Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-23
IN LABOR C|RCI Es
g.

With the great convention OF the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor In session at San
Francisco, and consideration of the Internal
dissensions Of the Central Labor Union OF
this city. interest has been kept at a high
pitch in local labor circles. ard the guild
nuncs have been busy. The daily tele-
graphic reports of the proceedings of the
federation at the Golden Gate. which have
appeared in The Star. have been read with
interest by the workingmen of the Dis
trtct and have been the topic of many DIS
cussions in the meeting places Of organized
labor.
The marked increase In the vote Of the
socialist party at the recent elections, which
reached the high-water mark of more than
GO0.O0O ballots. has been another subject of
serious consideration and reflection, and
Washington workingmen are anxiously
watching to see what part the socialistic
element will play in the proceedings of the
American Federation Of Labor.
Certain statements made by President Sam
uel Gompers before the federation are being
highly commended by the rank and file in
the local associations. President GOmpers
struck popular chord when he stated that
1.-The labor movement stands for the very
best we can conceive Of There Is no in
stttution that is worth maintaining that we
propose to tear down or destroy. The labor
movement is constructive in it's character.
not destructive To build up manhood and
citizenship is the hope and is the work and
Is the mission of organized labor. Our
achievements are too numerous to mention
In a response to an address of welcome.
Our homes and our firesides are the demon
stratiOn of the achievements Of our move
ment. You are placed here most fortu-
nately, as Is always the vanguard. 1t has
been our lot for many, many years to be
n To- M
ments of danger at the east Thanks to
our lucky star and to a kind providence, as
well as to the splendid intelligence that or
ganized labor has placed at the Golden
Gate. the vanguard Of civilization and the
labor movement is at San Francisco.
Referring to the Chinese question. which
Will be brought before Congress early in the
session, Mr.. GomperS said:
I'VE are not opposed to the Chinaman be-
cause he is a Chinaman, because he hap
pens to have been born in China. Call him
by any other name and he is just as dan
gerous to our welfare. 1t Is not because
he is a Chinaman, but because he is cheap
man. No civilization, no progress is posi-
BILE made up Of cheap men,"
The candidacy of William s. Waudby for
commissioner of labor. to succeed Carroll
D. Wright, is being doomed with vigor by
labor organizations. The latest fndorse-
ment is said to have been given by the
Brotherhood of Railroad Freight and Bag
gagemen.
1t is stated by the Trades Unionst of this
city that the Paperhangers' Union. No: APO.
has withdrawn from the Washington Coun-
ell of Allied Building Trades
Hardly will the twenty-third annual
vention of the American Federation of
Labor have adjourned in San Francisco
when its antagonist, the Citizens Industrial
Association of America, will be called to
order In New York city. In the call for
the meeting the statement is made that
1.-The officials of the association are extend
Ing general invitation to all organizations
in sympathy with the cause of industrial
freedom to send delegates to this conven-
ton The meeting will be held November
% and 80.
From the work bench to the executive
mansion of a great state. This, in brief. Is
the history of w. l.. Douglas. the newly
elected democratic governor Of Massachu-
sets. In his early life he was Journey
man shoemaker, and later on embarked IN
business for himself Now he is one of the
leading shoe manufacturers of the coun-
try. During his career as an employer he
has never forgotten, the teachings of his
union and has always employed nothing but
union labor In his factories. Mr.. Douglas
popularity with the people of Massachu-
sets is best attested by the f1attering vote
he received for the office of governor. Re
ceiving the democratic nomination for that
place, he received the Endorsement of or
men voted almost as unit President
Roosevelt carried the state by $1,000 plE-
rality. while the democratic candidate for
governor rolled up majority of $4,000.
In his address of welcome to the dele
gates of the American Federation of
Labor at the San Francisco convention,
Delegate Walsh. representing organized
labor of California, said:
Trade unionism knows no distinctions
of race color or creed; neither does 1t
know any geographical limitations, north.
south, east and west, in every country and
every cline. in 'ihis year of grace. as in
all the years that have passed away. the
hearts of the organized workers beat In
unison to the music of that noblest inspi-
ration of the human race, industrial lib
erty and equality
Harry Knox, president Of the California
State Federation of Labor. in an address
to the federation stated: I'VE want you
to become thoroughly posted on labor con-
of great moment to the workers here, and
we ask you. while In our city and in our
state, to become thoroughly posted on the
Chinese and Japanese question, and then
when you are called upon to work for an
exclusion act We want il to be one that
will exclude. not one that Commissioner
Sargent recommends. l was speaking 10
a delegate from New York yesterday, and
he said: L never for one moment thought
I would see Cinnamon doing the work they
are doing here on the section, on cars and
everywhere Let me tell you, brothers
and sisters from the far east, and from
the middle east, that you do not realize
the conditions that exist on the Pacific
coast through the non-exclusion of the
Chinese and Japanese. We want you to
post yourselves while here. Then when
YOU go home you will be ready to spread
the truth among our fellow-workers and
be ready to act when the state of Cali
fornia calls upon you"
The mayor of San Francisco, E. E.
Schmitz, who is also president of the
Musicians Union of that city, in his adj
dress of welcome, among other things,
said:
You are confronted at present by
organization here known as the Citizens
Alliance, the sole object of which-althOugh
perhaps not SO expressed by them in those
very words-is If possible to defeat and
to destroy the efforts Of organized labor
This convention is therefore most oppOr-
tune and my pleasure is the greater in well
coming YOU here, because l know that by
YOUR conservative deliberations, by your
wise and well-considered action, you will
give notice and assurance not only to all
the people of San Francisco, but also to the
people Of our whole United States. that you
stand for radical action but for conservative
treatment and fair consideration of every
interest involved In your proceedings; that
YOU stand not only for the upbuilding and
advancement of the wage earners of our
country, but that you also stand for bet
ter citizenship; for the education of our