The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-11
FEDERATION O! LABOR
GAINED MEMBERSHIP
Reported President Gompers at the An
nual Convention at Rochester,
N. Y, To-day-Reports of
Other Officers Given.

ganlzatlOn m session here to-dHy.
The report OF President Samuel Com
" pers was a thorough and voluminous re
view of the work of the organization
\ for the past year, particularly with re
\ gard to legislation endorsed and sup
ported BY the federation Discussing
the growth OF the federation
Mr.. Gompers' report set forth that dur
ing the year ending September 80, 1912
26O charters were issucd by labor orgaa
cations afliliating viii, the federation.
The average membership reported
and upon whom per capita tax was pait
by the affiliated organizations to the
American Federation OF Labor during
the past year" said the report, "was
l,I70,l45, an increase over the number
reported for 1911, which was 1861 ,S35
On September 80. 1912, the membership
of the affiliated organizations was ISL.
2GS'
President Gompers reported progress
in the organization of the international
labor movement in Canada and in Porto
Rico. In Canada he reported total
membership of from 10000 To 10000 il
| the Trades and Labor congress, and in
Porto Rico he declared 100 unions had
been organized with 5000 members. I'm.
proved working conditions were report
ed in both Canada and Porto Rico.
President Gompers'r report included
statements from the building trades,
metal trades, mining railroad employees,
and union label trades departments,
showing the progress made BY each de-
partmcnt OF the federation during the
year. In the report was included 4
statement by Albert j. Berries. secre-
tary-trcasurer OF the metal trades de-
partment. in which he said
"rhe Los Angeles strike continued for
a period covering more than twenty -one
months. At the beginning of the fight,
organization among the workers of that
city was in a deplorable condition. II
is generally conceded by those who were
on the ground that our fight for the
shorter workday would have been won,
had it not been for the deploTable calam-
ity in connection with the destruction
Of the Los Angeles Times building. Even
with this handicap, after the public
declaration of labor's position and atti-
tude toward the alleged crime, there
was still chance of winning, up to the
time when the guilt Of the McNamaras
was established by their confession.
Then it was recognized that there was
no chance of winning the strike, or of
persuading the employers to make con-
eessions."
After discussing the visit Of Carl Le
glen, secretary of the international Sec
retariat, to the United States last spring
Mr.. Gompers' report recommended that |
the American Federation send repre-
sentative to the meeting OF the Seere- I
tariat, if one is held in 1913, and that /
ii no meeting Is held in that year, the !
federation invite the Seeretariat to meet /
at San Francisco in 1915. during the +
Panama Pacific exposition, either imme-
diately before or Immediately following
the convention of the American Fedora
ton.
The report highly recommended the
labor forward movement organized in
Minnesota for spreading the union labor
doctrines.
Mr.. Gompers discussed at length the
efforts of the American Federation to
organize workers in the steel industry.
He outlined an extensive campaign of
education among foreigners working in
the steel mills.
Reviewing the legislative work of the
year, Mr.. Gompers set forth that fifteen
OF trade unions affiliated with
.he American Federation Of Labor had
been elected to the House of Representa- ,
ives OF these fifteen four are mem.
,ers OF the House committee on labor, /,
# which Rep. Wilson Of Pennsylvania, /, !
union miner, is chairman. To the la :
,or members OF the House Mr. Gompcrs
much of ba ora1it sh. Z
f a score of bills endorsed and urged !
y the federation of labor.
Among the measures mentioned in the ?
eport were the eight-hour law, the chill
ren's bureau law the law creating an
Industrial relations commission. law :,
living postal clerks right of hearing 7
and association, and the law <
rohibitng the use of white phosphorus
1 the manufacture of matches
Mr.. Gompers discussed fully the ex-
ansion of the eight hour law as con y
aimed in the various appropriation bills !,
,r government worl; during the fiscal =
car, and in the special acts passed at Z
ne last session of Congress.
The subject of scientific manage =
lent" and the efforts of the American /
ederation to "thwart the schemes" for 81
he installation of various management
systems" in government work We're =
Iken up at length by Mr. Gompers. lie :,
viewed the Investigation of the So =
llled Taylor system by special com. y
ttee of the House. ~
The report also reviewed the work y
II the extension of the federal employ y
s. liability and workmen's compensa. =
on act and pointed out various laws %
Used by individual states providing !,
II automatic compensation of workmen =
r injuries. u
In conclusion Mr. Gompers' report -
'gcl more extensive organization work ~
nong the workers of all industries and ~
e general extension of the fedora :, !,
On. u
The report of Secretary Frank Nor
son of the federation showed total OF
ceipts of S207 .373 for the wear and a.
pcnaitures of S277,479. The fedora -
On began the year with balance OF ~
S0.519, and closed the year with S70,- I'D
> less. In discussing the strikes Of r.
e year. Mr.. Morrison's report said; th
Reports from Ga national and in VI
organizations and from local ol
lions directly affiliated with the Amer
IN Federation OF Labor show that m
ere were 7lG strikes. in which there ia
re - .O60 involved. OF that number r
SOP were benefited aud 6.l77 not bene- -
ed. The total cost Of the strikes re-
rtei on was 81 9S6.263 Adding to g
AZ amount sl5GSs0. donations made =
III ,.-...a ., usha- ...,sss.. r