The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-26
Delegates Instructed to Protest
to Legislatures. About Grim
inal" Methods.
WESTERN FEDERATION OF
MINERS ARE NOT In YET
GOmpers VIII Decide Whether
Meyers Organization Shall
Be Admitted.

81. LOUIS. Nov. 26.-The question
whether the Western Federation OF
Miners shall be granted a charter by the
American Federation OF Labor was
placed before President Gompcrs tonight
BY the convention on u point of fedora
tion law raised by President James
O'Connel of the International Association
OF MachInIsts.
President O'Connell. vino is leading the
fight against the proposition to grant an
unrestricted charter TO the western min
ers. said that the constitution OF the
federation provided that I'm cases where
the charters were applied for and the
question OF the jurisdiction came up. the
written consent OF The chief officials of
all other organizations involved had to
be obtained first. He said that. as presi-
dent of the machinists, he had never
given such consent, and asked that the
point be passed upon.
Gompers to Decide
President Gompers was unprepared 10
act before adjournment was taken.
When the controversy will be reopcned
decision In response TO demands that
his decision be made tomorrow. he said
that as soon as he had arrived at an
opinion he would state IT. Labor leaders
tonight say that he holds the key to the
situation.
The controversy was precipitated by
the report OF the special committee,
which favored granting the charter
with the provision that the Jurisdiction
OF the machinsts' organization in the
states affected should not be interfered
with. This report was amended by
President Lewis OF the United Mine
Workers. to give the Western Federation
jurisdiction over men employed In mines.
mills or smelters. without reference 10
whether they were machinists or not.
Delegate r. NJ. Ryan OF the Bridge
and Structural Ironworl1ers presented q
substitute for the Lewis amendment,
providing that jurisdictionnl rights
should remain vested In the international
unions having locals In any of the sec
tions controlled by the Western FEEDER
alton.
Against the Ryan substitute. President
Lewis and John Mitchell OF The Mine
Workers. led the fight with OConneil
and others supporting II.
Threatens to Withdraw.
o'Connell declared that II the. charter
without restrictions was granted by The
convention, his organization would with
draw from the federation.
Charles II, Meyer. head OF the West
.rn Federation and a guest or tile con-
vcntlon by invitation, explained that the
invitation TO become affiliated with the
American Federation had been repeated
yenrly for fifteen years. He said thai
the question oil jurisdiction "ouiu Hoe oe
serious.
dents report. which was adopted. On
rocts that state rederat tions in Pennsy-
vanIa. West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, I'LL
nois. wisconsin and Alabama. introduce
bills before the state legislatures proVid j.
Ing for investigation of the charges that
the United States Steel corporation Is
importing criminal labor from europe:
that a committee OF five be appointed
by President Compers to organize tne
departments OF the federation for more
direct afflation with Porto Kican or
ganIzed labor.
The convention adopted resolution
providing sor a memorial 10 congress
urrinc the exclusion of Asiatic laborers.
jnjunctions against labor organizations
are declared to invade the persona'
rights OF the individual the introuuc-
iion in state legislatures of the wilson
anti I'M junction bill now before congress
The postal savings bank law is con-
dcmncd ON the ground that IL will take
from the banks In the smaller communi-
Tics % DER cent of the deposits and make
them more dependent than ever upon
the national depository i'm times OF stress.
Tho s'thlrd degree" used by the police
dcpartmenis OF the country In sweat
ing information from prisoners, was
condemned.
Thc federation instructed President
C:ompcrs TO appoint delegates To the
meeting of the International Secrotia, TO
he held in Budapest in August. 1911. With
Instructions TO urge the organization OF
an international federation of labor.