The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1913-11-11
'COMpER MAKES
ANNUAL REPORT
Federation Of Labor Assem-
bles at Seattle.
MEMBERSHIP IS LARGER

Official Statistics Show That More
Than Two Million Organized Work.
ers Are United Under the Parent
Body, Large Gain In the Past
Year.
Seattle, Wash, Nov. 11.-Labor
chiefs from the entire country gath
cred here for the thirty-third annual
convention of the American Fedora,
ton of Labor. s
Minimum wage legislation. especial
" for women, will be one Of the big
gest problems before this session.
The labor chiefs, believing that the
minimum wage for women workers is
a proper solution Of low pay at this
time, will urge that the federation go
on record in favor OF it.
Determined opposition In some quar-
ters was expected at the opening OF
the convention, because many of the
several hundred delegates argued that
capital would take advantage of such
legislation and make the minimum
standard also the maximum. This con-
tentiOn was answered by the claim
that only by setting some standard can
women workers gain a fair wage I'm.
der the present labor conditions.
Growth Of the Industrial Workers Of
the World movement did not alarm
the leading delegates and they de-
clared that this new labor sect,
preaching syndicalism rather than per-
suasion, had not assumed dangerous
proportions and had interferred only
in some instances with workers who
preferred to join unions.
President Gompers and the execu
tive council presented to the conven-
ton a report of work In the past year
and recommendations for the future.
Report Of President Gompers.
Constructive legislation to benefit
the more than 100000 members OF
the American Federation of Labor
and allied organizations was urged in
the report of President Samuel
Gompers.
Picturing the labor movement as
one of practical idealism, dealing with
the raw stuff of life, and branding In
dustrial managements as cruel and
heartless in self-interests, the report
showed remarkable progress of
unionism in the past year. 81.
The federation closed it's fiscal year
with balance of sos, 5,O63.O5, after re-
ceiving in it's thirty-three years ex-
istence $2,8S2,334.45 and expending
$2,777,271.40. Official membership of
the federation and allied bodies was
placed at 2,O54,526, an increase Of
213,25S in the last year, with a total
Of 322 charters.
Nine hundred and sixty-nine strikes
have marked labors war against capi-
tai in the past year, involving 294,-
236 persons, benefltting 1864, and
costing $3,464, 1851 to sustain mem
bers on strike.
improvement in membership of the
house and senate judiciary commit
tees was noted with the retirement Of
many members of Uncle Joe Can
mons morgue" and the infusion of
fresh blood into congress. Members
of the federation we're urged to use
their influence to get passage Of pend
ing. Injunction limitation bills, and
the workman's compensation commit
tee reported progress in framing meas
ures for more extensive and fairer
compensation acts than now exist.
Congress censured.
Congress was censured for it's atti-
tude on the department Of labor. In
this respect the report said, in part:
I've cannot too strongly condemn
the niggardly, picayunish policy OF
congress in dealing with the only de-
partment entrusted with promoting
the welfare of the wage Garner" A
bureau Of labor safety and museum
Of safety appliances were advocated
in section which said: s
Competition has been SO merciless,
and organizations Of corporations so
heartless that human interests have
been sacrificed in the struggle for
profits" Creation Of federal bureau
of health was foreseen in the attitude
Of congress and the decrease of oppo-
sition from special interests which
hitherto have fought the establish
ment Of such an organization.
That the federation proposes to car
~ on vigorous campaign for more
labor representation in the next con-
gressional campaign was evidenced
in the report Of the labor representa-.
ton committee which asked that the
committee be authorized to collect
voluntary subscriptions from individ-
ual members Of the federation.
Strikers Parade in Blizzard.
Calumet, Mich, Nov. 11.-Despite
the binding blizzard, which has held
forth in the Keenewah district for fit
teen hours, bringing with it cold and
snow, the copper mine strikers. with
their wives and children, paraded the
strike district.
Steamer Signals for Aid.
Berlin, Nov. 11.-.A dispatch from
Lisbon says the wireless station there
received distress signals from the Ger
- -