The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-07-15
nationals, the circular bears the sign
$atures Of many officers and business
agents Of the International Associa-.
finn Mochin3u%o .' =...H.l% osFaG-4 z.
Mr.. O'Connell's Record.

Fe1luIcS OI many 3OlllCeIS dAU OuS1AGoo
agents OF the International Associa-
ton OF Machinists. Z. M I
Mr.. O'Connells Record.
i, At Indianapolis, In 1892, Mr.. O'Con-
nelll was elected president of the ma
4chinists. At that time there were
but $500 members and the trade
was poorly organized and the asso-
citation was bankrupt. "A defaulting
treasurer, had left nothing but debts
and two strikes, one on the Santa
Fe railroad and the other on the
Union Pacific railroad. The new pre-
sidant took hold Of affairs. Borrowed
money by placing mortgage upon
his home and realizing upon the Gre
dit he had gained with his Oil City
friends, he began the work he found
to do In two weeks, the strikes were
settled and under his leadership, or
der began to come out of disorder.
THE dues paid by machinists were
but SO cents per month and the per-
capita to the grand lodge but rs
cents every three months. O'Connell
early advocated an increase in dues.
On three occasions, in this early his
tory OF the international association.
O'Connell personally had to pledge
his credit and his small property to
raise the cash to keep the organiza-
ton from laundering on the rocks Of
bad finance" ".>~
"O'Connell early saw that If the or
ganization was to succeed, it must be-
come associated with the other crafts.
Of the American labor movement, and
advocated affiliation with the Amer
lean Federation of Labor.
'At the New York convention Of
the American Federation Of Labor.
the International Association of Ma
chinists was granted a charter and
thereby became affiliated with the
American labor movement At this
convention, O'Connell was elected vice
president of the American Federation
of Labor which position he still
holds.
Growth of the Organization,
Under Mr.. O'Connell's administra-
ton the organization, says our cor
respondent, has increased in member
ship from $500 to $4,000. Our treas
ury, which was empty, Is today Sc
cure and under his leadership our
financial system has been so certain
that not one penny has been lost or
unaccounted for and not a member
has been deprived of benefit to which
he was under the constitution en-
titled. Every man who has been on
strike has received his pay; every
death benefit has been met; each
salary has been provided for and our
benefits have been increased so that
this organization pays to it's members,
In such benefits, more than 100000
during each twelve months, and the
income on our investments is 2 per
cent greater than that received by any
other organization of labor. Need we
call attention to the improved con-
dit1ons of the members of our craft?
When O'Conneu took the lead, the
average pay per hour for machinists
was % cents; today it is 80 cents;
then, there was the ten and twelve
hour day; today, we have an almost
universal nine-hour day, except that
thousands of our members toll but
eight in twenty-four hours. This is
indeed progress and shows that
O'Connell and those who have been
associated with him as our interna-
t1onal officers we're indeed progress
sive.'" !
The Opposing Element.
The element opposing Mr.. O'Con-
nell is known as the "progressives"
and Is strong in the west and north
west. Mr.. Johnston, their candidate
for president will have strong sup
port in this part of the country and
mis- hackers here are expressing their
belief that he will be elected. The
progressive ticket, which is being sent
to all the dodgers, is as follows:
International president, William H..
Johnston, Washington, D. c.; vice
presidents, William Harmon, w. H.
Churchill, T. L. Wilson, J. A. McClel-
land, B. F. Perry; editor Journal; D.
Douglas Wilson, Washington, D, c.:
general secretary treasurer, A. O.
wharton, st. Louis MI; general exc
cutive board, r. A. Boehme, T. Mich
olson James somerville, r. G.. Cook,
S. r. Young; law committee, James
Taylor, A. Holder, H. v. REILLY, T,
F. Buckley, D. McCallum (Canadian):
delegates to A. F.. of L., Thomas Van
Lear, B. F. Lamb, H. L. Hartford. P.
P. Richmond.
GEORGE H. CROSBY,