The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-09
FEDERATION BEGINS
ANNUAL SESSION
FIGHT or ELECTRICAL WORKERS
CAUSES FIRST DISPUTE AT.
TORONTO MEETING.

Toronto. Ont. Nov. S-That the
American Federation of Labor will
stand by President Gompcrs. Vice
President John Mitchell and Score
tary Frank Morrison in their fight To
escape Jail sentences imposed in the
District of Columbia for contempt Of
court. was indicated today by the at
titude of delegates i'm attendance ut
the annual convention. 1t IL apparent
that tho committee on presidents re-
port will recommend that the case
be carried To the supreme court Of
the United States. At least this is
the expressed opinion Of many dele
gates.
Delegates vigorously arplauded
salient points i'm Mr.. Gompers' report,
summarizing the Buck Stove & Range
injunction case and the contempt
proceedings that followed. Mr.. Com
pers in his report discussed wide
range Of labor issues. and those of
Secretary Frank Morrison and Treas
urer John b. Lennon. which followed.
showed that organized labor has made
substantial gains i'm the last year and
that the federation has a balance of
s165.a03 in the treasury.
McNuIty Faction Seated.
The conventions attitude toward
the fractional strife among members
of the International brotherhood Of
Electrical Workers was shown today
when the credentials committee re-
ported In favor of TIE faction headed
by F. J. MeSuity and declined to
seat James ]. Reid of the Erie. Pa.
Inh Of
insurgents and other delegates
from organizations in Ohio, Iowa.
Alabama and Michigan. whose char
ters have been revoked.
Thomas l.. Lewis. president of the
United Mine Workers of America,
objected To the adoption of the COM
mittee report. as a whole. and at his
suggestion delegates against whom
there was no protest were seated, the
convention taking up others for sep
arate action. President Gompers
ruled that only organizations in good
standing were entitled to representa-
ton in the convention and 1t did not
take the delegates long to vote
against seating representatives of or
ganizations whose charters had been
revoked for admitting members of the
seeding electrical workers.
Egan Shut Out.
James p. Egan of Toledo. represent
ing the Ohio Federation of Labor one
of the rejected delegates. tried h ad-
dress the conyeHtDn, when Presi-
dent Gompers gavel came down with
a bang, as he declared Mfr. Egan
has no seat in this convention"
1t Is predicted that the dissatisfied
electrical workers Eventually will air
their grievances on the convention
floor. They contend that their char
ters were revoked before they had an
opportunity to aMhal to the conven-
ton.
President Gompars said these ap-
peals would form Il part of the report
of the executive council tomorrow and
that appeals would be needed by COM
mittees. The greater part of tomor-
rows session probably will be devoted
tn the report of the executive coun-
Gil and various committee appoint
mcnts.
President Gompers called the con-
rention To order and later responded
To the welcoming address. Other ad-
dresses were made by w. l.. Mae !
kenZie King. minister of labor; JOS j
eph Oliver. mayor of Toronto; DIR. /
Reume, minister of public works for
Toronto. and William Glocklng. presi- !
dent of the Trades and Labor con-
gress of Canada