Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-09
LABOR CONVENTION
REFUSES SEATS TO
JAPAN'SDELEGATES
Representatives of Unions in Nippon
Not Allowed Places by Ameri-
can Federation Meet in
Frisco.
WARS EFFECT ON MOVEMENT
Executive Council Of Federation
: Discusses Attempts of Belliger-
ents to Use Unions.
ATTEMPTS GENERALLY FUTILE
BULLETIN.

DAN rhANClSCO, Cal, Nov. s.
B. Suzuki and S. Yoshimatsd, rep
resentatives of organized labor in
japan, were refused seats as fraternal
delegates by the American Fedora
tion OF Labor, which began today its
thirty-fifth annual convention. This
action was based upon a report of
the committee on credentials. The
committee recommended that the
japanese be extended the courtesies
of the convention.
SAN FRANCISCO, Col, Nov. s.
Presentation of the annual report Of
the executive council featured the
opening day of the thirty-fifth an
nual convention of the American
Federation of Labor, which opened
here today for a two weeks session.
President Samuel Gompers pre-
sented the report, which pronounced
the year past the most momentous in
the history OF organized labor ond
one OF extraordinary stress for the
labor movement, testing as it had
its very existence.
There Is not a country, and there is
scarcely relation in the common life,"
says the councils report, that does not
ehow some effect of the terrible war
that is being waged in Europe. From
our present viewpoint these effects are
primarily destructive. Whatever of Con-
Btructive value shall come out of II all,
will depend upon the wisdom, the ability
and the craftsmanship OF the real states
men OF the nations. But at present we
see customs. institutions, and the rela-
uonship that are the result of years of
struggle and persistent effort to realize
ideals, swept away by the great tide of
destruction and lost IN the clash of arms,
the smoke OF the battlefield. and in the
teirors OF naval warfare"
Attempts to Use Unions Futile.
Describing the effects of the war upon
organized labor and American customs
and institutions, the report deals at length
with attempts by interests of belligerent
European nations to interfere with.-the
peaceful pursuit of American industries.
Some of these movements. 1t says,
'have been genuine, others have been
created by individuals and interests that
were really unneutral. These movements
have taken various forms; some have
tried to Influence the policies of the state
and governmental authorities of our
country; others have tried to work upon
public opinion and still others have sought
TO use the good name of our labor move
ment to further interests of some for
eign country"
High tribute was paid the working
men of the nation through whose pa
triotism, the report says. these plans
have perished and the movement so far
have been futile.
c THE efforts to use the workingmen of
our country have been of two kinds"
the report continues, zone to get through
them the endorsement of the foreign
policy TO place an embat % upon So
called munitions of war. the other has
been to stir UP industrial contentious
and disputes and thus interfere with the
actl1ai process of production so that
products to be sent abroad may be stop
ped. Foreign agencies have been trying
20 corruptly reach some OF the organi-
nations of the workers. but they have
not succeeded. There Is nothing touch
ing the Industrial and commercial life
of America that Is not of interest to the
warning nations"
worlds Labor Congress Necessary.
The holding of a Worlds Labor con-
kress at the same time and place that
peace delegates meet when the war is
ended, is recommended in the report as
necessary in order to infuse the spirit
of humanity and democracy into this po-
litical conference" In order that the re-
sition OF the Urtted states workinga on
In this regard may be fully representative
OF the country's unanimous voice of Ia
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