Weekly journal-miner., 1916-11-15
REPORT TELLS WHAT LABOR
 HAS DONE
BIG STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE BY A M E R 1 C A N FEDERATION OF LABOR DURING PAST YEAR.

domestic affairs during the last year were set forth at length in the annual report of the executive council of the American Federation of Labor, pre- sented here today to the Federation's Both annual convention.
 The membership of the federation is given at 2O7l,S36 on September 30, the close of the fiscal year, an in- crease of about l25,OO0 over the previ- ous year and Of more than l,S00,000 in the 1o years of its existence. There arc 2lzl1 local unions in the fedora ton and 45 State federations. Re ceipts for the year are shown at S404, 407 with a cash balance at its close of $S9,36O.
 The report closes with plea to workers to continue their efforts for better conditions through organiza ton and cooperation.
 Reviewing antitrust and injunction regulation the report says:
 "Thc enactment of the labor pro visions of the Clayton antitrust act has forced employers who wish to use the antitrust legislation and the in junctive process to assist them in de- feating the efforts of employees to sc cure higher wages and better condi- tions of work, to transfer their efforts from Federal to State courts. The re- suit makes increasingly important the necessity for the enactment of State laws to prevent the abuse of judicial agencies and the perversion of legis- lation to exclusive service in behalf Of employers. The uses to which writs of injunction and antitrust legislation have been put have made them virtu- ally strike-breaking institutions and union-destroying agencies. Such a condition is subversive to proper re- spect for our government institutions and to the republic itself.'
 In connection with decisions af fecting labor by Federal courts the report refers to the noted Danbury ' Hatters' case.
 The great wrong that was done in the Danbury Matters case," it says, may be eradicated after long years. The aged, inhrm Danbury Hatters have been ordered to pay the Shylock award claimed by the Anti-Boycott Association. The shadow of the Hat CTS case which for years hung like a threatening pail over the labor move ment still has power to menace.
 "The decision Of the United States Supreme court in 1912 established a precedent which judges are trying to make law, although the highest law making body of the country - the agency to which the nation delegated that function-has enacted legislation to remedy the great wrongs done by that decision. Justice, hampered by the judiciary. works slowly and in devious ways"
 The report says a decision by the United States Circuit Court of Ap- peals, in the case Of A. s. Dowd against the United Mine Workers oi America begun six weeks before the Clayton law was enacted and involv- ing operation Of Arkansas coal mines seeks to rivet upon wage earncrs the precedent" of the IIatters' case and to carry that interpretation to even greater lengths of injustice
 Speaking of the cight-hour day law passed by congress to avert the re- gently threatened railroad strike the report says, flor nearly century the labor movement of America has con ductcd campaign for the establish mcnt of maximum cight-hour work day." and charactcrizes the lcgisla- by congress as a notable movement" It says the cight-hour day was cstab- tshed 'aS a primary step in conScrv- ing the lives and the working power of wage-carncrs.'
 Discussing President Wilson's pro posals for legislation the report says an essential feature was the creation of compulsory governmental institu-. ticns to regulate industrial relations in an occupation not owned or opcr- atcd by the government itself. It is revolutionary proposition totally out of harmony with our prevailing insti- tutionS and out of harmony with our philosophy of government
 "Thc wagc-carners Of the United States will oppose any proposition 10 impose on them compulsory institu- tions which disguise involuntary scrvi- tude They hold that the principle involved in voluntary institutions k the key to personal and industrial freedom and that this principle is of more importance to them than any other consideration. Involuntary and