The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-12-20

- 70 VI Inc nation, however, comes
ueAin'e programs adopted by orga,
nlzed farmers and organized worLe,,
tnat express the spirit of the. new
times and offer real solutions to on,
pressing problems of employment an,
living. 'ii'
Inc practical agreement of the PRO.
grams, whether they come from chi
cago, New Jersey, California or /.
Nonpartlsan league convention in ST
raul or a Grange convention in svra-
cuse, Ny, is eloquent proof that tho
common people are more alive 70
what the country needs than the SUM-
posedly more intelligent classes.
WASHINGTON LABOR SPEAKS
one OF the latest of these programs
IS that brought out by the Washing
ton State Federation of Labor. I'm
der the instructions of the executive.
council, the president of that boov
sent the following night letter to
President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor under the date of
November 20:
Executive council of Washington
State Federation of Labor instrncts
me to urge that you publish full plans
OF American Federation of Labor for
reconstruction and request that YOU
make 1t conform as far as possible To-
that of the British workers. We sug-
gest that you include such measures
as:
"Flrst-Government ownership IF
railroads and all utilities.
"Second-Continued control of foo /;
prices to prevent further profiteerine
and to enforce reduction in existin,-
prices when opportune.
"fhlrd-Resist any reduction in ex-
listing wage and work standards.
"Fourth-Re-enactment of child la
Dor law.
"Fifth-Maximum eight-hour law.
"Sixth-Enforcement as national
minimum of living wage outlined by
Chairman Walsh of the war labor
board.
Seventh Rehabilitation through
vocational training of disabled so:-
diers and sailors and industrial work
ers.
Eighth Establishment of unquali-
fed right to organize and providing OF
severe penalty for interference with
that right.
Observation-Disclosures Of accumu-
lated wealth by progressive taxation.
'"Tenth-Recall of the judiciary.
"Eleventh2 Enactment of Anthony
Woman's suffrage amendment.
Twelfth Unemployed insurance.
"Thirteenth-Health insurance.
"Fourteenth-Con Of all
present functions of labor department
with sufficient appropriation for
same"
This program is of more ,signifc-
ance even than appears on the surface,
because it represents a growing dis
satisfaction with Gompers' tactics Of
playing in with one of the old parties
to get. a little legislation and playing
conservative to keep as much good
will as possible with employers. Yet
he has gained little of fundamental
Importance. A Democratic supreme
court threw out the child labor law,
and at the present moment neither
the national government, the state
government nor the local government
will give the American Federation OF
Labor the right to hold meetings IN
various parts of the country, notably
Pennsylvania. A large section OF or
panized labor feels that Gompers' tao
tics have helped the employers to out
general the working class and more
militant, wide-awake policy is &c
manded.
MILITARISTS PUT OFF
American militarists are very cyl
IDENTIFY disappointed at the failure OF
Secretary of War Baker to make any
recommendation in favor Of universal
military training in his report to con
gress on December 5.
81 have refrained in this report,
declares Secretary Baker, "from max
ING specific recommendations for fu
ture legislation for two. reasons. II
the first place the signing OF the
a1rnistice has not formally closed the
war. We have at present a great mil
itary establishment which can not 81
Immediately dissolved and the aetivi
ties of the department for some time
at least, must be concerned with Wha'
we have.
Il ~.