The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-11-12
LABORERS PLEASED
WITH TRUST BILL
Wars, World Progress and
Strikes Discussed In Annual
Report to American Fed
Grafton of Labor.

Philadelphia, Nov. 10.-Pronouncing
the passage OF the Clayton trust bill
as organized lahor's greatest single
accomplishment for the last ear the
executive council of h American
Federation of Labor presented its an
nual report today to the saith conven-
ton of the federation here, The vol
luminous document covers every ques-
ton which has affected labor during
the year, including the European war.
OF the Clayton bin the councils
statement says that it contains the
most fundamental, the most compre-
hensive enumeration Of industrial free
dom, found in any legislative act In
the history of the world" and that 1t
was obtained through "the organized
economic power represented by the
workers OF the United states.
Proud of Progress.
Discussing economic organization as
the keynote of the federation's thought
and effort, the council expressed pride
in the report of progress transmitted
'at a time when most of the civilized
countries are submerged by q world
wide war" while in the United States
'on every hand the workers are insist
ing upon the maintenance of 6
ization and resistance to deterioration
of present working conditions" Or
gani2ed labor" it adds, has assisted
the effort to mitigate the industrial
d~isorganization and losses entailed by
the European war"
Before the war;" it continues, the
thought and effort of civilization were
conferred upon the DEVELOPMENT and
Qualification OF human life. One life
was counted OF infinite value. But
since the cataclysm that brought war
between the nations, men are treated
as only military pawns. Things are
valued for their life destroying power.
Guns are worth more than mem
Workers Are Sufferers.
Summing up steps that may be ta-
ken toward the adjustment of war,
the report continues:
"MilitariSm and competitive arma-
ment must be abolished and tribunals
for awarding justice and agencies for
enforcing determinations must be in
stituted. The working people of all
lands bear the brunt OF war. They do
the fighting, pay the war taxes, suffer
most from the Reorganization OF in
dustry and commerce, which results
from war;
Lengthy presentations were made of
conditions in mining fields in West
Virginia, Colorado, Michigan and Mon
tana, including much OF the corre-
spondence exchanged between opera
tors, employees and officials of the fed
eral and state governments. Summing
up the general situation the report
says:
Mining Situation.
THE various different movements OF
the miners for improved conditions
have been more conspicuous this past
year than those of any other orSauiHa-
ton. This is due to the intensity with
which tho .Gtrl ODlaG h1lC. hnpr, lsu red
amounting in each instance, practical
ly, to civil war; to the number Of hui
man beings to whom the struggle
meant privation, suffering and losses.
Land holding conditions involved in
some mining districts have enabled the
operators to establish what amounts
to a feudal operating system for the
mines. They own vast tracts Of lands,
l hundreds and even thousands of square
miles in extent on which the mines are
located. The mining companies own
[ and therefore control all roads that
} traverse the land. They own the
houses in which the miners live; the
villages made up of these miners: the
5 school houses to which their children
5 must go for mental training. the
} churches which minister to thcii
spiritual needs: the stores from which
they buy their clothing. food and 9TH
/ er necessities: the postoffices where
they get their mail, money orders am
3 conduct their crude banking transact
ions. Every detail of mining life is un.
I der supervision of the mine operator!
through their power Of ownership. II
time Of strike the mine operators have
D the power of eviction and have forced
, hundreds Of strikers and their familie!
| to seek shelter in tent colonies, witt
the constant danger of exposure. Thcr'
can be no real freedom under sucl
conditions Of industrial tyranny.
Statistical reports show the mem
e-ship this yea to total 2,020.671 a
Tainst 1886 04 last year. The on
1t assessment fund to defray expense
the United Hatters and contemp
ses shows hat of S15,01s, the sun 0
4,T52 has been expended. the largcs
am being attorneys fees TO Alton ]
'aTker. for both cases. amounting I
9 s.547. Charters issued this year I
sarious unions numbered 22a.