United labor bulletin., 1914-11-07
Big DOINGS WHEN
A.F.L. HITSPHILLY
Immense Street Parade to Be
Led By Samuel GomperS
Elaborate Exhibit Of Union Labor Pro-
ducts to Be a Feature, With Great
PROGRAM Of Entertainments

Philadelphia is making the most elab-
orate preparations for the entertain
ment of the thirty-fourth annual con.
vention of the American Federation of
Labor. which will begin its sessions in
that city on Monday morning, Sovem-
ber 9. The city seems to be fully
aroused to the magnitude of the task
it has undertaken and is leaving moth,
ing undone that may be necessary to
a triumph that will be complete in
every particular. The labor organiza.
tions have made liberal contributions to
the entertainment fund; the business
men have been generous in the same
direction Mayor Blankenburg has
signed an ordinance appropriating S25,-
600 for defraying expenses to honor the
thirty fourth convention large dele
CATION of Philadelphia trade unionists
were present when the mayors sigma
ture made the act law.
Meetings viii Consume Six Weeks.
The convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor proper will last two
weeks Then will follow conventions of
the union label trades. the building
trades, the metal trades and the mines
departments of the American Federation
of Labor. each of which will last at
least one week The main convention
will be held in Horticultural hall, one
of the buildings erected for the Centen-
nial in 1876 in beautiful Paramount
park. 1t is estimated that during the
series of conventions more than l0.OOo
representatives of organized labor will
be in Philadelphia officially, and that
the attendance of visitors will run up
into many times that number The
gathering gives promise OF being the
largest and will certainly be the most
important and imposing assemblage OF
organized workers ever held in the his
tory of the labor movement
Various sub committees of the gem
eral committee on arrangements have
been busy for weeks preparing special
tainment of the delegates and their ac-
companying friends. These will include
a series OF theater parties, smokers,
banquets. touring trips in automobiles
to points of interest, steamboat excur-
sions on the Delaware river, and other
forms of pleasure and instruction.
In connection with the main eonven-
tion there will be an elaborate exhibit
of union labeled goods at horticultural
hall, which will include all kinds of
manufactured articles bearing the union
label The floor space available for this
display will be more than $500 square
feet. and hundreds of the most reliable
manufacturers in the United States
have already applied for reservations
in it.
Undoubtedly the leading feature OF
the convention period in the way of
public display will be an immense street
parade, which is scheduled for Friday
night. November lS- II is expected that
at least 10000 union workers will be
in the marching line. and there will be
hundreds of floats exhibiting products
OF union labor and numerous bands of
music of great size.
Gompers to Head the Parade.
This great and glorious pageant will
be headed by Samuel Gompers, president
OF the American Federation OF Labor.
and its executive council. led by band
of 100 musicians When the procession
reaches horticultural hall President
Gompers and the executive council will
repair to stand erected there, from
which they will review the long line OF
workers. From that point the parade
will be headed by the delegates to the
American Federation of Labor and the
members of the Philadelphia Central
Labor Union.
Preceded by a band of 100 musicians
the delegates of the Allied Building
Trades Council of Philadelphia and
vicinity will be next in the line, fol-
lowed by about 10000 marchers, com,
posed Of the members of the several
local unions connected with the Coun-
ell. The building trades section of the
big pageant will include a number OF
floats illustrating the various crafts
and professions in the building trades.
Next will come the label trades de-
partment, also accompanied by floats
I displaying union label products of the