The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-18
'HOT CONTROVERSY IN
 LABOR CONVENTION
Electrical Workers Air Their
 Troubles at St. Louis
NO DECISION REACHED
Contest Is Carried Over to Another Day. Fight Will Be Made to Conn pletely Unionize Los
 Angeles

St. Louis, November 1.-The so-called electrical workers union controversy, which for two years has been the bit- .erest and most disastrous internal strike in the history of the American Federa- tion of Labor, Is to be threshed out finally tomorrow.
 Late this afternoon the convention made it a special order of business before the entire delegation at noon, following the opening of tomorrows session. Frank Duffy, general secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, precipitated the debates which resulted in the special order by requesting that his side of the contro- versy be heard before he returns to Indianapolis tomorrow night After sev- eral acrimonious speeches this permis- sion was granted.
 The electrical workers are divided into two camps, the socialists and the re8u- lars, each clamoring for recognition by tho federation. The regulars, number ing about 12.ooO. enjoyed the favor of the federation administration, but back of the socialists. 27.0oO strong, is the 0tiDOSl ubdAtltilOuS SARPoAt pA N--O S@AAA~SN Mine Workers. the strongest labor union tn the World.
 lobe Hartman, attorney for the strik- ere in Los Angeles, delivered an im- rassioned plea for support in the Los Angeles labor fight. He charged the Huntingtons with responsibility for the labor difficulties in the California city and declared the Los Angeles Times dis aster was the result of a gas explosion, for which labor could not be held to blame.
 Mir. Hartman received enthusiastic applause at the conclusion of his speech and a special vote of thanks for his presentation of the situation. The mat ter of aiding the Los Angeles trades unions In their fight is in the hands of a committee to be reported next week. It Is said the federation delegates are ai- most unanimous in support of a propo- sition to make this western city battle ground of the labor struggle in the United States. The annual banquet was held tonight
 A resolution asking that laws or trea- ties be made to exclude all Chinese and Japanese from the United States and from employment on American vessels was offered. The proposition Is in the hands of the resolutions committee.
 Aeroplane building is recognized as a new branch of American industry in a resolution presented to the convention. The Carriage and Wagon Workers h. ternational union set forth in petition the decline of the carriage and wagon building industry. and stated it was due to the automobile and aeroplane.
 The members asked that their charter be broadened to include the trades en- gagged in building those new agencies of transportation. The petition was re- ferred to a committee.
 Other resolutions which have been pre- scented to the convention are those pro- posing old-age pension measures and op- posing increased freight rates.
 The pension proposal Is that Congress shall be asked by the federation to en- act laws providing pensions for married workers over 50 years of age who are without means and out of employment | The amount suggested is s30 month.
 Ben Turner said the British industrial situation was fraught with evils, most of them copied from America.
 Help the women unionize themselves Strengthen them as workers" he urged | fhe delegates,