The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-04-18

CONFERENCE

Trades Council:
Greeting: At the regular meeting
of the Central Labor Council of Port
land and vicinity, held March 2Sth,
it's special committee on European inn
migration, via the Panama Canal
route, reported as follows:
Information Of more or less gen.
eral nature has come through the
press and other sources that steam
ship companies are already gathering
immigrants in European countries to
come to the Pacific Coast states on
the opening of the Panama Canal
From the Pacific Coast states these
immigrants will overflow the other
western states.
Labor conditions in the western
states have been and still are on the
whole, on a slightly higher level than
the labor conditions in the eastern
states.
Numerous efforts on the part of
the employers associations to lower
Pacific Coast labor conditions have
failed, so far. The tide of Chinese
Japanese and Hindu labor has been
turned back The long haul by steam
er and rail from Europe has left the
European immigrants in very large
numbers east of the Rocky Mountains.
Now these employers associations of
the west, backed, of course, by the
steamship companies for selfish rea-
sons, are expecting that their dreams
of fuller exploitation of labor can be
materialized
"It therefore behooves the organ
lied workers of the west to take steps
to safeguard the achievements of the
last so years.
"This can only be done by organized
labor
"How best to do it is now the ques-
ton
"Your committee recommends that
the Central Labor Council of Port
land and vicinity authorize this spe
cial committee to send letter en-
bodying the statements here made to
the secretaries of the Central Labor
Council of the following states
Washington, California, Oregon, Mon
tana, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Nevada,
Arizona, Colorado, and the Canadian
Province of British Columbia, re-
questing these councils to send one or
two delegates from each council to
a conference to devise ways and
means to stem this threatened in
! furious immigration. Your commit |
tee suggests that this conference be
held at Portland, Ore, commencing
June 5th. Also that answer as to
sending of delegates be returned to
the special committee of the council
within one month"
/ This report was unanimously
adopted and the special committee in
structed to issue the call.
Therefore you are hereby cordially
invited and strongly urged to send
delegates to this conference. Also
inform the secretary of the special
committee at your earliest opportunity
of your decision
/ Commencing June first, the rail
roads will give special rates to Port
land Rose Carnival, ending June
9th 1t was deemed advisable to take
advantage of this saving in railroad
fares.
The special committee was also in
structed to compile data as to the
activity of the steamship companies in
Europe. Letters are now being sent
to the secretaries of the trades unions
of Europe asking for such data, for
use at the conference.
Information is also sought on the
) conditions of the so-called unskilled
, and migratory laborers of the west
Secretaries of labor councils can
greatly aid this part of the work by
forwarding to the secretary of the spe
cal committee, reports of labor COM
missioners and other data bearing
upon this matter
| ITeSS reports state IndI III Cdl-
: fornia within the next few weeks a
meeting of the California immigration
League will be held, to take care of
the immigrants WHEN THEY AR
RIVE. That is a laudable endeavor,
but unquestionably the action of the
Portland conference can, and will, re-
suit in preventing a great deal of in
furious and surplus immigration COM
ing to California, thus in the most
practical manner assisting the Immi
grafton League.
Address all communications to Ed.
Rosenberg, Secretary Special Immi-
grafton Committee, Room 219 Good
!, nough Building, Portland, Oregon.