The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1916-11-15
LABOR Will PROTEST
FORCED ARBITRATION
tBy United Press,


L.A-rTAlORE, Md. Nov 13--warn-
lns that union labor viii oppose with
ia It's power any attempt to put
trough Congress q compulsory arbi-
sration bill. as proposed by President
Wilson, was given today when the ex-
eeutive committee OF the American
Federation OF Labor. at tho Fedora
ions thirty-sixth annual convention.
read its report.
The wage earners Of the United
States" said the report. will oppose
any proposition to Impose upon them
compulsory institutions which disguise
Involuntary servitude. They hold that
the principle involved In voluntary In
situations Is the key to personal and
Industrial freedom and that this prin-
cipIe is of more Importance to them
Than any other consideration.
The immediate problem involved is
a class problem. but the principle in
volved in compulsory institutions. even
for a class in our republic, Is Of con
Germ to the whole republic. for we
know that the republic cannot be
maintained part free and part slave.
Involuntary and compulsory labor
once enforced. even for a single hour,
viii not halt at its temporary enforce
a.ent. but will go on and become per-
manent
In human institutions when
wrongful course has been pursued II
Inevitably is neId or driven on to its
logical conclusion OF error. Then there
$ no retrieving except by a convul-
sion brought about by a revolution.
The human labor power which this
law compels wage-earners to give to
employers against their will is in
saparabls from the body and the per-
s0nality of the wage-earners. 1t is
part of the men and women them
selves. They cannot be forced to work
for an employer against their wills
without reducing them to the legal
condition OF slaves and Transforming
their minds and spirits into those Of
slaves. No more dangerous proposition
has ever been proposed than this com
pulsory Investigation measure
In conclusion. the committee recon-
mends that the convention take
strong stand against 1t and in favor
OF the maintenance of Institutions and
opportunities for freedom"
Discussing the arbitration principle,
the committee viewed It as second in
Importance on the general administra-
ton program to the eignt-hour day
principle.
This effort to again subject wage
earners to involuntary servitude has
aroused the determined resistance Of
wage-earners generally" it continued.
To their declarations against involun
tary servitude the proponents Of the
legislation have replied that although
a strike would be made Illegal under
the proposed law ard strikers Grim
~ NJ
deprived Of the right 10 quit work.
The committee. taking up politics,
urged woman's suffrage. Porto Rican
Independence. government ownership
Of telegraph and telephone lines. a ma
tionaI child labor Law. minimum
wage law for the government. extern
sion OF the eight-hour law to all gov
ernme entail departments. exclusion from
Interstate commerce convict labor pro-
ducts, preparedness, vocational training
as means to preparedness. and a
host of other planks designed to help
the cause of labor.
During the year, the report stated,
strikes cost the Federation $2.708. 600.
Two hundred and sixty thousand people
were involved in them. One thousand
one Hundred and thirty-five strikes
were won; 1913 were compromised; sos
are pending. and 50 were lost The
Federation gained nearly 21S,00O mem
hers and issued 2.70O charters TO or
ganizations joining it. Death benefits
paid totaled s2.264,s1oi sick benefits
totaIed S1.06S,6os.
Failure because Of the war to ar
range an international meeting Of
labor organizations was announced
with regret by the committee. Both
German and British leaders. it was
stated frowned on the suggestion.
The committee commented on the
transferring from federal to state
courts injunction proceedings against
labor organizations This was held
due to amendments to the antitrust
act which declared laoor not com
modify.
A decision OF the Massachusetts
court declaring unconstitutional a law
designed to prevent the issuance of
injunctions against labor organizations
was attacked strenuously as Justify
ng the principle that labor or labor