The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-11-10
GOMPERS' MESSAGE TO
FEDERATED LABOR UNIONS
CONSTRUCTIVE LEGISLATION FOR BENEFIT OF
ORGANIZED LABOR is URGED.
CAPITAL CRUEL, HEARTLESS
Great Labor Leader Goes Into Detail in His Annual
Statement and Shows Great Growth in
Organized Labor the Past Year.

)r the Past Year.
SEATTLE, Wash, Nov. 1O.-Con-
structive legislation to benefit the
more than 1000, 900 members of the A.
F. of L. and allied organizations, was
urged in the report of President Sam
the federation presented to the thirty
third annual convention today.
Picturing the labor movement as one
of practical idealism, dealing with the
raw stuff of life, and branding indus
trial managements as cruel and heart
less in Self-interestS, the report showed
a remarkable progress of unionism in
the past year. The membership passed
the two million mark, and President
Gompers predicted a steady advance to
the new goal of three million. The
federation closed its fiscal year with
balance of $105, ,063. .05, after receiving
in it's thirty three years existence
81, S82 ,3344 and expending $2,777,271.-
| 40 Official membership of the fedora
tion and allied bodies was placed at
| 2,054 ,526, all increase of 213,25S in the
last year, with a total of 1922 charters.
Nine hundred and sixty nine strikes
have marked labor's war against cap
ital in the past year, involving 294,236
persons, benefitting 186,644, and cost
ing $3,464 ,215.91 to sustain members
on strike Labor's defense fund re-
ceived from local trade and federal
PLATO.
Notes the improvements.
Improvement in membership Of the
house and senate judiciary committees
was noted with the retirement of many
members of "Uncle Joe Cannon's
morgue" and the infusion of fresh
blood into congress. Members of the
federation were urged to use their In
f1uence to get passage of pending IN
junction bills, and workman's compen-
sation committee reported progress in
framing measures for more extensive
and fairer compensation acts than now
exist Warning was sounded against
the impending influx of immigration
to the Pacific coast with the opening
of the Panama canal, and its resultant
low rates of passage.
Congress was censured for its attl-
tude on the department of labor. In
this respect the report said, in part:
I'VE cannot too strongly condemn the
Of
gress in dealing with the only depart
ment entrusted with promoting the
welfare of the wage Garner" A bureau
of labor safety and a museum OF safety
appliances were advocated in section
which said: Competition has been so
merciless, and organizations OF cor
porations so heartless, that human IN
terests have been sacrificed in the
struggle for profits" Creation OF
federal bureau of health was foreseen
in the attitude of congress and the de-
crease of opposition from special in
terests which hitherto have fought the
establishment of such an organization. II.
Make Vigorous Campaign.
That the federation proposes to car
ry on a vigorous campaign for more
labor representation in the next con-
gressional campaign, was evidenced IN
the report of the labor representation
committee. which asked that the COM
mittee be authorized to collect volun-
tary subscriptions from ndivldual
members of the federation. No recon-
mendations were inclosed with the re-
port on the general status of eight
hour bills.
Members were urged to petition
their senators for support of the Boo
her bill, opposing convict labor, and
scheduled for consideration in the new
session of congress. This measure, it
was pointed out in the report, has
passed the lower house three times,
but has always been "waylaid" in the
senate. Coming out strongly in fave
of minimum wage legislation for VIC
men and children, the report declared:
Ask Living Wage.
"a fair standard of wages-a living
wage for all employed in an industry
should be the first consideration in
production. None more entitled to that
standard than are the women AID
minors. An industry which denies to
all its workers and particularly denies
to its women ard minors a living wage,
is unfit to be permitted to exist Labor
should be on every
minimum wage board"
The federation, it was announced IN
the report, will participate in the for
nation of National Popular {. vcrn-
(Cortip,od an PAPA ~