Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-22
Thirteenth Annual COnven-
ton of State Fedora
ton Opens.
DOWN TO BUSINESS
AT 9 THIS MORNING
Opening Day Spent in
Hearing Reports and
Other Routines.
THE proposed legislative program

i Of President Edgar S. Fenton
will be the crux around which in
terest will center at today's session
of the Oklahoma State Federation
of Labor, which opened its thir-
teenth annual convention at the
Grand opera house yesterday fore
noon.
Monday was spent in hearing vari-
Gus reports, the appointment of COM
mittees and other routine matters,
but this morning the convention will
get down to actual business and a
big storm is expected to arise when
the workmans compensation law
comes up for consideration. Pres
ident Fenton has proposed several
amendments to the law, but they are
not drastic enough in the opinion Of
the miners and carpenters unions
of the state. and these two organiza-
tionS, through their delegates, will
make a fight on the floor of the
convention for the elimination of
several provisions in the measure,
notably the clause that prevents
workman from filing suit for dam
ages after his employer has offered
to settle his case under the schedule
named in the law. 1t is possible
that certain delegates will ask the
convention to go on record in favor
of the repeal of the law in its en-
tirety
VIII Have support.
However as President Fenton and
Secretary Ollie $. Wilson constitute
the legislative committee and are
the sole representatives of the fed
GRAFTON before the state legislature,
it is likely that a large number of
the delegates will be in favor of APP
proving the presidents program.
The convention opened yesterday
morning. Mayor John III. Simmons
delivered the address of welcome,
which was responded to by Edgar S.
Fenton. George h. Johnson, pres
ident of the Trades and Labor Coun-
ell of Tulsa, extended welcome in
behalf of the trade unionists of this
city. The Invocation was pronounced
by Rev. l.. S. Barton, pastor of the
Boston avenue NJ. F. church, Tulsa
The credentials committee sub
mitted a partial report giving the
list of delegates in attendance. This
list was materially increased last
night, and others are to arrive to-
day. The convention will last until
Wednesday night. and may extend
until Thursday If the business war
rants.
Yesterday afternoon, following ad-
journment. the visitors were taken
to Sand Springs by the local recep-
tion committee on chartered inter-
urban cars. They spent an enjoy
able evening at the park and re-
turned at 7 o'clock.
May BE an 'Insurgcnt"
The only disordant note yesterday
arose when a miner delegate arose
and objected to the action of the
state officers in mailing printed
copies of their annual reports to
unions throughout the state, ahead
of the convention. Secretary Wilson.
in replying to the attack, explained
that the action complained of was
authorized by the constitution. Del
egate Harry Helgerson made a point
of order on the ground that the mat
ter should be presented to the proper
committee and the presiding officer
sustained him.
The afternoon session was occu-
pied largely by the reading of Of
ficers and standing committee re-
ports All of the reports were opti-
mistic and proved that the past year
has been the best twelve months in
the history of organized labor in the
state from every standpoint.
The report of the legislative COM
mittee dealt largely with the eXtraor-
dinary session of the legislature held
last January, at which time the labor
representatives confined their efforts
largely to opposing the passage OF
the convict mine bill and the uni
versal registration law. They sue
ceeded in defeating the former meas
ure but the registration act became
law. With regards to this Will
liams machine measure, the commit
tee said: at affords a means of
: building a partisan political machine
that should not be permitted and
which labor does not desire"
Committees Named.
4 President Fenton, who, by the
way is one of the youngest labor
leaders in America but man of ex-
traordinary intelligence and keen ex-
4 ecutive ability, appointed the follow
ing convention committees, most of
whom will submit their reports at
todays sessions:
Laws Committee: Bert Beals,
trades council, Oklahoma City;
Frank Brinkworth, miner. Lehgh:
Frank Urban. carpenter Shawnee;
Sam Fitzgerald. street railway en-
ployes, McAlester; II. Il. Hart, boiler
maker, Ell Reno.
Resolutions Committee: S. NJ.
Berry, carman, Shawnee: Frank
Feger. trades council. Enid; H. NJ.
Morgan. carpenter. Henryetta: Dan
Brador. miner, Haileyville, G. j. Fox.
musician. Tulsa: Joe Parch. painter,
Shawnee: Russell McWilliams,
printer, Oklahoma City.
Grievance Committee: w. T. De-
+. barber Ardmore; Marion Tyler,