The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-08

ton be enacted to properly provide
adequate remedies and lift the burden
from those that are least able to bear
them. 1 know that this is an import
ant matter and there are a great many
of our able leaders that are not in
accord with health insurance. 1 have,
therefore, taken the liberty and invit-
ed DIR. John B. Andrews, of New York
to speak to this convention on health
insurance. I had the pleasure to meet
Mr.. Andrews at the hearing before
the committee at the last session of
the Assembly His clear outline Why
health insurance was necessary was
very instructive and interesting.
Organizing
am not going into this part of
our important work as our able and
efficient Organizer will report his ac-
tlvities and the success accomplished,
but 1 cannot refrain from saying q
word about the need of trade union
organizations in this industrial state
Organization is necessary for the free
com and protection of the worker, for
IT is obvious that people can free
themselves from oppression only by
organized force and under the indus
trial conditions of today trade unions
are absolutely necessary, and those
who would seek to destroy them can
[ be classed with the man that would
rob a disabled man of his crutches.
At our last years convention we
amended our constitution so as to
read that the organizer be permanent
| ly employed for one year, and gave
the power to remove him to the Exc
cutive, Council. The Executive Coun-
Gil did not think it advisable to take
ha+ nveyo al
and he has been steadily employed.
His work warranted such action in
the opinion of your Council as re-
quests for his services were continu-
ously coming from all parts of the
state. The splendid growth Of our
federation and the labor moveme nt
throughout the state is in a very large
measure due to his untiring, faithful
and loyal work. At. an Executive
Council meeting held in Danbury on
June LIST our Secretary, R. P. Cum
bingham, rendered hrs resignation as
Secretary-Treasurer to take effect on
June 18th, 1917. Your Council then
voted Organizer I. M. Omburn assume
the duties of observation-disclosures in
connection with his office as Organ
izer until this convention. 1t was the
opinion of your Executive Council
that the work of Secretary could be
done during those days when the Or
gan1zer was at liberty as much of the
organizing is done in the evening. The
duty of both offices have been filled
by Organizer I. M. Omburn from June
18th up to the present time in a sat
isfactory manner. Realizing that con-
siderable extra work was made by the
transferring of the office of Secretary
Treasurer, I now recommend to this
convention that you take under con-
sideration the ACCESSIBILITY of separat-
ing the office of Secretary and Treas
surer, as in my Judgment, the office
OF Treasurer should be apart from
that of Secretary, and then I recon-
mend that the offices of Secretary
and Organizer be consolidated. 1 be-
l1eve greater efficiency in the organ
izing work would result, as the Or
gan1zert would be in constant touch
with the organization throughout the
state and their financial standing with
our federation, as well as in touch
with matters that would need prompt
attention by the Organizer.
1t should be the duty of the Secre-
tary to send out, at least every quar-
ter, detailed report of all work done
by him as Organizer and the activity
of the Executive Council. This can
best be accomplished by combining
the two offices and placing them in
the hands of a man who could give
his undivided attention to it.
Official Proceedings
It has been a prevailing custom for
your Executive Council, or the con-
vention itself, in the past, to award
by contract the publishing of the pro-
ceedings Of our conventions in book
n9nnh1af form Ia OF NJ
was made in June. 1912, by your Exc
cutive Council. Brother Timothy A.
Flanagan, then President, made the
contract for five years with Brother
John J. O'Neil, of Bridgeport 1t pro-
Vfded that the Connecticut Federation
of Labor receive from John j. O'Neil
$500 as an annual consideration for
the privilege of publishing the Pro-
ceedings OF the Annual Convention of
the Federation and to have the privi-
lege to solicit, procure and publish
advertisements in connection with the
proceedings. This five year contract
has expired. We must at this conven-
ton provide how and who shall pub
lish these proceedings. AS these pro-
ceed1ngs are of value to our affiliated
organizations and should reach them
within the shortest possible time after
the convention adjourns, I would re-
commend to you that the proceedings
be published by the Federation with
out any advertisements, as to procure
and solicit the advertisements makes
it impossible to publish the full pro-
ceedings so as to reach the organiza-
tons in time to be of value to them,
and as the growth of our Federation
would warrant such change 1 do not
hesitate to make this recommendation
as beneficial one
State Council of Defense
The office of President of your Fed
Grafton was recognized by His Excel
lency, Marcus H. Holcomb, Governor
Of our state, by appointing your Pres
1dent on the State Council of Defense,
to represent labor on this very i'm
portant council. The importance of
this council in this state is unques-
toned, also the need of our Fedora
ton having member on that council,
as matters of interest to the workers
are taken up almost at every meeting.
1t is we'll that someone should be
there to speak for and defend labor's
interest on this very important coun-
Gil that conducts with and under the
direction of His Excellency such mat
tiers as State Protection, State Produc-
ton, State Conservation and MANY
other activities that are essential in
the prosecution of this drea df,1l 1,or