New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-14
LABOR MEN IN CONVENTION.
FORE THE AMERICAN FEDERATION,
DENOUNCES STRIKE BREAKERS.

New-Oreans. Nov. l3.-The twenty-secOnd annual
convention of the American Federation of Labor
was called order here this morning in Odd Eel
lows Hall. with about four hundred delegates
present Robert z. Lee president of the local or
ganizat5on. delivered address or behalf Of the
laboring men Of New-Orleans, to which Samuel
Gompers, president of the federation, responded
After touching upoT the scope and bearing or the
labor union movement. President GOmpers de-
clared that it amazing to note the ignorance
among so-called educated people regarding the
aims and objects Of the organization. NO man
who as an educator" he asserted, poses as a
strike breaker is fit fo~ the position he holds
Compared such man. Benedict Arnold was a
martyr and Judas Iscariot a saint"
Although no name mentioned, II was under
stood by the delegates that reference was made
10 the head of one Of the leading educational in
stitutions of the country and they applauded with
vehemence. President Gompers went on to warn
The members OF the organization in impassioned
words of the serious menace to the immediate fut-
Of trade and labor assemblies through the con-
hicting claims of Jurisdiction made by different
bodies. Unless such things approached in
calmness and handled with moderation. he de-
cared. the labor organizations of the country soon
would be involved in a conflict which by compari-
son would dwarf all the struggles in which labor
organizations have been engaged thus far. The
matter. unless checked. he asserted. would come to
a point where laboring would fight with labor
ing men from behind barrcades in the manner in
which men deal with their mortal foes.
The report OF the committee on Gre
dentials showed that sixty-nine national organiza-
tons nine State organizations. ffty-fve central
bodies ffty-four local and federal bodies and four
fraternaI delegates had reported and entitled
TO representation. The total voting strength of
bodies represented by the delegates was about ten
thousand.
The report Of National Secretary Frank Morrison
covered the eleven months ended on September 80.
The federaions aggregate income for this time
was $l4449S. and the expenditures were Sll90S6.
OF the receipts S20,42S consisted OF contributions
the defence fund. Mr. Morrison also stated that
in the eleven months 1024 unions chartered
a larger number than for any entire year. These
additions increased the total number of unions TO
1853. The average membership is shown by the
per capita tax 10 be 1025.So0 gain of fourfold in
the last six years.
Reports from international local unions show
involved. Out of that number 80 967
were benefited and 1906 not. The total cost
Of the strikes s. 729.6O In the federation
there We're 2l7 strikes, of which 131 were won
forty-eight compromised and twenty-seven lost.
Ten were still pending when the report was pre-
pared The cost of the strikes in the way OF money
expended by the unions S9O.053. Two hundred
and siNty-four trade and federal unions reported
gains in wages. one union reporting a gain Of 81 A
day and all the others less. One hundred and hfty
unions report reduction of hours
The report submitted by National Treasurer Len
non showed the total receipts the order for the
entire year 70 have been S52312 and the total ex-
penses &200S5