Albuquerque morning journal., 1913-11-16
HARD To FORECAST
POSITION OF
FEDERATION
End of First Week of National
Convention Action on In
duStriaI and Political QueS-
tons Is Uncertain,

trY uosNipa JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiHgl
Seattle. Wash, Nov 15.-At the
close Of the first week of the annual
convention of the American Fedora
tion Of Labor, IL is difficult to predict
the action Of the body on the great
questions of industrial unionlsm and
political action.
The executive council suffered a re-
verse when the convention refused
60 adopt the councils recommends
tion that the annual meeting time be-
changed mcm November to june. So
generally had IL been accepted as
settled that the months would be
changed and the 1914 convention
omitted. as recommended by the c0un-
ell, that only one city-Fort Worth,
Tex.-souRht the 1914 convention n
low appears that convention viii be
held next year as usual, and Fort
Worth has an advantage in the choice.
Although the executive council was
overruled on this point, the debate
was friendly. on all other issues that
came before the convention the coun-
ell was sustained. The socialist dele
gates TO the convention will address
mass meeting tomorrow night at
which it Is expected a plan of opposi-
tion to the Comp policies
viii be outlined.
The Colorado coal miners strike
was a subject Of debate on the floor
of the American Federation Of Labor
convention this morning and a resolu-
tion was adopted instructing the
executive council to cooperate with
the United Mine Workers Of America
in obtaining a federal investigation Of
conditions in the strike district
In the discussion j. S. Hail. of Wal
lace, Idaho. who described himself as
a veteran of the Cripple Creek strike
in 1904, declared that congressional
investigations accomplished nothing.
and said the West Virginia investiga-
ton had been fruitless. John II.
Walker, OF the United Mine Workers,
said that congressional Investigation
Of the Colorado situation was the
thing the mine owners feared most
and was desired by the miners above
all.
Through the aid of Representative
Mann the mine owners had been able
thus far to avert a congressional in
Vestigation in Colorado, said Walker
Although it had not brought the mine
workers everything they wished 1t
had given them ground upon which
to continue the fight.
A resolution on behalf Of the rail-
road shopmen was adopted on motion
of President Gompers and ordered
telegraphed to President Wilson IT
requested that while the federal board
of mediation was considering the
strike on the Texas lines Of the South
ern Pacific It also take up the shop
mems strike on the Hartman lines,
begun in August, 1911 The conven-
tion took the ground that the South
ern Pacifc's announced willingness to
arbitrate the present strike indicated
a radical change of policy on the
whole system, as a conference with
the striking shopmen Of 1911 had
been hitherto refused
A resolution condemning the pro-
posal of penny postage as being in the
interest of large manufacturers and
mail order houses, rather than Of the
people as whole, was unanimously
defeated.
The convention condemned the
ruling Of the judge advocate general
Of the army, under which civil serv-
ice employees Of the quartermaster
department were dismissed and the
federation declared itself opposed t0l
the principle Of extending military en-
lstment to classes of work non-mili-
tary in character.
The convention endorsed a congress
sional bill establishing minimum
wage Of not less than 81 a day for
civil service employees and also thei
Lewis bill for recassification Of the
wages Of postoffice clerks.
The legislative committee was In
gtructed 30 seek amendment Of the
federal eight hour law which had
been interpreted so as 70 cover new
articles purchased under contract byI
the government.
Resolutions by the street railway
asking Investigation of
street railway operation inI
its relation to organized labor werol
The federation requested congress
to print copies of the lobby investiga- /
ton of the Mulhall charges. for gen I
eral distribution. Adjournment until
was then taken.