The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-11-11
Resolutions by the Bushel. on
All Sorts Of Topics Are
Being Considered by
A. F. of L.
FOR POLITICAL PARTY
Socialists Object to Such a Move and
Would Vote With conserva-
tives, Against Forma-
tlon Of Il.
[By John Edwin Nevin, United Press

Staff Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Nov IL
Consideration of resolutions covering
every conceivable proposition affect
ing organized labor, occupied the at.
tention Of the American Federation
of Labor today. None was of char.
acter designed to result in any seri.
Gus difference Of opinion. In accord
ance with the time-honored prece.
deferring action on the most import
ant questions until next week when
the new delegates will have had an
opportunity to become acquainted
and there will be less bitterness in
debate than would be the rule at
the present time.
The fight which many of the dele
gates have been making for years to
line up the labor vote Of the United
States for a labor political party, has
only an outside chance of winning
this session. 1t is the opinion that
many OF the men who in the past
have opposed such plan, have seen
a light" and that labor party In
the United States is sure very soon.
The older leaders of the organization
oppose such action. They believe
that labor can best serve its own in.
terests by supporting such candi.
dates as are favorable to it, regard.
less of party. But the radical mem.
bers, and especially those from the
western states, insist that this plan
has had a fair trial and is inopera.
tive. They point to the Michigan
West Virginia, Coloi ado and similar
conditions, as indicating that as a
general opinion, present day Office
holders are opposed to organized la
Dor methods.
Were the socialist members to vote
with the advocates of the plan, there
would be more than enough votes tt
carry 1t through But the socialists
are opposed to distinct labor party
which naturally would be in opposi
ton to their movement and they are
likely to be lined up with the con
servatives in opposition.
The question Of industrial, instead
Of crafts unionism is also certain tc
result in a stirring debate. James F.
Morris of the Illinois state Fedora
ton Of Labor has introduced reso
luton demanding that the federation
change its present methods of organi
cation. This resolution is backed by
carriage, wagon and automobile
workers, the national brotherhood OF
potters and several other internation-
al bodies. The Morris resolution at
ter referring to the fact that the EN-.
ployers of labor are closely Dandea
together in the National Association OF
Manufacturers and similar bodies
says Resolved, That in order to
combat these compact and powerful
organizations of employers Of labor,
this convention indorses and adopts
the plan of organization by industries
instead Of by crafts, which often d.
vides the forces Of labor, and that
the officers of the state declarations be
instructed to use every effort to in.
fluence and mold public sentiment
along these lines"
It is believed that modification OF
this plan will be adopted by the con-
vention.
A. score OF resolutions dealing with
the war, ranging from suggestion
that the federation tender its ON.
ces as a mediation body to general
disarmament proposition are before
the resolution committee. The ma
jority will be ignored, but some plan
Differentiation of an anti-war fed
Grafton among the workers Of the
world may be adopted. There is some
support for the resolution OF F. w
Wilson, of the Milwaukee Trades
Council, which would eliminate all
fraternal delegates from religious or