Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13
IN LABOR CIRCLES

| The eight hour loffl continues to occupy
| the attention Of the officers of the Ameri-
| can Federation Of Labor. and necessitates
| the presence at the Capitol of some of the
| high officials of the organization in order
| that the interests of the laboring masses
| of the country shall be looked after. Sec
rotary Frank Morrison and Third Vice
President James O'Cennell were assigned
/ to this task by President Gompers when
| Congress convened. and have been present
| at every hearing upon the bill before the
| committee on labor and education of the
| Senate the members of which committee
are now considering the measure.
| Secretary Morrison and Vice President
OConnel were in attendance at the final
| hearing of the bill held yesterday. Secre-
| tary Morrison stated that he was of the
! opinion that report upon the bill will be
| made to the Senate before Congress adj
| journs over the Christmas holidays. Mr.
| Morrison stated that the manufacturers Of
| the country are very much wrought up over
| the matter and said they are Inclined to
| think that the measure will have a far
| reaching effect This. he says, he thinks
| is due to the report said to have been sent
| out by the shipbuilding and armor plate
| firms. which are more directly interested
| in the bill. Messrs. McCammon and Pay
| son, attorneys for the shipbuilding indus
duct a rigid examination of all persons
who appear before the Senate committee
Local labor leaders are very sangune as
to the ultimate disposition Of the BILL and
say that they regard its passage as prac-
tfcally certainty.
Practically all preliminary steps necessary
to the framing of a bill for the considera-
ton Of Congress Bearing on the right OF
franchise in the District of Columbia have
been taken by the officials of the American
Federation OF Labor. This measure is being
framed In accordance with a resolution
passed at the last annual convention of The
federation held in New Orleans It win re-
ceive the attention OF President Gompers
and the members Of the executive council
of the federation at early date. Among
other things which the officials Of the fed
Grafton are advocating are the ant-injunc-
ton bill, convict labor BILL immigration re-
striction and a bill limiting the hours OF
service of the firemen employed by the fire
department of the District of Columbia.
The latter is of interest to the people oil
Washington generally, and was introduced
In the House by Representative Mudd OF
Maryland, and in the Senate by Senator
Mason of Illinois at the last session OF
Congress.
The anti-injunction bill was designed tc
check the promiscuous issuance of injunc-
tons against labor, and in his annual re-
follows:
Il recommend that our legislative COM
mittee and officers be directed to continue
their efforts to secure the passage of the
bill In its original form as passed by the
House, and to oppose any amendment cal
cu,ated to impair the fundamentally lawful
action of the organized workers in their
efforts to secure improved conditions.
1--WE reiterate our position that organ
lied labor seeks no immunity from the
law Tor violations committed by any one OF
its members; but it insists that that which
is lawful when done by other persons shall
not be regarded as unlawful when done by
wage-earners either as individuals or in as
ISOLATION.
I'VE demand, too, that the common law
practice shall apply to wage-earners as
we'll as to all others; that is, that no In
junction shall be issued wherever there is
another remedy provided by law.
Our fellow-workers or our movement are
not law-breakers; but If any one be guilty
Of crime the laws Of our country and