The San Francisco call., 1901-12-08
GIVES PRAISE
TO SOCIALISM
British Delegate Speaks
to Federation Of
Labor.
One Resolution Asks for Aid
for San Francisco Iron
Workers.

SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. THE Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, which has been
in session here for three days, completed
its organization to-day and the real work
of the convention will begin on Monday.
The official roll of the federation shows
the presence of 312 delegates, the largest
number in the history of the organization.
During the past two days 1877 resolutions
were presented for consideration by the
convention and all of them were referred
TO committees. The committees VIII hold
sessions tomorrow because of the enor-
nous amount of business to be disposed
of.
The morning session was given UP to
the completion of organization and in the
afternoon the British fraternal delegates
addressed the convention on union condi-
tions in Europe
Among the large number of resolutions
presented to-day were several relating to
the vital question of trade jurisdiction.
Other important resolutions introduced
were these:
Asking for an appropriation Of $4,000 to aid the
San Francisco ironworkers; increasing the sal
aries OF the national organizers 10 per cent.
and also increasing the salary OF the President
secretary to $500 per month; demanding munich
pal. State and Governmental ownership OF rail-
roads and telegraph lines, ETC.; asking work.
men to aid in the requirement of the power
of government for the purpose of nationalizing
industrial combinations; protesting against the
for the Beers; requesting workmen to hold aloof
from the militia and indorsng the Swiss mill
tary system; providing for the organization Of
school teachers.
Frank Chandler of the Amalgamated
Association or Carpenters and Joiners.
who is here as one of the fraternal dele
gates from Great Britain, was introduced
at the opening of the afternoon session.
He reviewed the labor conditions as they
now prevail in the British Isles. He said
his association organized a union in his
country thirty-three years ago and efforts
had been made in certain localities to
have its members join the Brotherhood
of Carpenters. He pleaded with the dele
gates not to force the amalgamated mem
bers: to do this. or they would sacrifice
much If they took such action.
Benjamin Tillett of the British Trades
Union Congress made an address advo-
eating socialism. Tillett held the atten-
ton of the delegates for an hour and a
half. He said that the force that is do
ing more for labor tnan any other lis the
intellectual force. of socialism" He en-
phasized the need of liberal contributions
of money to help labor in it's struggle for
better conditions and sided with Presi-
dent Gompers on the question of compul-
sorry arbitration. Gompers, in his annual
compulsory arbitration. Tillett said he
was opposed to leaving disputes to the
prejudices of the courts" He believed
in placing these questions in the hands
of board Of arbitration made up of ex-
pertS.
P. NJ Draper of the Canadian Trades
Union Congress pleaded for more aid
from the federation. He said Canada pre-
sented wide field for missionary work in
the interest of organized labor He
touched on the Chinese exclusion act and
said that Canada should also restrict Mon
the Asiatics on the payment of a poll
tax of 500.