El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-11-08
YEAR HARD FOR
LABOR-GOMPE RS
Declares War and Agents Of
War Have Placed Strain
on Workingmen.

san Francisco. Calf. Nov S--Pres-
entation OF the annual report Of the
executive council featured the opening
day of the s5th annual convention of
the American Federation Of Labor
which opened here today for two
weeks session. President Samuel
Gompers presented the report which
pronounced the year past the most mo-
mentous in the history Of organized Ia
Dor and one OF extraordinary stress Tor
the labor movement, testing as II hao
its very existence
There is not a country. and there is
scarcely a relation on the common life,
says the councils report that does
not show some effect OF the terrible
war that is being waged in Europe
From our present viewpoint these Ell
fects are primarily destructive what
ever OF constructive value shall come
out of il ALL will depend upon the Wis
dom, the ability and the statesmanSnlp
or the real statesmen Of the nations.
But at present we see customs. insu-
buttons and the relationship that are
the result Of years of struggle ana per-
sistent effort to realize ideals. swept
away by the great tride of destruction
and lost in the clash Of arms, the
smoke OF the battlefield. and in the
terrors Of naval warfare"
Tells of Foreign Interference.
Describing the effects Of the war
upon organized labor and American
customs and Institutions, the report
ests Of belligerent European nations to
interfere with the peaceful pursuit OF
American industries.
Some of these movements" II says.
have been genuine. others have been
created by individuals and interests
that were really unnatural These
movements have taken various forms;
some have tried 10 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 10 use the good
name OF our labor movement 20 Iurthel
the interests of some foreign country
Pays Tribute 10 LabOr's Patriotism
High tribute was paid the working
men Of the nations through whose
patriotism" the report says, these
plans have persisted and the movements
so far have been futile
The efforts to use the working men
Of our country have been Of two kinds
the report continues. "One TO get
through them the endorsement OF the
foreign policy TO place an embargo
upon socaued munitions of war, the
other has been TO stir up industrial con-
tentions and disputes and thus interfere
with the actual process OF productions
so that products to be sent abroad may
be stopped. Foreign agencies have been
trying 10 corruptly reach some of the
organizations of the workers but they
have not succeeded There IS nothinE
touching the industrial and commercial
life OF America that is not OF interest
TO the warning nations
No Menace in Military Law.
The report covers the recent lnVestl-
cation By labor leaders or the DICK
military law. IN that connection, II
says:
up 10 the present we have received
no complaint nor have We learned OF
any act in which the military arm OF
the government had missed the Dick
law 10 offset or curb the aspirations Of
the working people Of the land We
refer particularly TO the situation IN
Colorado last year. The corporations
had practically coerced and inundated
the officials Of the state and had over
ridden the laws OF the state There IS
not nearly so grave danger IN the
Dick law as there is in the menace
threatening our institutions through
the private detective agencies and the
private army Of gun men
Approves Seamen's Bill.
In reviewing legislation by the last
congress-, the report expresses the exc
Cutive COUNCILS approval OF the sea
mems bill The law. IL says, VIII al
ford a large measure OF safety pro
visions for the general public VINO
travel the high seas and. the report
that the passage Of this legislation by
the SD congress. was one OF its dis
tiuctions.
Statistical reports were read show
ing the average membership Tor the
American Federation of Labor for the
year was 1861. decrease OF 74.Sz4
members the first decrease in total
membership since 1908. While the
average membership for the year shows
q decrease Of 1924. the September
membership is 1.99A111. a decrease Of
only $3.50. a steady growth in mem
bership is predicted to follow the read
justment Of conditions affected by the