The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-04-04
Labor Temple, Seattle, Wash.
March u, 1919.

i-dDOI eHple, OedIJlEs W dSn.,
March u, 1919.
To All Organizations Affiliated
With the American Federation of
Labor.
Greetings:
The Seattle Central Labor Coun-
Gil respectfully urges your care
full and thoughtful consideration
of the enclosed proposals for the re-
construction of our organ
ization along lines dictated by pres
ent-day industrial conditions, and
earnestly request your most ener-
getic cooperation in bringing about
these essential improvements in the
interests of the -earners.
President Lincoln, speaking at
Hartford, in 1860 said: Thank
God we have a system of labor
where there can be a strike. What
ever the pressure, there is point
where the workingman may stop"
Yet what does the right to strike
avail us # we strike in such small
units as to make us an easy prey to
those who seek to exploit us? AS a
matter of fact, the more effectually
we prepare to strike, the less strik-
ing we will have to do.
Let us remember the advice of
Wendell Phillips: Organize and
STAND TOGETHER. Let the Ma
tion hear a UNITED demand from
the laboring voice"
Sometimes rivals criticize us be-
caues of our obvious weakness, but
we have nothing to fear from rivals
so long as we will profit by exper-
ience and through the application of
results of our best thought and
study keep Strengthening our or
ganizatiOn according to the dictates
of common sense and practicable
ty.
Believing that the above repre-
sents the sentiment of an over
whelming majority of the member
ship of the American Federation of
Labor, this Council submits the fol-
lowing propositions to you with the
modest request that they be anal
yzed and judged solely upon their
merits, and if you feel as we do,
that you put forth your utmost eff
forts to carry them into effect.
WHEREAS, Experience of the
most ardent and loyal unionists in
carefully and deliberately planning
to invoke the use Of the strike
weapon as a last resort in their eff
forts to secure certain measures of
justice especially at times when
delay might prove fatal TO their
cause) have demonstrated weak
nesses in our organizations which
should be promptly remedied, nota-
BILE among which is the necessity
of as many as twenty unions rep
resented in one plant (and desir-
ing to act as a unit under a blanket
agreement communicating with
that number Of internationals for
sanction and securing twenty re-
plies, all of which must harmonic
before joint action can be legally
taken, the detrimental effect of
which must be obvious to all: and,
WHEREAS, The continued exis-
tence of craft units in given Iocali-
ties as at present appears to be dis
tinctly desirable and necessary for
the transaction of business of a
technical nature; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the Central
Labor Council of Seattle and vicinity
request all local unions within its
jurisdiction to call upon their re-
spective internatioals to immediate
ly submit the following propositions
to referendum vote of their mem
bership:
Proposition No. / Shall this in
ternational, by referendum vote
select three of its members to rep
resent this international in con-
ference at a time and place to be
named (preferably by the Presi-
dent of the American Federation of
Labor at as early a date as posi-
BILE after such election, for the pur-
pose of effecting the amalgamation
and consolidation of all internna-
,tional unions into as nearly as possi-
BILE twelve units, grouped approx,
mately as follows:
Adjustment Trades.
Building Trades.
Clothing and Textile Trades.
Culinary and Provision Trades
Marine and Transport Workers
Natal