The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-24
President Gompers Political Pol
icy Gets Good Deal of Attention
From the Delegates-Gallant
Little General is Handsomely
Endorsed.
Socialist Resolutions Meet Their
Usual Fate-Victor Berger on
the Firing Line, But His Ap-
peal for Revolutionary Action
Is Turned Down.
Typographical Union Gets Good
Endorsement on Its Fight for
the Eight Hour Day-Work Of
Convention Gradually Round
ing Itself Up.
TUESDAYS SESSION,

ing Itself Up.
TUESDAYS SESSION.
Subsidized shipping, which involved
the enlistment Of the seamen employ
ed thereon as members of the navel
reserve, was roundly denounced at to-
days session of the Federation.
President Gompers touched extens-
lively upon this subject in his annual
report. and in it pointed out that while
purporting simply to provide for the
voluntary enrolment of seamen's serv-
ing on subsidized Ships the bill pend
Ing In congress, in fact, provided tor
the conscription Of seamen, SO enroll
ed, in time of war. The committee
on the presidents report, which re-
ported today, reaffirmed this section
of President Gompers report with
emphasis.
Delegate Andrew F'uruseth, who read
this portion of the committees report,
| concluded by reading: I'VE recon-
| mend that the American Federation
of Labor reiterate it's condemnation
Of this bill with it's un-American
provision for conscription." The rec
ommendation Of the committee was
adopted with enthusiasm.
Real Clash to Come.
This was the only spectacular
feature of the long expected, and in
some quarters, much dreaded report
Of the committee on presidents re-
port Those portions Of President
Gompers' statement which referred to
the late political activities of the fed
Grafton, and which will undoubtedly
be made the center for discussion, II
! not for attack, have not yet been
reached.
There is, in the hands Il the COM
! mittee on resolutions. a resolution, No.
131, which has not yet been reported.
It is one Of the socialist resolu-
tions" Introduced by Delegate Victor
l.. Berger ,ofs Milwaukee, and as it
!, stands on the records Of the conven-.
tion II promises truuDDfe. -
President: Gonpers' recent political ac-S
| tion, but demands that the fedora.
| ton go to lengths hardly contemplate,
! ed by President Gompers, at least so
far as can be judged from his utter
ances during the present convention.
Its full significance is summed up
in the two following sentences:
! Resolved, That true labor politics
cannot be non-partisian, and must al
ways be PARTISAN, and it must al
ways be PARTISAN to labor; and,
furthermore, be it
"Resolved, That only by uniting
politically on class lines in like man.
ner as we are now economically Or
.ganized on class lines, can the Am
erican proletariat compel recognition
of its rights and finally secure the full
product of labor to the workers."
| Socialist Doctrine.
| The full significance of these resolu-
| tions is sweeping. They commit the
federation to the socialist doctrine
! that all the products Of labor belong
to the workers and would turn the fed
Grafton and its affiliated bodies into
a labor party. This is far from being
in accord with the policy laid down
| by President Gompers and other lead
ers Of the federation.
! That President Gompers is aware
OF the full effect Of the unreported re-
solution is apparent from the atten-
| ton he paid to another, No. 1873, from
the same source, which was reported
by the committee on organization to-
day. This resolution as originally
drawn spoke for trade autonomy as
preferable to the existing spirit OF
individualism. This was a palpable
,attempt to commit the federation to
the old policy of industrial organiz-
alton followed by the knights of La
Dor and kindred organizations. This
to the convention with it's fans
| fha Gv,1,
| MI. Berger had stated the doctrine of
crafts organization as opposed to
trades. -unionism,- were carefully ex-
purgated, the first "resolved"" Topped
off, and the second trimmed down un-
til it amounted to nothing but rec
ommendation that the various unions
having jurisdictional disputes attempt
to settle their differences in confer
ence.
Delegate Berger rose at once to pro-
test at mutilation of his measure. AS
denatured, expurgated and eviscerated
by the committee it had none Of it's
original significance left, and he pro-
tested.
John Mitchell in Chair. .-
President Gompers, who in evident
expectation Of debate, had resigned
the chair to Vice President John Nit
chell, Immediately entered. the arens
and there was battle royal between
delegate" Gompers and the socialist
squad. Gompers took the stand. that
it was an effront to the whole labo,
movement; that its criticism of the
movement was based ON false prem
ises. He objected to the use of the
word crafts and on his motion
trades" was substituted for it.
Before this attack the socialists re-
tired, in good form and firing as the,
fell back. Delegate Barnes replied to
Delegate Gompers. but his artillery
: was put out Of action by Delegate
Continued 81, page four, 17-- a q