The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-02-28
BIG LABOR CAMPAIGN.
American Federation Appeals to All
Workers to Organize.

American Federation Appeals to All
Workers to Organize.
nation wide campaign to enroll in
its ranks the hundreds of thousands of
unorganized workers in certain indus
tries of the United States has been
started by the American Federation of
Labor.
AS the campaign will be waged
among foreigners as well as Ameri
cans, 100000 pamphlets telling of the
object of the American Federation of
including Russian, French. Italian.
German, Danish, Swedish, Portuguese.
Polish, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Span
ish, Slovak, as well as English. will be
distributed.
The mills of New England. the steel
works Of Pennsylvania. the rubber
works Of Ohio and other middle west
ern states and the sugar plants of the
south and west will be invaded by or
ganizers of the federation 1t is said,
who will be assisted by persons who
speak the language of the employees.
That now is the psychological mo-
ment to start such campaign Is gen.
orally admitted at the headquarters of
the American Federation in Washing
ton. The latest report of the feder-
alton shows that its membership has
increased since last September more
than 1900. the total membership now
being 1,049.300.
A statement issued by the federation
and signed by President Samuel Com.
pers and Secretary Frank Morrison.
which will be given to the various
workers, asks that foreign employees
tell their countrymen In the old coun-
try to remain abroad for q year or two
until conditions In this country become
more settled. A part Of the statement
says:
Wage earners who are unorganized
know and feel their helplessness to Sc
cure justice from employers. They have
not acted in concert with their fellow
workmen and their wages have re-
manned the same or been lowered be-
cause the employer knows that as indi-
vlduals they are unable to obtain more
wages or better their working condi-
tons, and are also unable to even
maintain their present low wages If
the employer sees fit to reduce them.
Because Of your unorganiZed condi-
ton you have become the victims OF
low wages, long hours of labor. bad
working conditions, and this despite
the fact that the cost of living has In
creased so that the wages paid to you
are not enough to meet your expenses.
You are powerless to protect your
selves against accidents, which are fire.
quent; against sickness, which comes
to you often; against idleness because
of Industrial depression; against the
ills with which the workers in all in
dustries have at times to contend, par
ticularly when unorganized. These
ills can be reduced or entirely removed
when you unite in unions and become
part of the American Federation OF
Labor.
All of the Ills incident to your indus
try cannot be abolished at once, but
they can be changed and reduced by
thorough organization Of all the work
ers regardless of whether you are the
highest skilled mechanics or are I'M
skilled laborers.
The time is at hand when, regardless
Of your ability, your creed or national
ity, you should be bound together by
true spirit Of fraternity and solidarity,
features which are essential If you
hope to abolish wrongs, attain rights
and improve your conditions. The
great and powerful organized Ameri-
can labor movement wants to help you
and will help you If you will make an
effort to help yourselves.
The American Federation of Labor is
continually engaged in a campaign to
organize all the skilled and unskilled
workers in your industry. which only
needs the support of the workers to
insure success.