The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-15
UNJUST DEMANDS
| BY PLOYERS
Gompers Cannot See Any
Chance Of Settling Strikes
if Men Are Imposed
Upon.
A. F. OF L. CONVENTION
Federation Wishes to Cooperate With
Government in the Great Work
Of Preparing for
War.
A. F. OF L. CONVENTION

limited Press Leased Wire Service
| BUFFALO, N. Y, Nov. 15.-If EN-
ployers in munitions plants and shil
yards make unjust demands on the
workers, nothing can be done by the
American Federation of Labor to set
| tie strikes, President Samuel Comp
ers said today.
| 81 cannot set an arbitrary rule oi
| settlement for such Strikes" he said
"and if did, could not enforce 1t
| Conditions causing the strike mus
| be considered. and their settlement
must hinge on cooperation OF al
the parties involved.
1--WE will do all we can to cooper
ate with the government. My sentl
ments in this matter are the same az
those expressed by President Wilson
when he spoke at the opening meet
ing Of the federation"
The Central Labor unfon OF Great
er New York today had pending be
fore the federation convention res
olufion to suspend unions which con
Time to send delegates to tha Unttet
Hebrew trades Of New York. Thi
BODY represents 100000 unlonists
many OF whom belong to a secedins
organization. At least forty New
York delegates will fight any effort
TO break up the Hebrew trades.
Delegates were pleased today a
the situation at Watertown ant
Souantum, Mass, where union heads
ordered strikers back to work anc
the government stepped in.
The Open Shop.
BUFFALO, N. Y, Nov. 15.-The
American Federation of Labor Is pre-
pairing to urge the government, as q
war measure, to take a positive stand
against the "open shop" and to In
sist upon the employment OF union
labor wherever possible on govern
ment work, it was learned from com.
mittee chairmen and federation lead
ers here this afternoon.
The men believe that such con-
cession is due organized labor In re.
turn for its action in calling Off all
strikes affecting war work.
British Delegate Talks.
BIrFFALO. N. Y, Nov 15.-How
organized labor throughout Great
Britain has battled in the cause of
world wide democracy, both in the
trench and in no less important In
dustrial service at home, was told to
the delegates of the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor convention today
by John Fill representing the British
trade union congress.
The patriotic motives OF the Eng
lish working men could not be too
highly praised, he said, stating that
after the declaration of war there
were SO many of them trying to en-
list. the government requested unions
to exert their influence to keep the
men in civilian life at the ship yards,
factories and munitions plants.
He told of the feeling of unrest and
discomfort that showed itself in the
English and Scotch shops during the
early months of the war: of the in
by commissions to their
causes and the--better understanding
that finally resulted In speeding up
until the government has
felt the necessity of stepping in to
restrain the speeding up process per-
mitted by organized labor to win the
war.
Speaking of the United States en-
trance into the war Hill said:
'eYou are with us now and we shall
win"