The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-10-02
THE REVOLUTION IN A. r. OF
L. - ELECTRICAL WORKERS
BOLT.
BY PetOr Power

BY Petor Power
The labor unions affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor
have been thrown into state of
CONFUSION that IS rapidly develop
ing into a widespread internal rev.
olution.
Some 10000 electIi cal workers
have been outlawed by a decision
Of the A. F. of l.. executive coun-
Gil, 5000 machinlsts have been ex-
PEELED in the New York district by
their chief executive officials,
there is big split in the boot and
shoe workers unions, a secession
movement has started among min
ers in the Canadian northwest,
tailors of San Francisco are en-
deavoring to start new national
organization, a score of state and
city central declarations have had
their charters devokej, and there
their charters revoked, and there
The contest alncng the electrical
workers has preclpitated the most
serious crisis that has confronted
the labor movement III decade.
The cause of the trouble is that a
large majority of the electrical
workers desired to change the
composition of their national Of
fetal family, and, being denied the
opportunity to vote by referendum
upon the question CT holding ma
tional conference, g rump conven-
ton was held in st. Louis year
ago and President McNulty of
Brooklyn and Secretary Collins of
Boston were ousted and ]. j. Reid
of Erie, Pa, and j. w. Murphy
of Cleveland were elected to
the vacancies.
The A. F. of L. officials threw
their weight to the side of McNulty
although about four-fifths of the
membership became allied with the
new regime, and orders were issu-
ed to state and city central bodies
" VAPCl thC lhClo CDISs nv
latter have been making a HARD
fight, pointing out that under the
A. F. of L. constitution all affil-
lated national unions are granted
absolute autonomy III the matter
of adjusting their own interna!
troubles and that therefore the
federation officials are usurping
powers that do not beiong to them
in taking sides with the McNulty
faction.
In issuing ultimatums to city
and state declarations to expel the
Reidites or forfeit their charters,
the A. F. of L. officials have
stirred up a big hornets nest |
Other trades are being dragged
into the fracas, and general dis |
sension is threatened in many i'm
portant industrial centers. All the |
electrical workers unions of Iowa |
held a state conference and pro-
claimed their allegiance to the
Reid administration Their stand
was Endorsed by the Iowa State |
of Labor, whereupon
the latter body's charter was with
drawn by Secretary Frank Morri- |
son of the A. +. CT L. Now the |
Iowa state organization has issued |
a general call to the unions of al!
trades to resent hte action of the |
A. F. of L. officials. Several other
state organizations have an
nounced their refusal to outlaw
the Reidites.
City central bodies in such i'm
portant places AZ ST. Louis, Cleve-
and, Washington, Detroit, Toledo
and about a dozen smaller towns
have had their charters revoked |
by Secretary Morrison, while the
charters of Baltimore, Milwaukee,
Denver and numerous other places
are hanging by a thread. The
abor press of the whole nation is
calling a halt upon the rule or
ruin" policy, and lesding officials
IN all trades stand aghast at the
havoc that is being created.
1t is reported that President
Gompers Is cutting short his stay
IN Europe and making prepara-
lions to hasten home to endeavorl
TO stem the tide of revolution that
seems to be growing more formi-
liable daily. 1t is doubtful wheth-
er harmony can be restored before
he Toronto convention of the
Federation of Labor assemblies,
Early in November, when a battle
'oyal is bound to occur between
the contending factions.
Because of their action in invad-