Evening star., 1912-11-11
DELEGATES ARE FEW
Smallest Number in Years At
tend Labor Convention.
GOMPERS' ENEMIES SILENT
No Evidence Is Seen of Any Organ
ized Effort to Gust Him.
STEAMFITTERS ARE TO FIGHT
Trouble With Carpenters Also Is Elk.
pected-Annual Reports of Of
ficers Submitted.
;OMPERS' ENEMIES SILENT
STEAMFITTERS ARE TO FIGHT

American Federation Of Labor. called til
thirty-sccond annual convention of taat
Organization To order here today he faces
the smallest number Of delegates asscn
bled in many years. Up to this mornin@
tho credentials committee acted on pa
pers of 356 delegates. and only II small
number was added TO this total bcfor"
the opening of the convention. Additional
delegates were expected today. however.
No word has been heard to indicate
that the elements opposed to the admin
istration of President Gompers Will mahH
an organized effort 10 oust him.
The steamfltters probably will mako !
fight for recognition They were ordered
bv the Atlanta convention TO amalSanlair
with the plumbers, which they have fan
ed TO do.
Steamfitters File Credentials.
The steamfitters have filed credentials.
but il was said that the committee un-
doubtedly would report aga nst SiVin7
them recognition on the floor
The same situation exists In regard T.
the Amalgamated Carpenters and tn
United brotherhood OF Carpenters AM
Joipers. The former organization was
brotherhood, but it has not done 50.
IJp to the opening of the convention no
delegate representing the Amalgamated
Carpenters had arrived. Duncan McDon-
aid of Springfield H., presented the re-
mort Of the committee on credentials.
There were two contests, action on which
was deferred.
The report was adopted. The conven-
tion then adjourned until . pm, when
the annual reports We're presented
Gompers' Report Thorough One.
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 regard
to legislation indorsed and supported by
the federation. Discussing the growth OF
the federation, Mr.. Gompers' report set
forth that during the year ended Septem-
her 30. 1912, 26O charters were Issued TO
labor organizations affiliating with the
federation.
THE average membership reported ana
upon whom per capita tax was pa py
the affiliated organizations to the Amer
,can Federation of Labor during the past
year." said the report, was l,H0lfo, an
increase over the number reported Tor
1a11 which was I16l, $50. On Sep ember
NJ,
organizations was 1,S41,2 26S."
President Gompers reported progress IN
the organization of the internauonai
labor movement in Canada and In Porto
Rico. In Canada he reported total
membership of from 5000 to 10000 in
the trades and labor congress-, and In
Porto Rico he declared 16o unions nad
been organized with 1900 members. I'M
proved working conditions were reported
in both Canada and Porto Rico.
President Gompers' report included
statements from the building trades.
metal trades, mining railroad employees
and union label trades departments
showing the progress made by each de-
cartment of the federation during tho
year.
Los Angeles Strike Discussed.
In the report was included statement
by Albert J. Berres, secretary-treaSurer
Of the metal trades department in which
he said:
THE Los Angeles strike continued for
a period covering more than twenty
one months. 1t is generally conceded by
those who were on the ground that our
fight for the shorter work day would
Save been won had it not been for the
deNoraible calamity in connection with
the destruction of the Los Angeles Times
builiing. Even with this handicap after
the public declaration of labor's position
and attitude toward the alleged crime.
there was still a chance of winning, ~
to the time when the guilt of the Nc
Namaras was established by their con
fession. Then il was recognized that
there was no chance of winning the
strike or persuading the employers 10
make concessions.
The report highly recommended the la
bor forward movement, organized in Min
nesota for spreading the union labor doc
trines
Mr. Gompers discussed at length the ef-
forts of the American Federation to or
ganize workers in the steel industry. He
outlined an extensive campaign of educa-
ton among foreigners working in the
steel mills.
Fifteen Labor Men in House.
Reviewing the Legislative work of the
year, Mr.. Gompers set forth that fifteen
members Of trade unions affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor had
been elected to the House of Representa-
tives. To the labor members of the
House Mr.. Gompers gave much of the
credit for the passage of a score of bills
indorsed and urged by the Federation OF
Labor.
Among the measures mentioned In the
report were the eight-hour law, the chill
dren's bureau law the law creating an
Industrial relations commission. law Civ
ing postal clerks right of hearing, petition
and association. and the law prohibitinS
the use of white phosphorus in the manu-
facture of matches.
In conclusion Mr.. Gompers' report urged
more extensive Organization work anon
the workers of all industries and the gem
eral extension of the federation.
Secretary Morrison's Figures.
The report of Secretary Frank Nor
rison of the federation showed total
receipts of S207,373 for the year and
expenditures of s277,479. The federation
began the year with balance of s1ss
579, and closed the year with s70.105
less. In discussing the strikes of the
year Mr.. Morrison's report said:
Reports from sixty-four national and
organ. cations and from
LEGAL unions directly affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor show
that there We're 716 strikes, i'm VIII "a
there were 74069 involved OF that
number 66,S92 were benefited and 6.iIl
rot benefited. The total cost # the
strikes reported on was S1.9S6.26S Add
ing to that amount s156,Ss9. donations
made by local unions to other unions,
we have a to al of So 2,l43,153 expended
to sustain members on strike during
the past year.
Similar figures were set forth in the
report OF Treasurer John y. Lennon.
District of Columbia Day, November I3.
At World in Baltimore.
The Federation of Ministers have sp-
1ac.ad tho Baltimore and Ohio railroad