Arizona republican., 1916-01-07
ORGANIZED LABOR
,Continued from Page One)
resenting four hundred unions ant three million workers

resenting four hundred unions and three million workers.
 In addition to the formal vote 1 against ;he governments cOmpulsion bill, the congress rejected by fCur to one motion pledging support to the 1 people of compulSion for single men: | and passed by two to one. another l motion directing the labor party to | oppose the bill in all it's stages in the | house of commons.
 The congress closed with an enthusi- l astic scene. the feature of which was | the singing of the socialist anthem, 1 The Red FlaS," The delegates met in the so-calIed l central hall, a large new building erected by the Wesleyan Methodist churches, opposite Westminster Alb oey. and a stones throw from the parliament buildings, as the denomi- nations national headquarters. The proceedings opened with for nal summary Of the situation. fol- ! lowed hy the introduction of the of ficial resolution, which was moderate
 .n tone, the substance of it being | that the labor members of the house ! of commons should be left free to vote
 as they saw fit on the question of
 compulsion
 Some sections of the audience were | inclined to be restive during these l formalities and when later there came 9 succession of impassioned orations against compulsion. the opposition, which at first had been audible only ! in interjections and murmurings. gradually hardened and there were
 loud demonstrations rom every part of the hall
 | One of the early speakers. James
 Henry Thomas assistant general sec
 retary of the Amalgamated Society of
 Railway Servants. kindled his hearers
 to fierce enthusiasm. His was an out
 and out anti-compulsion speech. ap-
 ?eaIlng to the trade unions not to ! sell their heritage of freedom"
 1 A speech was made by Arthur Hen
 derson, president of the board of edu-
 cation. who spoke calmly and logic
 ally. defending not merely the reso- iutlons before the meeting. but also
 the compulsior bill itself. But his
 effort was insufficient to turn the tide of opposition
 With the exception of the miners
 federation which refused to participate @
 owing 10 internal differences with the
 joint board. virtually every trade
 unlon Of importance in the country was represented in the congress. The
 number of societies voting is given
 from one source as 4Oq. made up ae follows: Trade Unions 31I: Trade ? Councils and Local Labor Parties S&. Independent Labor Party Organiza- ] tions r..
 Colonel John Ward. M. P. who calls himself an independent Iaborite." de
 clared in the house tonight that the decision of the labor congress codld 9 not be regarded as actually repre- T senting the will of the labor men of Q the country.
 $ For said he. 'You- must consider r the fact that certainly from one-halt , -o one-third of the members of tbe Q trade organizations which met in con
 eress are either in the trenches or preparaing to take their places there ? Tor one have done my best in the
 past to oppose cOnscription. but f. never contemplated the circumstances , winch have now arisen. and [ in com
 mon with many other thinking ltboI
 "en' VIII support this compulsion bnl.' n l N-'''4 AfiltltIS son. ana his WO col. - leagues who resigned from the coaIi. t ton ministry. will remain in the Iabo, e party and retain their seats in parIia. d ment
 If Mr, Henderson said regarding u suggesting concerning his resignatior rom parliament. made in his speac,
 before the labor congress. that h.
 'hefe stated that he would resign hi, .s seat if he were definitely bound h, IF the vote of the delegates to certoi, e acton in the house. He has not bee, st o D"Ind and there is no reason fo Q. nm 10 resign and seek re-election h. n said, adding: U O am a supporter of the bill an, e shaII vote for il on every possible oc IS caSion." P0''i'ie DC It ne compulsion bill is supnorted h. 't 'oout ten of the thirty-ffve nar,har 'e ol the labor party. which is Iil,aIv !, J" snow divided vote at all its sta,a .d peSpi'e recommendations" of Inc 1o a oul congress that the party onnoso t