The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-09
Delegates to Convention of Amer
lean Federation of Labor Tran
saCt Important Committee
Business on the Lords Day
WORK OF CONVENTION is
THOROUGHLY MAPPED OUT
One of the Most Vital Questions
to Be Discussed Is That Of
Trade Autonomy - Scranton
Street Railway Strike to Be
Looked Into

Scranton, Pa, Dec. S.-Notwithstand-
ing this was Sunday, many of the dele
gates to the convention of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor did not cease
their activity the day being given up
| to the transaction of committee bust
ness. A majority of the committees met
and organized and not a few of them
took up questions which will engage
the attention of the convention during
the coming week. The executive coun-
Gil went into session early and did not
adjourn until long after noon. The ses-
sion was secret and nothing was given
out for publication
Among the delegates was w. D.
Mahon of Detroit, president of the
iAmalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees. He was in frequent
conference during the day with local
brotherhood leaders who were discus
sing the street car strike in this city.
1t is probable Mr.. Mahon and President
Mitchell of the mine workers will be
delegated by the executive council to
take charge of the strike.
Later in the day a delegation from
the allied building trades of Philadel-
phia arrived here and had an interview
with MIR. Mahon on the street railway
situation in that city, where a strike is
said to be among the probabilities Of
the near future The conferees desired
a plan of Cancellation by which an at
tempt will be made to bring together
the amalgamated association and the
rival organizations known as the Phil
adelphia Street Railway Employees As
ISOLATION.
The Metal Trades Federation held
another meeting this afternoon and dis
cussed plans Off perfecting the organi-
cation. Nine Of the 10 eligible metal
trades unions in the United States
were represented. The object of the
federation is to have an organization
that can hold conferences with the
national metal trades association,
which is composed exclusively of man
ufacturers.
The American Federation Of Labor
convention will remain in session the
next six days, and will have a very
busy week. Two hundred resolutions
touching upon nearly every question in
the labor world. have been presented
for action. The committee will make
reports on them as rapidly as possible,
but 1t is not likely that more than half
of these will be reported. The CUES
ton looked upon by many of the dele
I
will come before the convention is that
of trade autonomy. The brewery
workmen and the mine workers dele
gates probably viii be the storm cen
ire of this question. Both of these
trade unions want industrial autonomy.
They also announce that they will OPP
pose trade autonomy to the bitter end.
The miners in their argument say
that If a handful OF engineers. or fire.
II, ,fr,n cts
it would cause the mine to be closed,
and thus throw out OF work hundreds
of men. who may have no grievances.
If all trades in the mine were united
under one head, the mine workers say,
much friction could be avoided. Those
who advocate trade autonomy claim
it would be fatal for them to enter
such combination, and that no good
could come from an amalgamation Of
that kind.
The autonomy question is likely to be
introduced by either the firemen or en-
gineers, which organizations are cor
testing the rights of the brewery work
men and mine workers to force fire
men ana engineers employed in those
places TO join the brewers or mine
workers unions The matter Of trade
jurisdiction is also expected to cause a
long discussion, particularly on the
part OF the wood workers. who make
the point that trades such as piano
makers are wood workers, and should
come into the latter's union, instead Of
their having an independent organiza-
ton. The Mosaic and Encaustic tile
layers have a dispute OF the same
character. as nave also a number OF
other trades which want kindred trades
to join them
Nearly a dozen resolutions on the
matter Of the exclusion OF the Mon
golian race from the United States and
island possessions are in the hands of
a special committee This committee
probably, will report one resolution
embodyinS the good points Of all of
them. II Will be adopted along with
one commencing President Roosevelt
for advocating in his annual message
the continued exclusion OF Cinnamon.
Much interest is being manifested as
to what the report Of the executive
council will contain. This report deals
specifically with the work of the Fed
Grafton during tho year. 1t may con-
tain some reference to the failure of
the recent steel strike, although that
labor struggle, 1t is understood, has
not officially come before the council
There has been no development in the
Gumpers- Mitchell Shaffer controversy,
which grew out of the strike. Diligent
inquiry failed to confirm the rumor
that the matter will be threshed out on
the floor Of the convention.
At this time It seems reasonably GER
tain that all the present officers of the
Federation viii be reelected. There is
a movement on foot to increase the
number Of vice presidents from six to
seven or eight, but it is not likely that
this will be accomplished
Among the cities which have entered
the campaign for the next place of
meeting are Atlanta. Ge.; Buffalo, Los
Angeles, Cal; Milwaukee, Wis; New
Orleans and San Francisco. Portland.
Ore. wants the convention Cor 1905. the
year the exposition is to be held in
that city
ONE 0E Fall RIVERS