The Washington times., 1914-11-11
URGED TT
SEEK END Of WAR
Canadian Makes Eloquent Plea
for Peace Before PhiIadeI-
phia Convention.
By John EDWIN NEvIN.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. IA thrill
ing. fervent plea for united action Of
some sort to end the present European
war electrified todayS session of the
American Federation of Labor 1t came
from the fraternal delegate of the Can
adam trades and labor congress, r. A.
Riggs, who appealed to the delegates,
amidst a tumult of applause, for ''action
which will enable the wage workers of
the world once again to enter into
brotherly relations one with the other"
This murderous carnage that is now
taking place on the battlefields of Eu-
rope" said Riggs, "cennot be discussed
by me. But / want to say that the
spirit CT brotherhood which is being
engendered on this continent by our
unionism makes il safe for me to pre-
dict that the workers of Canada and
those Of the United states will never
any other means to fly at each others
throats and spill each others blood.
There are 1000 miles of frontier be-
tween Canada and the United States 1t
is unguarded by any fort. And, SO far
as the democracy of Canada and the
United States are concerned, as repre-
sented in the trades union movement,
there never will be any such tort
erected on this line to menace and jeop-
ardiZe the peace Of the United States"
Consideration of resolutions covering
every conceivable proposition affecting
rganized labor occupied the attention Of
the Federation today. Those under con-
sideration, however, were not of char
acter likely to result in any serious Glf-
ference of opinion.
In accordance with time-honored prece-
dent. the resolutions committee was de-
fGYing action on the most important
questions until next week, when, the
new delegates will have had oppor-
tunity to become acquainted and there
viii be less bitterness in debate than
would be the rule at the present time
Fight Over Labor Party.
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
an outside chance Of winning this ses-
sion. The older leaders of the organiza-
ton oppose such action. The Socialists
also are opposed to distinct labor
party which would be in opposition to
their movement
The question of industrial instead of
crafts unionism is also certain to re-
suit in a stirring debate. James F.
Morris, of the Illinois State Federation
Of Labor, has introduced resolution
demanding that the federation change
'ts methods of organization. This reso-
luton is backed by the Carriage, Wa
-on and Automobile Workers, the Ma
Iional Brotherhood of Potters, and sew
eral other international bodies.
Organization By Industries.
The Morris resolution provides that
this convention indorses and adopts
the plan of organization by industries
instead Of by crafts. which often d.
Nides the forces of labor, and that the
officers of the State federations be in
structed to use every effort to influence
and mold public sentiment along these
lines"
It is believed that a modification of
this plan will be adopted by the con-
rention.
Some plan for the organization of an
anti-war federation among the Work
rrs of the World, it is believed, will be
: dopted.