The Washington herald., 1912-11-16
PROTEST AGAINST /
MINE DETECTIVES
A. F. of L. Delegates Declare Hired
Guards Exercise Undue
Brutality.
SOCIALISTS COUNT NOSES

Rochester, N. Y, Nov. I5.-There was
no session OF what would have been 9TH
erwise the fifth day of the annual con-
vention Of the American Federation OF
Labor. The day was given over to COM
mittee work, which will keep a majority
Of the delegates engaged until the close
OF the week, and the convention will not
assemble again until Monday morning.
So far 12s resolutions have been intro
duced and referred by President Gompers
TO appropriate committees.
Tonight the delegates were entertained
in the convention hall by the citizens Of
Rochester at a reception and ball Dur
ing the evening a buffet lunch was served
Between sessions of committees to-day
the delegates thronged the corridors OF
the Hotel Seneca renewing old friend
ships
Delegates John P. White, John Mitchell,
Frank Hayes, Duncan Mcdonald, WILL
lam Green and John H. Walker, of the
Mine Workers, are protesting against the
use Of hired guards commonly termed
Baldwin detectives in the West Vir-
Einia coal regions. They charge that
these men ''brutaliZe and terrorize the
miners and their families in shameful
manner and display a vicious, fragrant
disregard for laws or human lives" 1t
Is urged lndI the
and make its report to the State author
tiles. Delegate H. H. Corcoran of the
Western States, has Joined in the pro-
test.
At a caucus to-day the Socialists dis
cursed floor plans for the next week. 1t
is positively known that they do not
depend upon more than 81 OF 3s9 delegates
now seated. But just what percentage of
the 1889 votes in the convention are con-
trolled by those 81 delegates is not re-
vealed.
Many Late Resolutions.
They expect to name Duncan McDon-
aid, a miner, as a candidate against
President Gompers. They will also OPP
pose the reelection of four members of
the executive council. The plan provides
for attacking all delegates who are hold
ing connection with the National Civic
Federation and to demand that the Off
GERS OF the federation be elected hereafter
BY The referendum system. The annual
report OF the executive council has shown
this TO be impracticab,e.
The avalanche of late resolutions
brought up new subjects to be acted
upon next week. II is proposed to form
a transportation department to take in
longshoremen. teamsters. seamen, rail-
readers, freight handlers, street car
men and boatmen.
Steve G. Sumner, delegate of the I'LL
nois Federation of Labor, urges this
convention TO adopt measures to provide
uniform textbooks in the public schools
in each State; that the copyrights be
vested in the State authorities; that all
vocational training in public schools be
modelled after apprentice schools now
conducted by the carpenters and other
trade unions.
The convention will be asked to make
committee to conduct an investigation
Of the White Rats. or actors union Of
America.
Delegates Frank McNulty, Frank
Glynn,. and c. P. Ford, of the Electric
Workers, are working to compel rail-
roads to safeguard passengers by INSTALL
ing automatic stop systems.
The Garment Workers delegation, +.
A. Rickerts. B. A. Largely. Margaret
c. Daley, NJ. Schwartz, and Victor Alt
man indOrse the work of the New York
State factory investigating commission
and urge other States to appoint similar
commissions.