Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-13

OF Connecticut. awarding Lowe & Co..
100000 damages against the hatters
to the federal circuit court of appeals
for the district of New York and New
England.
The secretary's report shows $16.-
01O.75 to have been collected during
the fiscal year for a defense fund for
local trade and federal labor unions.
and an expenditure from the fund col
lected OF $4.192. There is total Of
$133782.34 on hand as defense fund
for local trade and labor unions. or
for paying benefits in case Of strikes
or lockouts, and $55.797.32 as a general
fund. Only $15,155.s2 Of this amount.
however, can be used for general ex-
penses; the balance, s4o.es1;4s. n PEN,
sand. four hundred and thirty-three
dollars and fifteen cents for de-
Tense Of the officers of the American
Federation Of Labor In Injunction suits.
$17.909.48 in appealing the decision
in favor Of Loewe & Co. $226.45 for the
hatters' strike. and $72.s5 for placing
organizers in Los Angeles. These fig
ures show a total Of $18e,57s.56 in
the federation treasury.
Big Gain in Membership.
During the fiscal year s2e charters
for national. international. central. To-
cal trade and federal labor unions
were issued. making net gain in
membership over 1910 Oh 1s4.623. This
brings the total membership OF the
American Federation of Labor up to
1.756.735. OF this number. however.
only 1858 are admitted to be quail
fed voters, a total increase Of nearly
1000 over 1910.
The expenses Of the Official organizers
Of the American Federation Of Labor for
1911 we're $40 962.O5. OF this amount the
largest portion went to an organizer in
sey. with q total OF S8,225.8. This
amount decreases to $50, spent In the
state Of Kansas.
The report further shows that during
the year 1911 there were 1859 strikes In
the American Federation ranks, involving
17O.528 men. OF these the American Fed
GRAFTON claims to have benefited 1O4. 655
men at total cost Of 81, 822 S52.75. much
OF which was paid by contribution
American Federationist. the federation's
Official organ, is running 81. 8.58 behind
it's yearly expenses. but that there are
unpaid advertising bills outstanding that
Offset this amount by nearly thousand
dollars table Of expenses submitted
shows this paper to have come within
$685.. O5 Of paying expenses during the last
eight years.
In reviewing the growth OF tne AMorl-
can Federation Of Labor, Secretary Nor
rison says:
Federation's Great Growth.
"A resume of the growth of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, numerically.
during the past thirty-one years cannot
but encourage the trade unionists to re-
double their efforts to educate, organize
and federate the wageworkers OF the
world. The growth OF the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor from 1881 to 1898 was
gradual. During that time 1t increased
from 80 600 to $4,000, and remained about
that number up to 1859. In 1888 II
reached very nearly $50. 900: in 1900 1t
passed the 500. 900 mark: In 1901. $780, 900;
in 1902 1t passed the million mark, and
in 1903 very nearly reached the million
and a half point. and in 1904 shot up
above the million and a half. reaching
membership OF 1879. 200
THUS the growth OF the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor from 1899 up to and In
Guiding 1904 was phenomenal. This
marked increase in membership could
not occur other than by organizations
being formed rapidly within short
neriod. and a. Q natural consequence 1t
must be expected that In adjusting the
membership Of tho unions the member-