The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-06-22
A.F. Oils ON =:
RECORD FOR LEVY
ON WAR PROFITS
Convention Reaffirms Stand for
Basic Eight-Aour Day
During the War.

ST. PAUL, June 20.-The most
significant political act of the A. F. of
L. convention is the Endorsement amid
loud applause of resolution demand
ing half of the cost of the war be
met by taxation Of war profits, swollen
incomes and land values. The reso-
luton was offered by w. D. Mahon,
International president of Street Rail-
way Employees, and sets forth that ex-
cessive borrowing results in initiation
of currency and in reducing purchas-
ing power of wages.
Reaffirming the determination of
organized labor to resist the purpose
of employers to lengthen the working
day under the guise of war necessity,
the American Federation of Labor in
convention here went on record in
favor of a basic eight-hour day during
the war.
Eight-Hour Day Resolution.
The resolution passed reads:
Our country is engaged in a terrible
struggle. While we do not like to,
acknowledge that there are people who
take t Of this fat for fnan
To their shame, there are business
men who. under the guise of patriot
ism. make the claim that the necessi-
ties of war demand a return to the 10
or 12-hour working day. If they are
not strenuously opposed they may in
some instances succeed in inaugurat-
ing it.
Organized labor must stand firmly
and unalterably for a continuance of
shorter Horkday: It VIII not toi-
If those who return find that while
they have been fighting the battles in
the war their employers have taken
gained befoSe the var % thsy .1sH VIII be
justified in deciding that their inter-
sSts sga wsre not
iaSoreP hh% eaai i. 5bS tut Do4ar myth: eeoo she
We must be eternally on guard to
see that while one, portion OF our
4hs is fghting for
portion shall not be enslaved.
Other resolutions adopted provide:
That the federation and affiliated
unions do all in their power to estab-
lish the basic eight-hour day without
hampering war production:
That the federation support the
journeymen tailors' union in its ef-
forts to establish the eight-hour day
and weekly systems. :
That the federation support the af-
filiated postal employees in their ef-
forts to insure a more strict observ-
ance of the letter and spirit of the
postal eight-hour law by securing leg
islation establishing a rate Of time
and half for all work in excess of
eight hours. r.
Standard for Rail Clerks.
That the federation request congress
to establish a standard day OF rail-
way duty applicable for railway mail
clerks by enactment of a law provid-
ing for a workday averaging eight
hours and for 500 workdays in the
year.
That the convention indorses ef-
forts of affiliated postal workers to
minimize night work and recommends
the federation executive council CO.
operate in securing needed legislation
from congress. :
That the federation oppose passage
of a bill now before congress- to give
employees in the navy yard service per-
mission to accept cash in lieu Of the
present grant of 80 days leave year
with pay on the grounds that such
legislation would be an unnecessary
lowering of the standard Of labor, that
it is contrary to good policy and that
it will not have tendency to increase
efficiency of workmen. Z