DeLand news. [volume] (DeLand, Volusia County, Fla.) 190?-1921, 1909-12-24
FEDERATION OF LABOR.
What It Stands For About the Con-
vention Next Month.
DELAND, FLA, Dec. al. 'oG

DELAND, FLA, Dec. 81, 90.
EDrroR DELAND News In your
! last issue we read your article on the
coming tenth annual convention of the
| Florida Department of the American
| Federation Of Labor. and bcSpcating
for it the hearty cooperation of the
citizens Of DcLand. and urging the
| local trades unions to get busy.
| Well. Mr. Editor. we thank you for your
| kind words and the interest that YOU
| have always shown in the working
people Of our town, and we propose
with the help of yourself, and other
patriotic citizens to make the coming
convention a most decided success, SO
far as lies in Our power To do SO.
Pcrhaps Mr.. Editor. some of our
people are not quite SO familiar with the
aim and object Of the convention, and
why DcI.and wa' chosen as the Con.
vcn,ion CITY. as they would like to be,
50 we would I've glad to sketch in as few
words as possible, what we stand for.
The Florida State Federation of
Labor is composed Of the members OF all
trades and occupations, who have en-
rolled themselves in trades unions. for
the purpose of hcttcring the condition,
both socially and financially, of those
who toll
There are Twenty-Five or more differ
cnt trades now affiliated with it in this
State. of which the carpenters are one.
Each local union is entitled To send one
delegate for each one hundred members
enrolled. to the annual convention.
DcLand Carpenters were represented
at the convention held in Palatka last
January. When the question of de-
Gliding where the next convention should
bc held, with the able assistance OF a
former Nolusia County woman Mrs
Goddard of Tampa-DcLand captured
the coveted honor, notwithstanding
the fact that some strenuous work and
very Gathering offers were made 10y the
cities Of Pensacola, Miami and Sanford
We aspect from scvCnty-tivc to one
hundred delegates. representing about
10000 organized working people. The
convention will continue in session
about four DAYS, and when it is known
that these delegates take back to their
local unions their reports, it is easily
seen how extensively DcLand will be
spoken of
Now, as to the aims of the Federation
y
were passed asking the State Legislature
to enact laws for the protection of
children and women III stores and factor
les; a compuls ry school law; the pub
fishing and selling by the State, at cost,
OF all text books used in the public
schools of the State. and that the
leasing of convicts is inhuman and
barbarous and a disgrace to the State.
To carry out the will of the convention,
a legislative committee was sent 10
Tallahassee. and maintained there,
during the last session OF the Legislature,
to procure il possible, laws in harmony
with the conventions resolutions. |
understand that this committee had the
supper, and influence of our own Jim
Alex" who is. believe, chairman of
the Committee on Labor
As said in the beginning Of this
article Mrs. Goddard of Tampa, helped
TO bring this convention to DeLand.
and some may wish to know why
women are III our ranks. Many Of Your
readers already know about the Con-
sumcr's League" Of our Northern cities
and an advance on that is our "Wo-
mems Union Label League in which
each member is pledged to demand the
Union Label on all Of her purchases,
thus aiding. in a very praticcal way,
the causc Of organized labor, besides
giving Knockout blow TO the terrible
tenement sweat shop system.
The sessions Of the Federation are |
public. and il is 70 be hoped that the ,
intelligent people OF Del.and will avail
themselves Of this opportunity to learn |
Il .t,,, !,
of the American Federation Of Labor,
with is more than ,.ooo.ooo members,
stands for
W II L-r,>u.>.