The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-06-09

"that the Importance of the interests at
issue and the faithful, loyal service the
workers have given the government and
society, have earned for us the right to
fair consideration in the expenditure of
national funds.
I'VE recommend that Congress be adj
vised that it is the earnest desire of the
organized labor movement and of all
Americas workers that the department
of labor be provided with adequate funds
for performing the important work
which devolves upon it."
Government Ownership of Railroads En-
dorsed.
The council recommended to the con
vention the endorsement of government
ownership of the railroads, after setting
forth in great detail various suggestions
about the railroads from different
sources.
Discussing what is called the meat
packing monopoly" the council quoted
the report of the federal trade commits
sion to President Wilson and said that
hearings by the House interstate com
merce committee seemed to show con
clusively the existence of combination
which not only controls and regulates
the prices of beef, lamb, hogs and other
meat but also eggs, butter, poultry
cheese, rice, fish, canned goods of all de-
seription, leather and wool"
1t is then stated that in so far as 'this
combination restricts the supply and en-
hsnces the cost of these necessaries, the
laboring people of the country are ad-
versely affected and the matter becomes
one of vital concern to the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor" II is charged in the
report that the packers during the war
shortage of leather, when it was difficult
to furnish shoes for soldiers, boarded
such quantities of hides that it was i'm
possible to find proper storage room for
them. The developments of Armour &
Company is discussed at length, but no
definite recommendations are made by
the executive council
Brief sketches are given by the council
of the progress of legislation dealing
with tax exemption for co-operatives
national war housing, proposed amend
ments to the seamens bill, initiative and
referendum, convict labor, workmen's
compensation, government employees
payments and privileges for soldiers and
war workers, wheat prices, excessive
public borrowings, motion pictures cen
sorship, postal wage legislation, navy
yard and arsenal services, and education
al systems
complete report of an investigation
made of the elaborate educational sys-
tenn of the international Ladies' Gar
ment Workers union also was submit
ted.
On the subject of health insurance the
executive council recommended that it
be given further time to complete its
study of the various considerations in
volved and be authorized to make public
its views at later date in the name of
the American Federation of Labor
Shorter Workdays Secured.
Considerable progress was reported in
the matter of securing a shorter work
day for various trades and occupations,
it being added that "the rapid trend to-
ward the general establishment of the
shorter workdsy developed during the
war must not be allowed to wane during
the period Of reconstruction. The ex-
eCuIlfe COUNCIL recommended tHdL Une
entire matter be taken up by the conven-
ton for its consideration and action.
The labor reconstruction program
formulated by committee appointed by
the st. Paul convention, and made pub
lie last December is printed in full and
endorsed in the executive councils re.
port. international labor relations are
discussed at length and the results ac.
complished, which have been announced
from time to time are set forth
Under the heading, Labor and Peace, .
| the report quotes the declaration issued
by the American Federation of Labor
March IL, 1917, discusses labor's effort ia
! win the war and continues:
Turning from war to peace upon the
| signing of the armistice, condition soon
became apparent to everyone that had
long been feared by organized labor. II
was made apparent very early that there
had been no adequate forethought and
provision made for the transition from q
| war basis to a peace basis in industry
and that as a result period of indus
trial confusion and unemployment was
at hand.
/ "In addition there we're pronounce
ments from high sources among employ
ers that extensive reduction of wages
would be undertaken The taunt also
was thrown at working people that they
should have been able during the war