United labor bulletin., 1913-12-06

ers regarding the growth of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, the general
organization of labor unions, during
the last year. Almost all of the inter-
national officers of unions having
their headquarters In Indianapolis
were In Seattle attending the national
convention of the American Federa-
tion of Labor. The growth Of the
A. F. of l.. membership beyond the
two million mark has been widely her-
aided. President Samuel Gompers an
nounced that the membership exceed
ed two millions during a session OF the
convention. The average paid up and
reported membership for the last year
was 1,996,004, an increase OF 225,So9
members over last year. National
and international organizations are re
quired to pay only the per capita tax
on their full paid-up membership, and
therefore the membership reported
does not include the large number OF
members involved in strikes during
the fiscal year, for whom the tax was
not paid.
London, England.-The duchess OF
for the "sweated" worker in confer
ence held at her residence, Sunder-
land house, Mayfair. The conference
was attended by representatives of So
ciety, the church and every political
party, and during the afternoon
"sweated" women workers occupied
seats on the platform. The duchess
said 100000 women and girls were
employed in the factories and work
shops of Great Britain and many of
these earned only s1.50 a week. Thou
sands were suffering actual hunger,
she said.
Houston, Texas.-The strike of oper-
ating employees of the Southern Pa
ciic lines in Texas and Louisiana was
ended when the railroad yielded to de-
mands of the men to meet a federated
committee of the four unions in the
controversy. Within 80 minutes after
the announcement was made that the
strike had been ended idle wheels be
gan to turn in the Houston railroad
yards and the men were ordered to
work all along the company's lines.
Chicago.-Steps will be taken at a
meeting to be held in the coffee room
of Hull house Wednesday evening to
induce the city to commence public
works to provide for employing the
idle masses during the winter months.
The committee on employment select
ed by the convention in Bowen hall
will have charge of the meeting. and
they urge all interested in this vel
fare work to attend.
Alexandria. Vain the employ OF
one firm continuously for ~ years was
the record of Joseph F. Johnston. who
died here at the age of eighty-three
years. Johnston went to work for a
tannery establishment here when elev-
en- years old. He remained with the
concern and lived to see it pass under
the control of seven branches OF the
same family.
Willesden, England.-A laundry pro
prietor, finding that he gets the best
work out of his employees when they
are happy and contented, has decided
to give them free tickets for the thea
ter once a week. He is already pro-
viding them with free lunches daily
and a graphophone for their enter
tainment during the rest intervals.
San Francisco.-The city has no
right to pass an ordinance prohibiting
the employment of women in Greek
but might legislate
against the employment of white
women in cafes conducted by Chinese.
according to an opinion handed down
by the city attorney.
San Francisco.-The directors of
the Panama-Pacific exposition are Is
suing term passes to business agents
of trade unions and central councils,
admitting them to the grounds in the
pursuit of their duties, and to see that
only union men are employed.
New York-The New York state
workmen's compensation committee Of
the National Civic federation is plan
ming a campaign to arouse interest In
the adoption of proposed amend
ment 10 the CONSTITUTION oi the stdte
of New York.
Ottawa, Canada--The Canadian
Federation of Labor has decided to
ask the dominion government to In
clude all classes of government en-
ployes when dealing with matters Of
superannuation and retiring allow
ances.
Wheeling, w. Va.-One death and
three non-fatal accidents each work
ing day is the record Of the coal mines
of West Virginia for the four months