The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-02-02

N'ioi' manly 1--WE months were
submitted to the convention as a suit
able time for holding the Federation
meets, and June won by big major
lty on the first vote, the date of hold
ing conventions being a constitutional
provision the choice of June will be
submitted to the referendum.
Additional resolutions as adopted
were:
Reaffirming alliance with the
oranges in legislative work; propos-
ing to seek organization of telephone
operators, now being conducted thru
the international Brotherhood; calling
upon President Wilson to appoint
David j. Lewis to a cabinet office,
preferably postmaster general: to
have the labor press include market
reports and other news of interest to
farmers; to urge congress to pass its
Mathematician rural credits bill; pledg-
ing labor of the state to the peace
attitude of the nation; to condemn an
editorial appearing in the Everett
morning paper, and demand retrac-
ton for deliberate Injustice: to in
clude In the compensation act workers
not at present benefited; to grant the
labor commissioner power to state
rate of speed of upright single mach
ines; condemning compulsory military
trainings; to extend mothers pension
act to include pensions for children
OF widows; to increase age of COM
pulsory education to Is years with
ninth grade completed; to place at
II years the legal age for employ
ment Of minors.
Prepare for Referendum
With the expectation of attempting
referendum action at the termination
OF the present session of the state
legislature, the labor convention del
egates this afternoon voted a per CAP
tia tax of 25 cents to carry on the
proposed work. One piece of refer
endum move planned is the Mark
Reed bill, that is, if it is passed con-
tanning certain features objected to bv
the state federation.
A report read by delegate Ault. of
Seattle, evidenced that unemployment
was greatly decreased during 1916.
with a corresponding increase in the
per cent of wages. 1t is interesting
to note that unemployment is more
pronounced among men than women
IN proportion to their numbers. The
greatest improvement, said the report
occurred in the iron and steel indus
tries. The slump in immigration
during 1916 was shown to have been
great.
c. E. Sturgeon, of Everett, repre-
senting the Order of Railway Con-
ductors, addressed the convention
briefly this morning, saying that
while his organization was not affili-
ated with the federation of labor,
nevertheless it worked to the same
end-the eight-hour day law. He said
he did not know whether the Adamson
law would be held constitutional. tho
If not congress could be expected to
pass a law that would be constitu-
tional.
The conventions auditing commit
tee reported, among other things, that
S9,289 had been handled by the organ
lzation in 1916, while the January
balance in its treasury is 1920.
The labor press will, if plans of the
1917 convention carry, attempt great
strides in order to become a more
powerful organ to spread the propa-
ganda of unionism. A daily state
paper is planned and the convention
directed publishers of weekly union
papers, which will become "stimula-
tors" if the daily plan goes through,
to print market reports and other in
formation of interest to rural COM
munities.
That an attempt is to be made to
organize telephone operators in this
state, plan already launched by the
international Brotherhood, is appar-
ent from the action taken by the con-
vention. This affiliation to be sought
would be effected in connection with
the electrical workers union.
Because, stated resolution adopt
ed today, so many workman in single
mills have received permanent injuries
as result of the excessive speed at
which upright machines are operated
the convention directed the state la
Dor commissioner to seek to obtain
legislation and power to establish a
rate at which upright machines shall
be operated.
Compulsory military training in
public schools of the state was an
+ other rol1oh diccuccad ,,rooro,o ae l.