The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-11-08
Annual Convention Of the AmeIi-
can Federation Of Labor Will
Open in Seattle Monday
Leaders Gathering
ANOTHER FIGHT ON
G0MPERS EXPECTED
Socialists and Other Radicals to
Renew Effort TO Wrest Control
from Conservative Wing
Demand Labor Party

-N-~taA I'll " ohAtCu I-Cnb
Seattle, Wash. Nov. S.-The advance
guard Of what is expected TO be the
largest and most important gathering
OF lator leaders the country ever has
known, is assembling in Seattle today.
TAe occasion is the thirty-third annual
convention Of the American Federation
OF Labor. which will be opened here
Monday morning, with President Sam
uel Gompers presiding. Nearly one
thousand delegates. representing more
than two and a half million skilled
workers Of the United States aa6 Caa-
ada, are expected to be in their seats
when President Gompers calls the
great meeting to order. More than one
hundred and twenty-five great national
and international labor organizations,
consisting Of about 2l 900 local unions,
win be represented.
The coming meeting is fraught with
deep significance toward both labor
ing men Of the country and the great
political parties. One undercurrent
which may break above the surface is
a proposition to form a labor party in
this country. Many are clamoring for
this to be done Immediately. Others,
and they appear to be in the majority.
expressed themselves today informal
ly as being more inclined to hold back
this year to give the Wilson adminis-
tration a chance to show what it is go
ing to do. However, the matter has
advanced so far that there has been
much talk Of appointing committee
to confer with the Socialists on the
subject Of labor party. The Social
lists, it was understood today, would
unanimously favor such proposition,
provided Of course, that it would not
mean elimination of the individuality
of the Socialist party
That the old fight against the So
called ultra conservative policies" of
Gompers will again materialize, and
that Gompers will again be opposed for
reelection by some member of the
group which believes in more direct
and more radical political action for
unionism, was openly asserted today
in the radical camp. Max Hays, who
polled 5000 votes as a candidate for
president last year against the 1900
given to Gompers, declared today that
he will not run again this year. But,
he intimated that when the right man
is chosen to oppose Gompers, he win
work tooth and nail for him. The
turning Of one big union against Comp
ers, in the opinion of Hays, win defeat
the present incumbent for reelection.
While the Socialists who are leading
the opposition to Gompers, are far
from being sanguine of success as to
electing their choice for president
they do believe that in the matter of
minor offices and representation on
the executive council, their chances
are good
A hot fight, it was declared today,
is looked for over the proposition to
combine a number of the big interna-
tionai unions. The radical wing, sup
ported by many who oppose them in
other matters. win urge the amalgama-
tion Of internationals Of journeymen
tailors, ladies' garment workers.
men garment workers, hatters
and neckwear workers into one
big International There is a sharp
division of opinion on this matter, and
there is much evidence that some bit
terness will develop when it is brought
formally before the convention.
One matter. which no doubt wiz.
have the solid backing of all factions.
win be the proposition to back up the
big strikes of the coal miners in Colo
rado and Of the Western Federation
of Miners who are on strike in Calu-
met, Mich. Money undoubtedly will
be appropriated for the immediate aid
of the Calumet copper miners
A big idea that Max Hayes will
spring. according TO Information here
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