Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-02


tory of piece of ground
H. NA in the nations capital
Washington, D. c., today
This new national Home
of Labor was dedicated the Fourth of
July, last, with impressive ceremonies.
Woodrow Wilson, president of the United
States, delivered the dedicatory address,
and referred to the new structure as "a
temple of common counsel and common
understanding" This ceremony was at
tended by labor representatives from all
parts OF the United States, and by spe-
cial delegated representatives from Cam
ada, Mexico and South America.
Twelve years ago, at the Boston con-
vention of the American Federation of
Labor, resolution was adopted instruct
ing the executive council of that body
to investigate the cost of purchasing a
lot and constructing a suitable office
building. OF the various sites submitted
a lot containing 5,l33 equare feet, at
the corner of Ninth street and
Massachusetts avenue northwest, Wash
ington, ID. c., was selected. Upon the
site when it was purchased was standing
a finely built old mansion with a slave
pen in the rear. These of course were
RACED to the ground, but before doing so
photographs were made of them, framed,
and appropriately designated. On that
site in which slave owners and slaves
dwelt, the Temple of Labor, the A. r.
of l.. office building, has been erected.
Fraternal Delegates From England.
On Thursday, Oct rs, in a simple cere-
mony. labor's first representative in n
Presidents cabinet, William b. Wilson,
Secretary OF Labor, and former secre-
trpn M tho IfnitnI Nina
ers of America, removed the first spade
ful OF earth for the quarter million dol
lar home for organized labor in this
country. President Gompers turned the
second shovelful and Secretary Frank
Morrison the third. The ceremony was
witnessed by large delegation of union
men and women. Two of the most In
teresting spectators were c. G. Ammon
and f. Bevin, fraternal delegates from
the British Trade Union Congress to the
1915 convention OF the American Feder-
alton of Labor held in San Francisco.
The building is seven stories in height,
with a basement.
An outline of the efforts made to Sc.
cure an office building for the American
Federation of Labor, from the introduc-
tion of the resolution dozen years ago
to the breaking of the ground, are made
in report of the executive council Of
that body, in the following account:
History of Temple Plan.
in the convention of the American
Federation of Labor in Boston in 1908,
a resolution was adopted instructing the
executive council to investigate the cost
of purchasing lot and constructing a
suitable office building. Altho the need
and the advantage of such building
A-l
more immediate needs intervened that
the office building proposal was deferred
from year to year.
The Denver, 1908, convention author
lied the executive council to expend
$4,000 for the purchase of land and the
erection of an office building thereon.
The local trades and federal labor unions
directly affiliated to the A. F. of L. had
already voted in favor of loan of $780,
900 from the defense fund for this pur-
pose. The executive council was in
structed to devise ways and means to
raise the additional $4,000. The need
for such building has grown increasing
ly urgent as the scope of the work of
the A. F. of /. has increased with the
growth of its membership, and the wild
ening of its activities.
The executive council then took up
consideration of various sites and office
buildings with view to reporting spe-
cific plans to the convention in order to
carry out the long deferred purpose of