Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-16
A. +. OF l. RECENTS
NONUNION LABOR
ON LINCOLN GIFT
Former Attorney General
McReynolds Criticised for
Decision Declared Oppos-
sd to 8-Hour Law.

at the convention of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor, in horticultural Hall,
today for decision which Vice President
Duncan, Of the Federation, said Mr. Nc
Reynolds made on the eight-hour work.
day as It applies TO government work.
According TO Mr.. Duncan, Mr.. Mercy
nolds when Attorney General rendered an
opinion to the effect that all material used
on government building operations was to
be considered in the nature Of supplies,
and was to be purchased in the open mar
ket, where the eight-hoF law was not
applied.
According to report presented by Mr..
Duncan, Mr. McReynolds gave his opinion
on the basis of n statement made by
Secretary Of Labor Wilson on the floor
of the House of Representatives when he
was a member Of Congress from Penn
sylvania. Mr.. Duncan stated, as a result
Of the opinion of Mr. McReynolds. the
Lincoln Memorial, now being constructed
at Washington, was being built by nom
union labor with material supplied by
non-unon labor
INVESTIGATION ASKED.
The convention adopted the report of
the committee to the effect that thor
ough investigation be made on the cub
ject and that an effort be made to OBJ
tain another opinion from present Attor-
ney General Gregory, and that II the lat
ter's opinion also proves unfavorable an
effort be made to obtain additional legis-
latlon from Congress which would COM
pei the application of the Federal eight
hour aCt n6t only directly n
operations but to the purchase of ma
terial and supplies.
A motion presented by Delegate John
b. Lennon was adopted declaring that
the construction of the lincoln Memorial
by nonunion labor and under circum-
stances In accord with Mr. McReynulds'
decision was entirely out of harmony
with the life and work of the President
In whose memory the memorial Is being
constructed"
The resolutions committee in making
its report recommended that the framing
of comprehensive employers liability
law be entrusted to the executive council
of the American Federation of Labor. in
view of the wide differences in the matter
between the various organizations in the
American Federation of Labor.
The Resolutions Committee reported
favorably on the necessity of the ell
action of Federal compensation act, the
principle points of which are TO be that
widows should have compensation for the
death of their husbands during widow
hood and for every child under Is years
of age, and that the law be administered
by State commissions appointed for the
spirited discussion was held on the
question of clause in the proposed Fed
eral compensation act recommending
compulsory physical examination to be
undergone by every worker when enter
ing any employment.
Delegate Dauget, of the Trade and
Labor Council of Schenectady, said that
in many cases employers compel women
workers to undergo a physical examlna-
tlon which is offensive to them, we'll
as using the physical examination clause
in some of the States which have a COM
pensation act as a means OF discriminat-
ing against workers active in the labor
movement
r. r. INSURANCE CRITICISED.
Criticism was also made of the in
surance systems employed by the Penn
sylvania, Baltimore and Ohio and other
railroads as being unjustly compulsory
upon the employees.
Delegates John B. Lennon and John
Walker, of Illinois, favored physical ex-
animation clause In cases where the
physical examination of a workman is
necessary for the protection of the in
terests of the public and fellow employees,
whose safety is dependent upon a mans
physical ability to perform certain du-
ties Delegate Walker opposed, however.
physical examination where 1t was un-
necessary and where such examination
would be an instrument I'm the hands of
employers TO discriminate against union
men.
Delegate Flint. of New York, expressed
himself as against all physical examlna-
tlons.
Delegate Hugh Frayne. of New, York.
opposed a physical examination on the
ground that, wherever 1t is permissible.
employers use 1t to weed out married
men from employment in order to reduce
their risk and liability.
great congress of organized labor Is
90 be called at the close of the European
war, II the resolution introduced by
Samuel Gompers, at the convention of the
American Federation OF Labor. will be
adopted Nuring the course of this week
The congress will be held wherever the
proposed peace congress at the close OF
the war is to be held. 1t is the popular
belief among the delegates that the reso-
luton win probably be carried. in view
Of the fact that 1t has been penned and
Is champfoned by Gompers.
According to the resolution the meeting |
will be held ito the end that suggestions
may be made and such action taken as |
shall be helpful In restoring fraternal re-
lations, protecting the interests of the 1
toilers and thereby assisting in laying the |
foundations for a more lasting peace"
The resolution dsplores the war and ex-
tends fraternal greetings and sympathies |
20 the workers now lighting in Europe.
Much OF the business of the convention /
during its second weeks session win be /
taken up by the settlement of jurlsdic- /
tional disputes, some OF the disputes ex- /
tending over long period OF time, Many
OF these dimculties are attributed to the
constantly changing developments in in
dustry and the increasing tendency
toward specialization on one side and the
Summation Of skilled labor on the other.
DISPUTES TO BE ADJUSTED.
II is pointed out that whereas IN for
mer days the carpenter was virtually the
only worker In wood. today the wood
working industry Is virtually divided
among several important groups OF ar
tisans, each OF whom are organized into
separate unions. Frequently there Is
overlapping IN these industries and here
the dimculties begin A dispute which
the convention viii have 10 decide along
this line win be between the United
90 frav I