Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-12
FEDERATION IS
CONFRONTED BY
GRAVE TANGLES
MANY LABOR PROBLEMS PUT
UP TO CONVENTION
EDUCATION IN TRADES INDoRsED
BY THE COMMITTEE
Electrical Workers Have Difference
over Large Sum of Money and
Plumbers and Car Men
Have Grievances
EBv Assoclated Press. ]

Tl OfONIO, Ont., NOV. 1l.-AnllatlOn
of the American Federation Of
II Labor with the international
Labor congress of Europe and other
international bodies was proposed in n
resolution presented at today's con-
vention by the delegates of the Asso-
citation of Street and Electric Railway
Employees of America, a resolution In
troduced by the Piano and Organ
Workers suggested that "the time has
come for the wage workers to become
a factor in politics." and urged the
early formation of a larger party.
Deep waterways projects, q universal
label for all affiliated organizations and
the establishment of a national tuber-
culosis santarium also~were urged.
p. ]. McArdle, president of the Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers. introduced a
resolution requiring all members Of
organizations affiliated with the feder-
alton. to contribute % cents year for
national defense fund to aid organi-
cations engaged in strikes or boycotts.
Many Protests Made
Protests and appeals to the execu-
tive council of the American Fedora
tion of Labor from state and central
bodies whose charters have been re-
vol1ed for the harboring Of seeding
Electrical Workers promise to intensity
| the bitter feeling between the factions
of electrical workers during the pres
! ent convention. Approximately $8S,000
OF the funds of the electrical workers
| Is at stake, being tied up awaiting the
| outcome of litigation instituted by
| followers of j. ]. Reid of Erie, Pa,
! who heads the secessionists.
At today's session the following re-
port on the Industrial training of the
children of working men was sub
mitted: -
Education Essential
'It is believed" says the report,
that the future welfare of America
! largely depends on the Industrial
! training of our workers and protect
| ing them. The inquiries of the com :
mittee seem to indicate that If the
| American workman is to maintain the
high standard of efficiency the boys
and girls of the country must have an
opportunity to acquire educated hands
and brains, such as may enable them
| to earn a living in a self-selected Vo-
cation and acquire an intelligent un-
derstanding of the duties of good citi-
| zenship.
1--WE favor the establishment Of
| schools in connection with the public
! school system at which pupils be-
|
| taught the principles of the trades,
not necessarily in separate buildings,
! lsbut in separate schools adapted to
I this particular education and by COM
petent and trained teachers.
"The course of instruction in such
a school should be English, mathe-
matics, physics, chemistry, elemen-
| tary mechanics and drawing. The
shop instruction for particular trades
and for each trade represented, the
! drawing mathematics, mechanics, ply
= sical and biological science, applicable
to the trade, the history of that trade
| and sound system of economies, IN
! cluding and emphasizing the phlloso-
ply of collective bargaining. They
will serve to prepare the pupil for
more advanced subjects, and in addl-
tion to disclose his capacity for spe-
cific vocation.
Local Advisory Boards
an order to keep such schools in
close touch with the trades there
should be local advisory boards, in
Guiding representatives of the indus
| tries, employers and organized labor.
| "The committee recommends that
| any technical education of the work
ers in trade ana industry being a pub
lie necessity it should not be prl-
vate but public function, conducted
by the public and the expense involved
at public cost"
The continuance of progressive de-
velopment of supplemental trade edu-
cation as inaugurated by trades un-
ions is also recommended. The COM
n1ittee advised the continuation of its
life and final report to the convention
of 1910.
zone trouble of America today, "
| saws the report, ''is that too many
| hG Wv
from the grammar or high school are
misfits industrially. If we are to Sc
| cure industrial supremacy or even
maintain our present standards In the
industrial world we must in some way
in our educational system acquire an
equivalent to our old apprenticeship
system.
Discusses Vicious Practice
1 "Organized labor's position regarding
the intustices of the narrow and pre-
scribed training in the selected trades
by both private and public instruc-
tion and the flooding of the labor mar
ket with half-trained mechanics fol
the purpose of exploitation is perfect
lv tenable and the well-founded belief
in the Viciousness of such practices
and consequent condemnation is wei
nigh unaSsailable.
"Organized labors record for years
in regard to better sanitary conditions
in factories and workshops and its
4 continued efforts toward safeguarding
women and minors have been the sub
ject of wide discussion and much help
full legislation.
"Its advocacy of free schools, free
textbooks and the raising of com
pulsory school age have been relig.
!. iously adhered to, and closely alilee
Continued Page Thirteen)