The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-01-07

preparation for action"
Industrial education, it was declared
should be given all possible encourage.
ment. The thorough training of the
children in the schools of the nation SO
that they might be equipped to enter
industrial life as well as business and
professional, is important to our future
national welfare. The federation re-
CARDS industrial education as an i'm
Iportant function of trades unionism and
at the Denver convention appointed a
Icommittee, with John Mitchell as chair
man, to investigate, as far as possible,
all known means of advancement of
this work. This committee was en-
powered to serve for another year.
Perhaps the most interesting portion
of Mr.. Gompers' report was that deal
ing with his European tour. Mr.. Comp
ers, while in Europe, visited the princi-
pal cities in the following countries and
studied closely industrial and economic
conditions in each city visited: United
Kingdom, France, Belgium, Holland,
Germany, Hungary, Italy and Switzer-
land In view of the reports sent out
during his absence in Europe by some
of his detractors, ridiculing and de-
tracing both the man and his mission,
was particularly interested in this
report. Those of us who believe in a
worldwide alliance of organized work
men. felt particularly gratified with
this recommendation of his report:
Il am fully persuaded, and have no
hesitancy in recommending, that though
the international secretary leaves much
to be desired, yet the best interests of
the workers of America will be served
lby our adherence thereto. Financially
the cost would be but small, the sub
stantial benefits would of necessity be
exceedingly meagre, yet the spirit of
international fraternity which it would
foster would be immeasurable. feel
assured also that our adherence to the
|
the establishment of an international
Federation of Labor"
Secretary Morrison's annual report
showed that the federation was at its
financial high water mark, notwith-
standing the recent money panic. The
secretaries of 98 national and interna-
tional unions report net gain of S3,60l
members during the past year. There
have been 693 strikes reported during
the year; 34l have been complete VIC
tory for the unions involved; 81 have
been compromised; 64 are still pending;
l04 have been lost. The following fig
ures are eloquent tribute to the ma
terial and substantial side OF the trade
union movement of the country; 62 ma
tional and international unions have
paid out during the past year the fol-
lowing sums in benefits: Death .bene-
fits, $l,lS7, ,O43,5l; death benefits to
members wives, $4,000; sick benefits,
$73l ,955l5; travelling benefits, $5l ,967.-
81; tool insurance, $5,06302; unem-
ployed benefits, $4s4, ,02S.49 making a
grand total of $2,5O9,25S04.
The annual report of the executive
council was very lengthy, too lengthy
to embody but very little of it in this
report. l wish to touch, however, upon
a comparatively new departure of the
federation-the formation of the diff.
ferent American Federation of Labor de-
partments. Four big departments have
been formed, viz: Building trades,
metal trades, railway employees and la.
bel trades. These departments EN-
brace all the organizations affiliated
with the federation that are eligible
for membership in the departments.
They have their own officers, hold their
own conventions, settle their own iuris-
dictional disputes if possible to do so,
but are, of course, subordinate to the
American Federation of Labor. The idea
| is to centralize the trades whose work
is similar and whose interests therefore
are peculiarly closely allied, into one
compact organization. The plan so far
is working out in good shape and prom
ses great results to the general labor
movement. | want to call the attention
of our members to one of these depart
ments which affects our own organiza-
tion: the Label Trades department
Thirty seven internationals that use
labels, store cards or buttons are in
this department. 1t is the eoncensus
of opinion that, while we should con-
tinue to remember the fellow who is
unfair to labor, our work in the future
lies particularly in the line of patron
| izing the men who know are our friends
because they manufacture and sell
union made goods. In short, this de-
partment intends to make itself
power in spreading the sale of union
made goods and consistently boosting
the union label. was asked by sew
eral delegates about our label and
was forced to tell them as best | could
the struggle we had been having in
building up our organization and the
reason we had not been able as yet to
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