The Washington times., 1915-09-17
LABOR FEDERATION
IS IN FAVOR OF.
STRONGER MILITIA
Committee viii Meet General
Harvey to Discuss Strength.
ening D. N. G.

For the first time in the history OF
organized labor in this country COM
mittee Of five union leaders. headed by
President John H. Ferguson. OF the
Maryland State and District OF Column
bia Federation of Labor. will meet with
the commanding officer Of the Distrlct
militia for the purpose Of discussing
some plan for the participation or LABOR
unions in the placing of the militia on
sound defense basis
Decision to this effect was made at a
session OF the convention or federation
yesterday afternoon after heated de.
bate in which the whole position OF
union labor with regard to militia or
Eanizations was threshed out and
conclusion reached diametrically oppo-
site to every labor precedent Of the past.
1t was developed in the debate that
heretofore union labor mas been the
bitterest enemy Of the militia system In
the United States. The constitutions OF
many unions specifically prohibit any
member of the organization belonging
brought out that at least one and prob
ably more of the unions represented In
the Maryland State and District Of Co
lumbia Federation Of Labor have such
principles expressed in their constitu-
ton and bylaws.
Because ,of this fact. as was pointed
out by President Ferguson during the
course Of the debate. the attitude adop-
ted bv the convention would be epoch
making in labor organizations. and the
delegates were urged to give the matter
the most careful consideration.
The proposition came before the con-
vention in the form Of a resolution in
troduced by Chairman A. c. Haydn.
Of the committee on resolutions. based
upon letter received by President Fer
guson from Brig. Gen. w. E. Harvey,
commanding the militia Of the Dis
trict. General Harvey asked the or
ganization to- appoint committee to
be taken by labor men to assist in
placing the organized m litia of this
city and Maryland on a real defense
basis and what steps can be taken 10
obtain the corporation Of the trained
industrial forces of the unions In as
sistng in training the militia to the
point of efficiency that would make 1t a
strong and adequate factor in national
defense.
Chairman Haydn's resolution was
couched in the strongest terms. 1t set
forth the receipt of the letter and gave
the gist Of its contents. 1t then con-
tained five declarations Of principles OF
q revolutionary nature, SO far as labor
sentiments toward milit a are concern
ed. Among the most striking clauses
was:
This convention declares that we are
against the arbitrament OF internation-
al OF internal disputes Dy lOTCe ol
arms, yet we realize that we have not
yet reached the millennium: that In the
age In which we live we have not the
choice between armed force and abso.
lutte disarmament, but the alternative
Of a large standing army and a small
one supplemented by volunteer citi.
zenship soldiery, the militia Of oul
several States and the District Of Co.
lumbia.
In the debate which followed the in
PRODUCTION of the resolution President
the leading parts in defense Of the reso
senting Bakers Local lis, Of this city
a former soldier of the regular army
spoke at length against the resolution
Both parties to the debate eloQuently
defended their principles. but when the
question came on the adoption Of the
resolution the sentiment expressed ir
the vote was so nearly unanimous that
count was not even necessary.
The delegates last evening attended
the annual banquet of the organization
at Eagles Hall, where addresses
were made by Engineer Commissioner
Charles w. Kutz, Secretary Frank Nor.
rison, of the American Federation O,
Labor; Robert. f. Lee, secretary tc
Mayor Preston of Baltimore; Toas
master John Deviney. president of the
Plate Printers Union. and others. The
anair was arranged by William D
Clarke. chairman of the reception com.
ntttee. and II. F.. Oehier, chairman q,
thu committee m arro ~