United labor bulletin., 1911-08-31

vention that it is within the power of
local unions whether they embody the
provision in their constitution or not.
This law has been a handicap to the
organization for years. Using this a
foundation, a faction in the |. T. U. has
builded on it until they have perfected
boey man that they exhibit to the un-
sophisticated typo man every election
day and at all other times, while they
themselves gather their supporters to-
eether to encompass the same ends
which they deny others.
Leaving the secret meeting out of the
argument, what is a caucus to elect Off
GERS but meeting to control legislation? {?
BY electing a president supported by a
caucus, the leaders in that caucus name
the committees through the president,
and with them the laws committee.
Wherever there are ten men gathered
together there is an Inside" Some of
them with more forethousht than the
others will get together and talk over
proposed action, and endeavor to sway
the others to their way of thinking when
they all meet toeether-and they are al
most sure to do it because they are pre-
pared. This thing exists in every organ
izaton in the world to a greater or less
extent. 1t has been done for centuries
and will be done in the future, law or
no law.
Let factions in labor organizations quit
undermining themselves and their organ
ization by running the standing of other
members in their organization. AS Jim
Lynch says: Let US be men; let US
face the issue" and not create false
issue.
(From the San Francisco Call of Friday,
Aug. 49,
Presient James NJ. Lynch and the ad
ministration forces of the International
typographical union achieved a decisive
victory yesterday afternoon in the cru
cial fight before the ffty-seventh annual
convention of the organization in
Eagles hall, after one of the most bit
ter contests ever waged on the floor of a
convention in the unions history. 1t was
by the small margin of II votes that the
scales were turned when the test came,
but the victory established the admins
tration more firmly than ever in the con-
troll which it has exercised for more than
10 years in the face Of attack after at
tack.
A direct personal attack by the Oppo-
siJion forces upon President Lynch and
the other officers and highest officials Of
the International union was made the
basis of the fight which has been eX-
regred since the convention was called
TO order. The officers We're termed
traitors TO the union and denounced as
yiclators Of its laws. In return the op-
position leaders were CHALLENGED to pre-
sent charges to the convention and were
themselves subjected To a violent and
scathinE arraignment as villifers Of
character.
So protracted was the fight over the
critical resolution that the selection of
a city for the next meeting place of the
convention fell into a position of second
airy Importance. Cleveland won out.
however, on a second ballot by vote of
ia to loo for Houston. On the first
ballot, taken just prior to the noon ad-
journment, the vote stood ll2 for Cleve-
land. 81 for Houston, 10 for Vancouver
and u for Ottawa, the Ohio city lacking
just one vote of the majority necessary
to win on the original ballot. Following
the Cleveland victory, the choice of the
city was made unanimous.
The cheering over the result had
scarcely subsidized when another outburst
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