The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-11-14
OPPOSE FORCED
ARBITRATION
A. F. of L. Is Firmly Against
the Administration
Plan
THE COMMITTEE
SO REPORTS
The Canadian Measure Is to
Be Attacked in the
Convention

Baltimore, Nov. l4.-Warning that un.
ion labor will oppose with all its power
any attempt to put through Congress
a compulsory arbitration bill, as pro.
posed by President Wilson, was given
yesterday when the executive committee
of the American Federation of Labor, at
the federation's thirty sixth annual con
yention, read its report.
The wage earners of the United
States" ran the report, will oppose any
proposition to impose upon them COM
pulsory servitude They hold that the
principle involved in voluntary institu-
| tons is the key to personal and indus
trial freedom and that this principle is
of more Importance to them than any
other consideration
THE immediate problem involved is a
class problem, but the principle involved
in compulsory institutions, even for a
class in our republic, is of concern 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 single hour
will not halt at its temporary enforce.
ment, but will go on and become perma-
nent
In human institutions when
wrongful course has been pursued it
logical conclusion OF error. Then there
is no retrieving, except by 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 insep
arabic from the body and personality OF
wage earners. II is part OF the men and
women themselves. They cannot be
forced to work for an employer against
their wills without reducing them to the
legal condition OF slaves and transform
ing their minds and spirits into those OF
slaves. No more dangerous proposition
has ever been presented than this com
pulsory investigation measure"
In conclusion the committee recon-
mended that the convention take
strong stand against il and ''in favor OF
the maintenance Of institutions and op,
portunities for freedom"
Discussing the arbitration principle, |
the committee viewed il as second in i'm.
portance on the general administration |
program to the eight hour day princi- |
pie.
This effort again to subject wage. /
to involuntary servitude has /
aroused the determined resistance of 1
wage earners generally" it continued, |
TO their declaration against involun- I
tary seryitude the proponents of the /
legislation have replied that although
strike would be made Illegal under the
proposed law and strikers criminals, yet
workers were not deprived of
he right TO quit work. The commit
.ee, taking up politics. urged woman's
suffrage, Porto Rican independence, gov
'rnment ownership of telegraph and tel
,phone lines, national child labor law,
minimum wage law for the govern
nent, extension OF the eight hour law
o all government departments, exclusion
rom interstate commerce of convict la
nor products, preparedness and vocation
i training as means to preparedness.
Discussing the work done by the Can
dian organizations, the committee
tated that a movement would be start
d at the next session OF Parliament for
he repeal of the Canadian act that pre-
ents strikes during investigation.
Enlisting in the Canadian regiments {
verseas in the European war have cost
he organizations $4,000 members and
ave created a labor scarcity, it was
aid.