Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-11-11
LABOR LEADERS
IN CONVENTION
next MONDAY
American Federation Opens
36th Annual Session at
Baltimore.
MANY THINK THAT
CRISIS AT HAND
Fight viii BE Made on Gonipers and
Others for Taking Part of Democrats
in Recent Campaign, But Presi-
dents Supporters Not Fearful.

Baltimore, Md. Nov. 10.-All
branches Of organized labor in this
country are vitality interested in the
2Gth annual convention of the Ameri-
can Federation. which is 10 open Mon
day morning in this city. Members
Of the executive council who are al
ready here say the convention Will be
the largest the organization has ever
held. 1t undoubtedly will prove to be
also the most important meeting ever
| held in the history of organized labor
| il America.
MANY astute observers are of the
opinion that crisis is d. hand in the
| history of labor organizations in this
country. During the past two years,
| largely as result Of the war In
Europe, the American industrial
world has undergone eqonomic
changes the importance of which can
not be overestmated. These changes
have had a vital bearing on the con-
dition of labor and on the relations
between employer and employe. The
UNPRECEDENTED prosperity in practi-
cally every line OF industry has
brought about a higher wage stand
|
before. At the same time it has en-
abled employers to grant the demands
of their employees for short work
day and conditions OF labor which
/ they had not felt themselves in po-
sition to comply with in normal
times. The charge has been made IN
some quarters that organized labor
has taken advantage Of the situation
e., do, n fiS. a
that the working men will be the
heaviest sufferers when the inevitable
l reaction sets in.
On the other hand the labor organi-
zations contend that The wage in
creascs and improved conditions
brought about during the past year
or two were due the workers ire
spective of the condition of the times.
That they do not intend to recede N
) their demands and that they have no
doubt as TO the ability Of the unions
to hold tie gains already won. IRE
; sDed.ive OF any industrial conditions
that may arise in the future, is eX-
pected 70 be made plain and emphatic
in the declaration and addresses ut
the coming convention.
. On these questions it is expected
.. that all fadions participating in the
. convention will be practically unlte1
: There is another question, however
. on which a serious difference OF opla
ion is believed to exist and the nitro
ducton OF which on the convention
floor may have far-reaching elects on
. the great labor organization. Ihls j
the question of politics, or rather th'
stand taken by those in control of the
. organization in the recent natlona
!. Tmpaign.
! Throughout its long and highly sue
cessful career the Aneridln Fedefa
!. ton of Labor has kept aloof from ac
!. tive participation in politics. In TN
!. recent Qampaign it took no ol1lcla
I. stand as an organization, but II
+ interviews, editorials and in speeche
on the stump the prominent offlcla.
! ardentlv supported the Democrats
!. cause. In adopting this attitude the
I. probably were sindere in the belle
( that they reflected the views of /
: vast army of workingmen that max
! up the organization.
+ Fight On GomperS.
!: But among the rank and lille OF IN
!. membership of the Federation ther
: is believed to be considerable ele
!. mcnt opposed to the stand taken b
!. their leaders. Many OF these mem
: bers have always opposed any actlv
!. participation in politics by The fedora
i ton for the simple reason That poll
:. tics is one of the evils that mas DIS
\ 1upted trades unionism in the pas
TjOf a still more formidable 0laracte
!. is the opposition of the strong Social
! istic clement of the or5anlzatlon. TN
: element has ever ben opposed '
;: Samuel Gompers, largely because c
:: his conservatism. In taking sides
!: the recent campaign Nj. Gompers,
\ is argued. has furnished his oppon
: ents with new ammunition VIII
!. which to renew their fight TO ou'
+ him from power.
: The supporters Of president CON
!. pers affect to have no fear as to TN
!. outcome. One and all they deciaE
= that he will be re elected by b.
!. majority vote and that the opposite
+ will prove a flash in the pan rs 1t Ia
Z in the past Others are not so OPT
+ mistic, however, and these predlf
: that the men who have so long guide
Z the affairs Of the grcat organlzallo
j. will have to overcome a fierce an
=: desperate fight il they 2etain contro
= Inc existing S1ua'ioh WIN So
to the affairs OF the Federation
compared by some OF the Netera
members TO that which prevailed SON
20 years ago. at the time OF tn
Populist d"aze. 1t is lectlled now
handful of designing ringsters J
each of the larger bodies of trad
unions tried 10 pledge their respe'
tive organizations 70 the Populi:
party. From the moment the schen
was preached there was 9 divlslo
and the lines between the two ia.
tons were sharply drawn. The mo:
bitter feeling was aroused ever.
where The movement started
Chicago, an" soon spread IN create
or less degree 20 every part of tn
country where labor organization ha
i gained z foothold. On the side OF II