Strike bulletin. (Clinton, Ill.) 1913-1915, 1914-04-21

Kansas City. April Is. 1914

| Employees Department of the American Federation
| of Labor was called order Labor Temple,
Kansas city. Mo. at 10 a. m. Monday. April IL.
lst The convention was fairly well attended.
J. a. Franklin. general president OF the boiler
makers acted as temporary chairman. Addresses
| OF welcome were made BY John T smith. repre-
senting the Central Labor Union of Kanss, civ:
H. 7. Wood president OF the Missouri state Fed
| Grafton of Labor and James ". Garner, city at
| torney. who represented the mayor of IN. civ
Attorney Frank comerford OF Chicago delivered
an address analyzing labor conditions. Mr.. Com
erford presented In detail his plan to take the
Illinois Central and Hartman Lines contro,e 70
the federal Industrial Relations Commission. lie
told OF the 80 months struggle OF IN. ,hon m.n
the great principle involved and the opportunity
and advantage OF making this struggle test case
before the commission
4. % Wharton. president Of the Department as
suned the chair and the convention Itself to
the work Of perf.ctlng II. orKapization Tn. GRO
dehtals committee reported and President Wharton
! ruled that grand lodge Officers who were present
would be given the privilege OF the floor. but
would not he given vote roll calls
The resolutions committee was appointed. Thos
Van Lear Of Minneapolis. was named chairman.
RESOLUTION No. /. introduced by H. J Molloy,
business agent Of the msohinists for the Illinois
Central. was the fret business taken Up BY the
convention. 1t was reported back to the conven-
ton with recommendation that 1t b. passed and
by unanimous vote of the convention was
Persons innocence. and recognized the fact that
is being prosecuted for his loyalty to organized
labor.
Resolution No. took up the Illinois Central and
Hartman lines struggle and provided for immed-
late action The resolution is as follows
Whereas. the craft organizations OF the Illinois
centrai and Hartman lines were taught by .nper-
their Just and reasonable demands and
Whereas. on Sept. 80. 1871. tn. union shop men
on the Illinois Central and Hartman lines
| compelled by the companies to quit their Job. or
give up their right to organize into system Fed
Whereas. va hold that 1t is the right OF Ameri-
can citizens to organize into the form manner
| workingmen. and
Whereas. the refusal of the railroad companies
TO recognize this right In their employees was an
invasion OF the rights of American citixens and
Whereas. the men true 10 their spirit of citizen
ship and loyal To unionism. gave up their Jobs
rather imam surrender the protecting right OF
/, ganizston. and
Whereas. approximately $4,000 men and their
wives and children faced the terrors of poverty.
rather than submit to industrial slavery and
Whereas. the congress of the United States
passed an act providing for the creation of
Industrial Relations Commission. charged with the
duty of inquirng into the of Industrial dis
content and the effect upon public welfare. and
Whereas. this commission Is given the power to
hold public hearings, To subpoena witnesse. and
compel the production Of documentary evidence.
and
Whereas. President wilson did In June 1919 ap-
point u commission on Industrial relations. and
Whereas, We contend that the refusal or the part
OF the Illinois Central and Hartman lines to
me me rlsht OF American citizens TO organize
themselves into logical. effective and legal la
tent affecting approximately $4,000 men and their
families. and
Whereas. tho most progressive and patriotic
statesmanshipe of our time Is committed to Col.
leetve bargaining" as means toward industrial
whereas. the organization of labor IL absolutely
Indispensable to collective bargaining and
MheIeAs. the pubic welfare has been affected
sef'ouhiy In that:
..'es nave oeeh secriieeo
-Ihe uaNehnx puohc iet unprotected
SoAA mines nave oeen closed down and miners
'"'o.n out VI WORK
ness men IN mining communities have
oeeh utNen into bankruptcy.
shipper and manufacturers have suffered
'ssss .hrousn 'haoeQose service
aIme's nave suffered losses when they should
nave "Ane proii's
-, ramps nave been made out OF good American
e'Hshs.
-,omes nave oeeh broken up
-Snnuieh nave peen driven from the schools
INTO ehild labor slavery.