The Detroit times., 1909-06-24
EANlE3OR

BY PETER POWER.

No sooner did Samuel GOmperS
president OF the American Federation
OF Labor, cross the ganS-plank last
saturday on his fOurmonths trip u
Europe 20 investigate labor conditions,
when the talk Vas renewed 70 retire
him on a substantial life pension Sew
eral years ago, AZ the New Orleans
convention OF the federation, this plaL
vas gently preached to Gompers by
some III his friends. who were DESTROYS
OF promoting Jas Duncan. first vice
president 70 the leadership OF the ,
/ tVV,uUO members. GOmpers deCIinel
! % be retired IN that manner. so
! long Is M mental faculties and physl.
! cal strength remain, he said. Il in
| tend 10 remain president OF the Amer.
! can Federation OF Labor"
The radicals In the federation have
never taken kindly TO the pension
/ proposition. contending that that is
matter for the ll6 affiliated national
trades unions to decide for themselves
The establishing OF such + precedent
vas conceived by the friends OF Com
pers, who believe younger man
ought 20 be at the helm. out are loath
TO dispose their old chief in an cleo
ton.
That another telegraphers strike
contemplated can no longer BE- con
cealed or doubted. In Chicago the feel
ing among the operators favors
next April l as the best time 70 In.
augurate another walkout. In New
York an earlier date IS desired Pres
ident Edward Moore, Of New YORK
local No l says:
81 don't see any reason why We
should wait until April We have the
necessary number Of men IN the West
Crn Union Offices and nave attained
the organization sought. sixty dollars
"a month for main Offices and $50 for
branch Offices will probably be the
basis of the wage demands %
Since the loss Of the last strike
telcgraphers wages have been grad.
ually reduced until some receive As
low as $25 per month u IS known
that the men have been secretly or
ganizlng for months. and If another
struggle comes It will be fought along
new lines largely, but just what they
are the officers refuse 10 divulge.
The probabilities are that the threat
ened war between Brazil and ATgen-
tine has been avertcd. When the war
fever was al its height several weeks
ago. the Brazilian labor confederation
threw a wet blanket on the LIMOGES
By delivering a proclamation 10 the
Argentine General Workers union, lin
the name OF the associations repre-
sentlng the conscious majority OF the
South American peoples declaring
that If the politicians wanted war they
would have 20 do their own fighting
The Argentine laboritcs came back
with a reply rcciprocatinR the senti
mcnt. and they went further and an
nounced that not only would they en-
gage in a general strike, mt would pre-.
cipitate an internal revolution.
The Argentine government became
aneered. and when the unions held An
antLwar demonstration in Buenos
Ayrcs many Of those who participated
were dubbed bv the police and "A mum
her were thrown into prison As
protest against such action, a general
strike was ordered 20 Inst IS hours,
and the rity was completely paralyzed.
II required nearly a week and extra
ordinary offnrts-un the part of labo.
officials 90 secure a resumption II
work The war spirit is pickering IN
both countries
The announcement that the Rev.
Cha- Stelzlc. labor commissioner o.
the Presbyterian church and fraternal
delegate 10 the American Federation
of Labor, was sounding certain labor
officials ON the proposition OF forming
Christian labor temperance fellow.
ship 20 the coming convention In To.
ronto. has aroused the brewery work
ers and kindred trades They charge
that Rev. Stel1le Is an omissary OF the
AutiSaloon io3guers. and is attempt
inr 10 create q division I'm labor's ranks
/, by the injection Of religious policies.