The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-12
SHORT AND SWEET
American Federation of Labor
Holds Brief Session.
Names Two Committees and
Then AdjOurns for Day.
MIR. DANNER OBJECTS.
President State Society of Labor
Threatens to Walk Out.
Said Mr.. Walker Assumed Too
Much Authority.
MIR. DANNER OBJECTS.

SIOn OF the union LABOR meeting III
progress at Security hall for the pur-
pose of organizing the state federation
of labor. which was held this morning,
there occurred the anticipated clash
which indicated the feeling which ex-
lists between the hostile factions.
Charles H. Danner, of Fort Scott,
railway conductor, and president of the
state society of labor and industry,
arose after Henry M. Walker. chair
man or the meeting had appointed two
| OF the committees, and protested
against Walkers action.
| I'VE came here supposing that this
/ meeting was to be conducted by the
representatives of the labor unions"
| said Mr.. Danner. 1T was our under
! standing that Mr.. Walker was simply
to tell us how to organize this state
| federation of labor. But 1T seems that
| he is here to run the meeting and ap-
point all the committees. 1t seems to
me that we should proceed at once to
| the election of a temporary chairman.
If We don't proceed in that manner, I
! for one, am ready to walk out of this
meeting right now. 1 move that we
proceed to elect a temporary chair
| man"
Il think 1 will have to call the gem
tleman out of order" said Chairman
| Walker sharply. There is already a
motion to adjourn before the house,
and the chair can not entertain the
! second motion until the first is dis
posed of. I will say, however, that the
/ chair believes that he was acting with
! in his authority when he appointed the
! committees on credentials and on or
der of business"
And thereupon the chairman put the
/ motion to adjourn until o'clock Tues
day morning, and the motion carried.
| Meantime. the two committees ap-
| pointed by Chairman Walker will meet
and prepare their reports. The fol-
! lowing are the members appointed on
| the committees:
CREDENTIALS.
J. A. Gable. chairman, Coopers'
union, Kansas City, Kan.
Frank Gilday. state mine inspector,
Charles Rocker. Cigarmakers' union.
]. W. Mitchell, Typographical union.
| +. V. Vess, Leather Workers union.
RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS.
s. E. Peete. Central Labor union,
Kansas City, Kan.
j. E. Palmer, Carpenters union,
Wichita.
c. A. Tygart, Miners union. Hamil-
]. E. RoIla. Leather Workers union,
Leavenworth.
Edgar Thurman. Retail Clerks
union. Horton.
There were about 200 delegates in
the hall this morning at 1880 when
Chairman Walker called the meeting |
TO order. 1t is expected that the total |
attendance will reach ESQ. The meet |
ing this morning was public, but all |
subsequent meetings will be secret, |
and it is thought that the convention !
will continue all the rest of the week. |
The remainder of the committees will |
be appointed tomorrow, and the work |
of drafting the constitution and per- |
fecting the general plan of organiza- |
ton will be thrashed out.
Leaders Talk Harmony.
In spite of the feeling that the state
federation is likely to clash with the !
state society of labor and industry, the
leaders in both camps are talking |
harmony. Henry NJ. Walker, the man !.
appointed by Samuel Gompers to or |
ganize the state federation for Kansas. |
said this morning:
81 believe that by Tuesday morning |
we will have plans made by which all |
differences Will be ironed out, and |
there will be no clash"
W. l. A Johnson secretary OF the |
state society of labor and industry,
says:
There is no reason for any diff
Guilty. 1 believe we are going to get
along all right. OF course If there is
any hostility to the state society of |
labor and industry it is likely to crop
out somewhere before the meeting is
over. 1 can't understand why Mr..
Walker should give out an interview
attacking somebody by innuendo. 1
am in favor of this federation move
ment."
One of the leading delegates in the
convention said in speaking of the
situation: This looks to me like a
personal fight between Walker and
Johnson. due to jealousy of some sort.
and do not believe 1t will be carried
onto the floor of the convention"
There was a caucus this morning of
IS miners from southern and eastern
Kansas who are here as delegates to
the federation meeting. This meet
ing was secret, and was presided over
by Frank GudRy. 1t was held in the
smaller of the two Security lodge
rooms before the federation meeting
commenced. The meeting was for the
purpose of discussing the attitude of
the miners unions toward the pro-
posed state federation of labor. The
miners seem to be opposed to any
clash between the federation and the
state society OF labor and industry,
and do not want to crowd the society
of labor and industry off the boards
The state society OF labor and in
dustry is a department of the state
government, though it's officers are all
elected by the state convention COM
posed of union labor men The sal
aries of these officers are paid by the
state, and the department collects and
complies labor statistics, sees to the
enforcem ent of labor laws. and acts
as intermediary in case of strikes and
labor troubles But the fact that the
society is a state institution, supposed
to represent all the labor interests of
the state, prevents it from actively en-
gaging in the work of promoting
unionism. This refusal to participate
in union labor affairs an "organ1z-
ing body has led the national fedora
tom OF labor to decide that the time