The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06
VOLUNTARY
ARBITRATION
Samuel GOmpers, President of
the Federation of Labor,
Says 1t Is the Only Arbitration
That Is Successful.
LABOR BODY MEETS
In Delegate Convention at
Louisville, Kentucky.
Annual Report Shows Great
Gains in Membership.
LABOR BODY MEETS

UalnS IN membership
Louisville. Ky, Dec. 6-The twentieth
annual convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor assembled at 10:15
o'clock this morning in Music Hall with
2S7 delegates present
Among them were: Representatives OF
the British Trades Union congress and
the Canadian Trades and Labor con-
gress, three women delegates and two
coIored-
President Gompers in a. few words in
troduced William NJ. Higgins, editor of
the Irish-American of Louisville, who
delivered the address Of welcome to
which President Gompers replied
Following President Gompers' address,
Thomas Tracey OF Boston, chairman OF
the committee on credentials presented
! the report of that committee showing
the committee had examined the creden-
tia4s OF 205 delegates, representing 81 ma
tionaI and international unions, 10 state
branches, 42 central labor unions, 50 To-
cal trades unions and three foreign fed
erations.
The report was unanimously adopted
and the delegates were seated.
President Gompers then began his an
nual address
Mr.. GOmpers said.
Our economic and social life presents
| to US new and complex problems The
the keenest appreciation on the part Of
all that upon ourselves and upon our IN
! ity in sentiment, conviction and action
| lies the safety OF the future manhood
try There have been no rights accord
ed unless they have been conquered
through unity, the wisdom and the vii
| llngneSS OF those who have acquired
them, to bear burdens and make sacri-
fees. What is true Of the past is true
OF the present, and will be equally true
CARRIED workers. to build up national
! aud 1nternational unions, to make cur
| organizations daily more effective, to
defend the toilers; to protect and pro-
mote their interests in every way; to as
sure beyond all peradventure the want
! age ground already gained; to progress
J continually in abolishiug that which the
workers their wives and their children
| have too long borne and the achieve
ment of that justice to which they are
entitled; the success of these, as typif1ed
by our great cause now and for all time
to come, rests entirely upon the working
| class itself.
THE past year has witnessed a most
remarkable growth in organization
| among the workers who have realized
that there is no protection for their in
I tereStSs or hope for justice and freedom
in the future unless it results from the
/ UNITY OF the wage working masses W hile
the growth is very gratifying there is
another feature connected with it which
IN ever great source of cOngratulation.
Inc workers nave organized IN the IN
ions Of their trades and callings; new
unions have been formed and several na-
! tlcnal unions created from heretofore
scattered and isolated locals and thus
the stability of the labor movement has
been more nearly insured
We have issued direct from the
American Federation of Labor during
the past year $40 charters-to national
and international unions, a. state fed
eratiOns of labor. 5; city central labor
unions. Sc; local trade unions (having
no nauonaD, 4S4; federal labor unions
I'VE had at the end of the fiscal year
October 81, 1900, affiliated with the
American Federation Of labor. Ma
tiona1 and International unions, 81; state
federations. 16; city central labor
unions. 206; local trade unions and fed
era1 labor unions. 1,G5I
There were issued during the wear
from national and international unions
and the American Federation of Labor
ldirecD charters to the following: New
" formed unions, 1875; charters sur
rendered or unions disbanded. 34S Ieay-
ing net increase of local unions for
the year of 3,2o7 and gain in member
ship OF 294. .329.
Our movement seeks and has to a
considerable extent secured a dir1inu-
| ton in the number Of strikes particl1-
larry among the best organized. In fact
the number and extent of strikes can be
accurately gauged by the extent, power
and financial resources OF an CrzaDfza-
ton in any trade or calling. The barom-
eter of strikes rises with lack Of OF
weakness in, organizations and dimin-
ishes with the extent and power of the
trade union movement.
| Through more compact and better
equipped trade unions have come Joint
agreements and cancellations between
| the Workmen and employers, and only
when Cancellation has failed has it beer
necessary to resort to arbitration and
then the only successful arbitration was
arbitration voluntarily entered into
IT IS strange how much men desire
to compel other men TO do by law. What
we aim to achieve is freedom through
organization. Arbitration is only posi-
bic when voluntary. It never can be
successfully carried out unless the par
ties to q dispute or controversy are
equal, or nearly equal in power to pro-
fiict injury upon the other
The more thoroughly the workers are
organized in their local and national
unions and federated by common bond
| policy and polityr the better shall we be
able to avert strikes and lockouts. Sc
cure cancellations and, if necessary ar
bitratIon, but it must be voluntary ar
bitration or there should be no arbitra-
ton at all.
Realizing the necessity for the tnfty
Of the Wage-earners Of our country. the
American Federation of Labor has upou
all occasions declared that trades unions
should open their portals to all wage
workers. irrespective of creed. color. na-
tionality, sex, or politics. Nothing has
; | transpIred IN recent years which has
called for a change OF our declared pol
icy upon this question; on the contrary,
every evidence tends to confirm US IN
this conviction for. even II it were not
a matter Of principle. preservation
/ would prompt the workers to organize