New-York tribune., 1918-06-10
'Win-the-War" Partnership
With Government Solidi-
fes Its Position
Federation to Open
Annual Session To-day
Leaders Predict Seizure of
Telegraph Unless Union
ization Is Permitted
Especial Dispatch to The T~ibnne

--NS b ''Sh ieSCAL all cIlOi DOOSL
through its "win the war" cooperation
with the government.
The thirty-eighth annual convention
of the American Federation of Labor
will be opened here tomorrow. 1t is
not likely to be as lively as many pre-
vious ones. There is no factional line
up evident. There are no quarrels in
sight, except the endless jurisdictional
fights between unions, which are an
inevitable part of trade union organi-
Zation.
But the delegates are conscious of
the enormous growth in prestige and
power which has come to the skilled
workers of America as result of
their partnership with the Wilson ad-
mlnlstration. In the next ten days
they are going to take stock of this
and find out for themselves just how
strong and important they are, as a
result of the "Gompers policy"
The result may come as surprise to
many of the delegates, who still talk
IN the old grooves as they gather in
the lobby of the St. Paul Hotel, the
convention headquarters. But Samuel
Gompers, president of the Federation,
wears bland smile of triumph. He
took charge of the movement back in
the sos, when all other labor union
movements had failed and when the
trade unionists were the Bolsheviki of
America and steered it with dictatorial
Will to its present position, in which
1T boasts two and three-quarters mill
ion members.
Radical Delegates Late
There will be no anti-Gompers move
ment this year. 1t is doubtful whether
even the annual radical explosion will
take place. The radical delegates are
arriving late. Their caucuses are not
in evidence around headquarters They
report of the labor mission just re-
turned from France and England, but
members of the mission assert it will
be an unhappy day for them if they
try it.
The policies of the government and
of the federation toward the govern
| ment are not in question at this con-
vention. But the delegates are still
breathing fire against certain employ
ers, especially the managers of the
Western Union Telegraph Company
for joining unions. They predict
from their confident tone they seem
almost to threaten-governmen owner
ship of the wires unless unionization
is permitted.
"Organized labor" said Frank Nor
rison, secretary of the federation, to-
day, "is doing all it can to help win the
war, but it is being hampered by large
employers like the president of the
Western Union and the five representa-
tives of the employers on the National
| Wor ,ah0r RnorG rof,1 IN obi do
by the decision rendered by the board
upon the declarations agreed to by
themselves and ratified by President
Wilson as to the proper basis for ad-
justment between employers and en-
ployes for the purpose of preventing
strikes.
Upholds Government Ownership
"The failure of the Western Union
to comply with the decision of the body
recognized by President Wilson prob
ably will lead to the President COM
Wandering the lines for the duration
of the war and the enactment of per.
manent legislation to make them ma
| tional property"
that labor would support government
ownership in other large utilities il
Federal operation proves successful.
Mr.. Gompers spoke in the same mood
concerning the Western Union in q
speech delivered yesterday to the build
ing trades department of the Fedora
ton. Delegates freely echo his SEN
timents.
This confidence comes from the re-
cent partnership with the government
symbolized in the National War Labor
! Board, on which five Federation OF
Labor men sit with five employers and
of Tho p,blic 70
umpire labor disputes, with almost un-
limited moral powers of coercion. This
board, with the express ratification OF
President Wilson, adopted as principles
for settling labor disputes the three
fundamental policies upon which the
Federation has insisted from the start
the right to unionize, the basic eight
hour day and the living wage.
These labor policies have now be-
come government policies. Any body
of workingmen in any way connected
wage dispute, virtually command the
government to support them in these
demands. The Federation delegates
here begin to realize that the power
which the Gompers policy has giver
them has almost no limit.
Increase in Strikes Shown
In addition. they know that Fedora
tion men honeycomb the boards ane
committees, missions and commissions
which administer the economic life OF
the nation. They know that the Fed
GRAFTON of skilled workers has beer
recognized as the official labor move
ment of America.
This the Federation gained by agree
| ing to support the war, to drop for the
present the closed shop demand and t.
use its moral influence against strikes
That it has not been wholly able t.
deliver the goods in the latter respect
| is shown in Secretary Morrson's re
| port, made public to-day. During tn
past seven months, since the last re
| port was issued, there have been, th
report says, 922 strikes, involving l4O
042 workers, at total cost of 1897,
6S7, as against l,4l7 strikes, involvin,
194,S02 men, at a cost of $2,430,933 TO
the previous twelve months. Allowin,
for the shorter period Of time thi
shows about II per cent more strike
involving 1S per cent more men a
about the same cost.
Officers of the Federation, asked t.
comment on this situation, state tina
it is due to the unwillingness of EN-
ployers to raise wages in proportion t.
the cost Of living. Perhaps an allow
ance also should be made for an in
crease in membership of 355, ,044, bring