Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-24
IN LABOR CIRCLES


Co.,
The death of Milford Spohn. whose life
was devoted almost entirely to the cause
Of his Acknowledgment, was shock
| to the field Of organized labor. although
| Mr. Spohn had been confined to his home
about three weeks. He had been in Ill
health several years. so that no particular
alarm was felt when announcement was
made that he was unable to attend to his
| duties. 1t was believed by his friends that
| he would rally from the attack as he had
| from many similar lapses Of health.
(; In all sorts of weather-rain. snow and
| storm-it had been his custom to attend
the meetings Of the Central Labor Union.
| the Bricklayers' Union and the committees
| to which he was frequently assigned. AS
one Of his friends stated 1t, Milford Spohn
| literally devoted his life to the cause he
loved so well-that of organized labor. and
| his efforts will be sorely missed"
In his long career as q labor leader, a
title he earned by actually taking a leading
part in all important labor movements, Mr..
Spohn was frequently called upon to visit
| the cabinet officers and even the President
| of the United States In the interest of the
organizations he represented and 1t Is re-
corded that by such visits he accomplished
| things.
One of Mr.. Spohn's pet projects was the
erection of labor temple In this city
wherein all bodies of workingmen could
hold not only their business meetings, but
their social functions as we'll. The state
ment was made last night that certain ad-
| mirers of the character and life of the de-
ceased leader will now take up une mat
ter Of the temple Of labor and endeavor to
push the project to fruition, the proposed
structure to be in the nature of memorial
to Milford Spohn.
Steps are being taken. 1t is said. to ar
range for a series Of instructive lectures
during the coming winter months for the
workingmen and workingwomen OF the
District The project is as yet tentative,
but it is believed a lecture course may
be started by the 1st Of December.
Arrangements are being made at Min
neapols for the sessions of the American
Federation Of Labor to be held in that city
| next month. The Minneapolis Journal
says:
1.-The general committee of arrangements
| for the coming convention Of the American
Federation of Labor will meet tomorrow
| evening at Alexander's Hall and discuss
pre-convention matters. The work or the
readiness for the greatest labor gathering
| in the history of the federation.
at has been decided to call off the
| plans for an exhibit of union-made goods.
| been successful, but the move did not
seem to meet with popular favor here. 1t
| Is understood that several firms which
manufacture label lines will make dis
plays but there will be no united action.
las the time for the convention draws
near. it develops that the business to be
considered is voluminOus and of vast i'm
portance to organized wOrkmen. The Min
neapois convention will mark epoch in
the trades union movement for the reason
| that for the first time in Its history poll
tics will be discussed. For years the pres
ident of the federation fought Strenuously
against the Introduction of anything saw
| oring Of political action. In each succeed
ing convention the socialists made a fight
oring entry into politics, and this faction
has waged a bitter and relentless war on
Mr.. Gompers because of his opposition to
| their plans. The socialist element will
welcome the political step the organiza ton
has taken. Locally the step has met with
favor but the future depends upon the
| success Of labor's plans in the approach
Ing election.
Mr. Gompers is out in a statement set
| ting forth his views on politics, legislation
and labor, in order that he may not be
misunderstood. and the current issue of
| the Federationist contains the statement
| in full.
| 1t is now apparent that the federation
| will come out squarely In support Of the
| International Brotherhood Of Transfers as
against the seeding faction, the United
| Transfers Of America. President Com
pers and other officials have done their ut
most to bring about harmony in the ranks
| Of the teamsters. Recently Mr.. Gompers
visited Chicago in an endeavor to bring
about an understanding between the fac
| tons. He handled the matter in his usual
vigorous style, and went so far as to warn
| both sides that If the war continued there
would soon be no teamsters' organization.
Mr. Gompers noted conditions of years
ago, when the man who drove wagon was
up before sunrise and never in bed till
v,,j@ tr1f hnn tha al ,,-tn
was not eating sleeping he was working.
When the union was organized conditions
changed, and higher wages, shorter hours
and better conditions prevailed Then came
I a division. and 1t required great deal OF
tact to bring about reunion This was
accomplished, however. and the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Transfers was the
result. Locally the trouble is not felt, but
II matters are not adjusted at the con-
vention it Is felt that nothing can save
the two organizations from going under"
All locals of the International Typo
graphical Union have just received cir
cular from President James Lynch notify
ing them that the executive council have
now got their great fight for the eight-hour
day so we'll in hand that they feel justified
in very materially reducing the weekly spe-
ciai assessment which has been levied to
support the strike. The news was crafty
ing to the printers. indicating that the
strike is very nearly at an end from one
end of the continent to the other. and that,
though there is still little scattered firing
in one or wo districts. the battle has been
fought and won. and victory Is perched
proudly on the eight-hour-da banners.
A Buffalo paper says: 1.-THE administra-
ton has of late been almost falling over it,
self in extending the application of the
eight-hour law to government work. The
purpose is plain enough. for this law has
been on the books several years, and II it
ought to be enforced now it ought to"have
been enforced long ago.
A matter that has been given much con-
sideration In the District was dealt with at
a recent meeting of the Trades and Labor
Council of Toronto. Canada. 1t was that
of allowing boys and aged and feeble men
to drive horses along the crowded thor
oughfares of city The council called very
timely attention to a very real danger, In
the employment Of very young boys as
drivers of delivery wagons through the
city 1t Is said there Is a special provi-
dence which watches over children and
idiots. 1t must be so. SO far as children
drivers are concerned. especially. or there
would be far more accidents in the streets
than there are already. Parents are per-
f,, tf4v