The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-15

let others work. Such I understand to be the case in New York press rooms. There are many conscientious workers who render faithful service and give full value, but the years are rolling around and young men are growing older and the energy and enthusiasm of their youth begin to slaeken and others are not com ing forward to take their places We do not complain of the unions as such. We believe that these organizations, while deadening effort of members, have brought substantial results to men who are not ambitious to rise above their employment. We do not complain of the high wages we pay, though we pay the highest paid to any class of labor. but we do complain of conditions which operate to decrease the efficiency of that labor and to deprive Us of that equiva- lent in production to which we are en- titled and which was part of a solemn pact. The unions do not need specifiea- tions. The question Of efficiency is one which is agitating the councils of all of them. It is the most serious question that eonfronts them. They must work it out with due regard for their obligations to their employers or they will work their own undoing It is a question of good faith and good morals"
 James Duncan, first vice president of the American Federation of Labor, pre- sented another phase of the topic.
 Agreement Not Necessary.
 Melville E. Ingalls of the Big Four rail- road said the trade agreement plan was rot necessary for him or for his men when he understood his first railroad work. Every one of the men could see fim If they wanted to do so, but event. ually they came to number 20OO0, Mr. Ingalls, added. and then formal agree ments became a necessity.
 But, MT. Ingalls, declared, that even these agreements did not meet present re- quirements.
 We are going to take the trade of the world,' he said, "and we must develop to the point of profit-sharing Only when employers apG employees are partners will the relations between them be perfected A. B. Garretson, president of the Order Of Railway Conductors, followed with a strong indors.ment of the trade agree ment.
 August Belmont commended the prin- c,ple of the trade agreement, but said Jews would have to be passed giving it the force of contract before public ser vice transportation corporations could adopt it.
 Gompers Speaks.
 Samuel Gompers said 1t had pleased him
 
 agreements. He continued
 T was amused when I heard gentleman after gentleman making statements from the platform which can be made the sub ject of prosecution under the Sherman antitrust law Indeed, the existence of the trade agreement to which we all point with pride is in itself all the evidence that is necessary
 Surely it does not lie with me to even criticise such men as the justices of our supreme court if their interpretation of the Sherman antitrust law is correct That law, made at the demand of the people to protect them from a greed and of trusts, now applies to every association of working people and to the men themselves, not dealers in anything not organized for profit, but try ing only to prpotect the only thing of value to them-their power to labor"
 The meetings of the federation will close tomorrow night with the annual banquet, when the officers for the ensuing year will be elected