The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-01
ORGANIZATION
OF W0RKMEN
TO Be FRAMED
HERE FRIDAY
Laboring Men Must Protect
Soldiers at Front From Pro-
fiteers at Home, Labor
Leader Tells Men Here.
WAR WORK COMES FIRST

Every business man has a right to
enter his own organization for his own
benefit, but by heavens not one OF
them has the right to keep you from
having your own organization, said
Paul J. Smith. general organizer OF
the American Federation of Labor, in
an address before patriotic labor
meeting held at Vaughn hall Wednes-
day evening.
Before the meeting was over more
than 400 workers expressed their will
lingness to help organize their trades
and crafts. and offiliate themselves
with the American Federation Of La
Dor, whose principles were clearly and
forcibly explained by Smith
On Friday evening, workers will
meet again at Vaughn hall where the
process Of organization will be under
taken. The meeting Wednesday night
was attended by more than 800 per-
sons, representing every phase Of la
Dor employed In Richmond. The audi
ence packed the lower floor corridors
and galleries Y. B. Hartman was
named chairman.
Are Supporting President.
Insistent applause greeted the
speaker as he proceeded to explain
what the Federation Of Labor stood
for and how 1t was pledged to help
win the war and had manfully kept
true to it's promises.
The workers applauded Smiths ref
erences to the support which the
American Federation Of Labor had
given President Wilson in his effort
to find a common ground between la
bor and capital in the great contest
in which both are engaged in helping
the United States win the war.
He said the government and the
country were fighting to make the
world safe for democracy, and that is
what the American Federation Of La
Dor is founded on the principle to
make the world an industrial democ
racy.
When the war broke out, the gov
ernment of England made the mistake
Of not recognizing the laboring men
and their unions, but after two years
Lloyd George proved that the labor
ing men were necessary. and the gov
ernment recognized them.
ITO avoid this same mistake in
America. the government, when the
laboring men offered their assistance
since then there have been no strikes
OF any consequence that have not
been settled by the board of arbitra
tion, or by the employees and en-
ployers themselves"
No Strikes In Wartime.
THE American Federation Of La.
Dor does not stand for strikes during
a war. There are other ways of set
Ting disputes. Let committee of
working men meet a committee Of the
employers, and settle the strike that
way"
From the very outset Of the war;
said the speaker. President Wilson
has taken labor into the confidence OF
the government and all disputes that
have arisen have been settled in an
amicable manner and without resort
ing to extreme measures.
Before the United States engaged in
the war. he said, 1t was commonly be-
lieved that labor was against war.
"On March 1887. the American
Federation, Of Labor. at a meeting
held in Washington, with every Inter
national president and secretary pres
ent, declared that IL the United States
was entering this war not for annex
ations Of territory nor for indemni-
ties. but to make the world safe for
democracy, the laboring men would
be with the United States until the
war was waged to successful issue.
The Federation has never wavered In
this attitude. The labor movement
was the first TO offer its services to
the United States government"
Smith said that Paul Hart presi.
dent of the International Butchers
Union. went to Washington D. c. to
talk to President Wilson about a
strike in some OF the packing houses.
President Wilson Immediately called
the heads OF the great packing houses
to Washington. When they arrived,
he told them to go to the Secretary
Of Labor and talk to him about it.
They went there. The secretary said
that they could sid down and meet
the committee of the laboring men
and settle the strikes, but the heads
refused to do so. The Secretary Of
Labor told them that they would eth
er do that or the United States gov
ernment would take over the plants
and run them themselves. They set
tied the strike, Smith said.
Twelve out OF IS grievances were
settled in three days between the pack
trs and labor officials and the other
six were left to a Chicago judge he
said
Smith said that a federal Judge in
Chicago ruled that the eight hour day
was physically, morally, and econo- /
mically right. and that anyone working
l2 hours a day could not do as good
work as one working eight hours. /
This statement was proved by an ex-
pertinent A munition factory working
eight hours day and one working
12 hours. started out to see which !
one could do the best and most work /
in a week. At the end OF the week |
the factory working eight hours had
produced the most munitions.
Smith made the point that any man
or woman who would work short hours |
and shirk his work and try to get
higher wages wes no fit member or
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