The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-11-15
Advises Latter to Organize and
Prepare For 1t
MAKES ANNUAL REPORT
ARGUES AGAINST OPEN SHOP,
CONDEMNS PEABODYlSM,
AND OPPOSES COMPUL-
sorry ARBITRA-
TiON.
ny the A gsociated Pross.

San Francisco, CAL, Nov Ia
President Gompers delivered his an
nual report TO the American Fedora
tlon Of Labor this afternoon. The re
port Is quite lengthy, and reviews in
detail the labor situation throughout
The country Gompers considers the
growth OF the organization during the
past year very satisfactory, He
> shows that during the past twelve
months a total OF 443 charters were is
sued and that the total membership
of the federation is 1.676,000, The
total affiliated unions Is 1902
Looks Fer War on Labor.
He looks for the keenest opposition
in the future, ana to meet this advises
that efforts be made to bring into the
federation all unorganized clements
OF labor
We would abolish war, industrially
as well as internationally" says Com.
pers, but its abolition must come
and it viii come from conscious pow
Ell, intelligent and broader humanity.
May the day never come when peace
is proclaimed or maintained because
of inanilion of the workers. Peace, TO
De desirable, to be lasting, advantage
ous and humane, must come from
viriIe and intelligent manhood. We
want no peace and there never will
be peace founded upon seryility and
degradation of the workers"
The Open Shop.
Discussing the open shop question
Gompers says
"The union shop in no sense in
wolves a denial of the right of every
man 10 sell his labor as he may sec
fl, nor employer TO hire such labor
In fact, i is an affirmation of that
right Employers have a lawful right
TO hire any labor they may choose,
but 1t does not give them the right To
impress workmen or 10 enslave them
or to drag them into a factory on any
terms the employer may choose tc
grant as an expression of his kind
ness
Employers have right TO make
contracts for labor. This right car
ries with Ii also the same rights T.
workmen. It, therefore. follows that
If workers have a right to sell their
labor as they see fiji, they have also
the right not TO sell il to employers
unless ii be through the collective bar |
gain OF an open shop
Condemns Peabodyism.
Discussing the Colorado situation
Gompers takes strong grounds againa
the course pursued by the citizens
alliance. He declares that civil gov
ernment has been set at naught, and
constitutional ana natural rights an |
guarantees wantonly trampled under
loot"
Injunction against workmen is
subject considered at some length. AT
ter discussing various points. Con
pers says:
We reterate and emphasize th
declaration that we have no desire Il
be immune for the commission of I'm
lawful acts, for we discountenanc,
and denounce them. and recognize
their commission as wrongful anu
TO our own interests a.
well as TO the public good. But W.
mus. insist that If any man conrecteS
with our movement be charged wit
an unlawful act that he should, like
any other man, be put upon his de
fense and before a jury o. his peer,
meet his accusers and abide by tho
verdict rendered. We protest against
cIass distinction made in these
cases. so far as they apply to labor
which even upon an ex-parte allega
tion OF our opponents renders work.
man punishable for an act which i
held as perfectly lawful when com
initted by others.
Right of Equality Denied.
Surely we have a right to deman6
The constitutional guarantee OF equali
'y before the Law. This guarantee Il
being violated by injunctions. If Ia
Dor Is but true to the great cause OF
labor. We shall force home upon ou-
opponents as well as politicians anf
recreane statesmen the demand 70
hat protection. justice and fair deaI
ng to which we are entitled"
Gompers opposes INCORPORATION O
rades unions as against the best in
IeTests Of 1hese organizations.
Against Compulsory Arbitration.
He also opposes compulsory arbi
ration. On the subject he says:
Our movement is sincerely in favor
IF arbitration Of disputes which can
rot be determined otherwise: but we
ire strongly committed against a pol
cy OF compulsory arbitration in am
orm- particularly compulsory arbitra-