Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-15
LABOR IN GREAT BRITAIN
STRONG ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS
GENERAL FEDERATION.
Purposes Set Forth by Statistician-
her of Unions Enrolled.

Zone Of the greatest labor organizations
in the world" said Mr.. Hugh MacGregor,
the statistician of the American Federation
of Labor, to a Star reporter, 'is the General
Federation Of British Trades Unions, which
a short time since completed the first year
since it undertook the responsibility of act
ing as center for its affiliated unions, and
became a nucleus around which all the
trade unions of England, Scotland, Ireland
and Wales will. in all probability. ultimately
| rally for mutual protection and the con-
quest of industrial peace
Mr.. MacGregor went on to say that the
| newly formed federation will. ere many
years, develop immense strength since the
| only test of membership which it imposes
is that each organization applying for aftil-
iation must be a bona fide trades union, and
the advantages to be derived from closer
unity are too obvious to be long neglected
by any considerable number of genuine
trade unionists.
He said when the federation entered upon
its existence it was composed of forty-four
unions, with an aggregate membership Of
3i3, 600 During the twelve months that
have elapsed seventeen unions, with 80, 600
members, haze been recruited, and two
unions, with $50 members. have been ex-
cluded. Thus, 1t appears that the fedora
ton, on its first anniversary, consisted Of
f1fty-nine unions, embracing 377. 729 men,
bers. These f1fty-nine unions have $3.50
subordinate local unions, 100 officers, who
devote their whole time to the business of
their respective unions, and possessed COM
bined reserve funds at the commencement
OF the second year of the federation
amounting to $5,169, 495.
At the close of the first years existence
the membership Of the federation repre-
scented nearly one-fourth of the known num-
Der OF trade unionists Of that country. Yet
the number Of unions affiliated was less
than one-twentieth Of the total number Of
unions in the same territory. This fact
shows conclusively that the federation has
already enrolled a large portion Of the
strongest existing organizations.
Financial Standing.
The financial statements issued by the
federation, said Mr.. MacGregor, show
steady increase of funds, which, if some
thing extremely untoward does not happen,
will soon make that organization the
mightiest palladium that the workers have
had since the dawn Of history. The total
income during the period stated amounted
| to $112,S15, while the total expenses, in
Guiding all provisional expenditures, did
not exceed $780, thus leaving a balance
of $1O9, 400
The annual report Of the federation de-
clares that the executive officers of the
body are more than satisfied with what has
been accomplished, as they believe that
the success Of the federation does not de-
pend upon the unions outside, but upon
the loyalty, moderation and tolerance of
tnOSe INSIDE relating to the policy pur-
sued by the federation, the report states
| that the existence Of the federation is not
menace to the industrial peace of the
country, but a guarantee that everything
will be done to avoid dispute, this being
not only the policy of the management COM
mittee, but distinctly set forth as the first
| object Of the federation. Such peace cam
not be obtained by want of organization
on one or both sides, but by organization
on both. The desire is, therefore. for
peace. The policy which it is hoped to
pursue will be one embracing many feat
ures of the trade union movement.
so far the report goes to state.
I'VE have dealt exclusively with matters
connected with the countries above named ;
the movement, however, extends far be-
yond the borders Of Great Britain, and it
is the desire of the management committee
to ascertain the standing Of colonial, Amer
lean and foreign federations.'
The British federation Is, in Mr.. Mac
Gregor's opinion, grand step in the direc-
ton of progress, and he says he believes
that 1t will ever strictly adhere to the ad-
mirable program 1t has laid down for itself
and thus continue to grow in numbers and
influence, serving as a beacon, guiding and
encouraging the economically oppressed Of
oil lands.