Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-12-04
ALL DAY SESSION 4.
J. IN CROWDED HALL
ORGANIZATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED WITH
ELOQUENCE AND ENTHUSIASM

What will go down into local history
: as the most important, labor meeting
ever held in Wheeling was the Labor
convention held in the, Trades Assem-
bly, hak last Sunday.
A dozen international officers, rep
resenting more than 2,000,0CJ organ
ICED men, spoke from the same floor
Never before have SO many interna
tional officers been gathered together
in Wheeling. They talked interesting
ly, ihspiringly and the assembled mem.
bers of organized labor were SO deeply
engrOssed in the proceedings that no.
one person left during the sessions.
Every speaker commended the
Wheeling workers upon the spirit they
have shown in undertaking the task,
and all predicted success. Most Of the
speakers have been engaged in similar
campaigns in other cities and they
spoke with the authority of experience
That their words will be appreciated
is clear from the close attention paid
every word, and the enthusiasm mani
tested on the part of the hearers.
Chairman, LaFlam Opens
President, L. ]. LaFlam, of the
Trades Assembly opened the meeting
as chairman He outlined the objects
of the meeting.
Two months ago., he said, this
movement was launched by motion
in the Trades Assembly. The motion
provided for submitting to the local
unions of Wheeling proposition ask
ing:
First. Are you in favor of a cam
paign to organize the unorganized
workers of Wheeling?
Second: Are you willing to assess
your membership rs cents each TO pay
the expenses Of such a campaign?
Third: Will you elect one of your
members to serve upon general COM
mittee to have entire charge of the
campaign?
Ninety percent of the locals have
already affiliated with the movement,
and meetings of the executive cimmit-
tee have been held each Wednesday
night now for several weeks. One
month ago it was decided by the com
mittee to have this convention to for
mally inaugurate the movement, am
to invite the representatives of tho
various international unions to NEE
with us on this occasion and give us
their advice and the benefit of Their
experience, as to how best to proceed
'All of us are indeed gratified to sec
such large number of active trades
unionists here today, and | know that
eevery one here is pleased to see such
large proportion of the international
officials represented by officials Large
as the number is. it would have beer
larger had not the convention of the
American Federation of Labor In
Seattle interfered, preventing the at
tendance of many who have told us
that they would be glad to be with US
today Yet. despite this fact, we have
shore International officials in oul
midst today than ever before in the
history of our city, and we realize that
this is a momentous OCCASION am
sure that every word spoken here to-
day, coming, as At WILL after the speak
er's years of earnest effort to build up
the unions of Labor and improve the
conditions of the workers, will be fel
in its full weight and will influence
us in the choosing of wise ways in
which to prosecute the campaign for
the organization of the unorganized
workers of Wheeling"
He explained that no time limit was
. placed upon the speakers, and that the
hearers would be permitted to ash
questions of any speaker. This ar
rangement, as well as the program,
which was followed as nearly as posi-
Bile to the original outline, was decid-
ed upon by the committee on the prev
lous Wednesday evening
William F. WEIGH.
William F. Welch. vice president of
the Amalgamated Street and Electric
Railway Employees Association, was
the first speaker, being chosen to lead
the list as the only international off,
cial residing in Wheeling.