New-York tribune., 1919-09-09

TN THE late dog days the One Big
Union zoomed onto page one and stayed
there for some time.
To the Atlantic City convention of the
American Federation of Labor came James
Duncan from Seattle last week to weep and
bury all of Mr.. Gomperss work. But here is
autumn, and what has happened?
If the programme as laid down in the
gospel of Winnipeg and the doctrine of
Seattle had gone through it would be ex-
peeted that the effects would be evident to
the naked eye. But the fact is that the
One Big Union movement has fattcncd
out.
The developments in the Northwest are
of the greatest Importance to the nation,
because admittedly so much hinges upon
the situation in industry.
Winnipeg started blaze that was fol-
lowed by secession from the American
Federation of Labor the part of the
ganzed workers of Western Canada.
Seattle threatened development that
would have meant secession Of the
ganzed workers of the State of Washing
ton. And if Washington had gone it
might have taken more territory with it.
On August 2 the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor directed a
letter to the Washington State Federation
of Labor. At that time a referendum vote
was in progress in Washington, ordered by
the state convention, not long since ad-
journed, in which the question
whether One Big Union should be formed.
This referendum proposition desg
mated No. s and read as follows:
"No. g. The convention ordered the
following submitted to referendum vote:
Resolved, That the State Federation of
Labor recommend that each local union
affiliated vote upon the advisablity Of
forming One Big Union along industrial
lines, and that should a majority of nu
merca vote of the rank and file be
in favor of industrial unionism the
State Federation of Labor issue a call
Tor special conference, to be held in
the City of Seattle not less than sixty
days after the final count Of votes, to
outline the form Of organization"
AS the campaign wore on the proponents
of the referendum motion seemed to lose
courage, and finally declared that the
proposition, if carried, would not mean
breaking away from the A. f. OF L. into
and tried their best to save the ship.
The executive council at Washington
thought that The resolution implied seces-
sion, however, and in this view it in
agreement With the so-called conservative
men in the Washington state movement.
From this viewpoint the Washington state
referendum rode roughshod the
stitutions Of the international unions and
the constitution OF the A. f. of L.
Therefore, the letter ordered dispatched
by the executive council Of the American
Federation of Labor demanded that the
referendum be repudiated and stopped
forthwith, under pain Of revocation of
the Washington state charter. Secretary
Frank Morrison sent the letter along and
results awaited.
The letter arrived in Seattle in due time
and there created quite commotion. The
state executive council was summoned into
extraordinary session by President William
Short, than whom there is no more soldly
grounded leader of labor. The state execu-
tive council ordered the referendum vote
stopped at once~and it was stopped!
There were some protests-there we're
some no wished to drive ahead on Reck-
less Road TO definite secession. Seattle
was the strong point Of focus for that de-
mand 1t served not to deter the state
executive board from compliance with the
demand from the national headqua rters,
however,
In the letter ordering the vote stopped
Secretary Frank Morrison had said
"In ordering vote upon the PROPOSE
tion to determine whether the local
unions composing the Washington State
Federation of Labor shall adopt the re-
organization policies your organization
has absolutely ignored its pledge to