such stage of
progress that the leading officials of the
bodies decline to discuss the subject for
publication. Samuel Gompers, President of
the American Federation of Labor, was
asked to make statement in reference to
the proposed amalgamation of the two or
CARNATIONS, but declined to do so for the
reason that he does not think 1t advisable
to discuss the matter just at this time.
John w. Hayes, the General Secretary
Treasurer of the order of Knights of Labor,
however, when seen by reporter for The
Times, was quite willing to give his views
of the affair He stated that there is not
word of truth in the statement that the
knighs in the East are about Withdrawing
from the order and affiliating with the
trades unionists. The story, he said, is the
same as that which is started every year
by some one and is sent the rounds of the
press and which, for the lack of foundation
in fact dies an early and natural death.
Mr.. Hayes stated that he could not con-
ceive why such a story has been set ago
ing. He certainly could not believe that
II was started by anyone familiar with the
labor movement for such one would
know that the order is in a much more
prosperous condition than it has been Tor
several years past. Not only has it had a
large increase in membership from among
the wage earners of the country, but also
he says, from the ranks of the American
Federation of Labor. In support of this
statement MIR. Hayes said that he had just
received letter from X. Coan, secretary
of the Bicycle Workers and Allied Me-
chanics' Union, of Cleveland, which stated
that their organization had withdrawn from
the A. F. of L. and affiliated with the
X. of L. The reason OF this change of
membership from one national body TO the
other, it is stated, is because OF the high
rate of per capita tax levied by the A.
F. of L.
AS evidence that the order of Knights
of Labor is prospering, Mr.. Hayes named
the following assemblies as having been
organized and chartered by 1t during the
last month:
L. A. 1923, composed of molders, Canada;
L. A. 1924, composed of iron miners, Ala
Canada; L. A. 1926. composed Of miners,
Alabama; L. A. 1865, composed of miners,
Tennessee; L. A. 1928, composed of post
office clerks. Illinois; L. A. 1929, composed
of miners. Canada; L. A. 1886, composed of
miners, Alabama: L. A. 1898. composed of
bartenders, New York; L. A. 1910, COM
posed of wagon drivers, New Jersey; l.. A..
1871, composed of brewers, Pennsylvania;
L. A. 1913, composed of engineers, New
wi Of
Michigan; l.. A. 1916, composed of cotton
spinners, New York; L. A. 1s4T, composed
of miners Illinois; l.. A. 1910, composed of
brewers, New York l.. A 1887, composed
of bakers. Texas; L. A. 1888. composed of
musicians. Ohio; L. A. 1912, composed of
miners, Pennsylvania; L. A. 1913 composed
of miners, Kentucky; L. A. 1911. composed
of longshoremen, Virginia; l.. A. 1918,
composed of miners, Alabama l.. a. 1920,
composed of miners and mine laborers, flli-
nois; L. A. 1922, composed of miners, Ala
bama.