The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1919-01-10

senting the American Federation of
Labor set sail for Paris Wednesday
to attend an International Labor Con
gress to take place at the same time
and place as the peace congress. This
is the first definite announcemnt of
the calling of the labor congress.
The members of this delegation are:
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor;
James Duncan, president of the
Granite Cutters International Associ-
alton;
John R. Alpine, president of the
United Association of Plumbers and
Steamftters;
Frank Duffy, secretary of the Unit
ed Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners of America, and
William Green, secretary treasurer
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea
Calling for the International Con
gress of Labor has been left in the
hands of President Gompers, as de-
cided at the Inter-Allied labor confer
ence held in London on September II
and 18, President Gompers has de-
ferred calling of the meeting, pending
developments in the international sit
uation.
The decision to call the conference
together was made at session here
in the Hotel Continental of the Ex-
ecutive Council of the American Fed
ration of Labor, and accordingly
President Gompers has cabled instruc-
tions to affiliated bodies in Europe
asking them to send delegates. 1t
is understood that the conference will
not seat delegates from the Central
| Powers.
The first session will be an infor-
NAL gathering in Paris at which de
tails for the formal gathering viii
be decided upon.
The Executive Council was called
into special session by President
Gompers to take up several questions
that have come up through the end
ing of the war, and, not the least of
these, to discuss matters of policy
in meeting situations that may arise
through any attempt on the part of
employers to lower the present wage
standard or increase the working
hours.
Calling of the international labor
congress, to meet concurrently with
the Peace Congress, has been upper
most in the mind of American labor
ever since the beginning of the war.
The matter was first broached at the
annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor, held in Phila-
delphia in November, 1914 The Ex-
ecutive Council at the following con-
vention, held in San Francisco, in 1915
reported a comprehensive plan for the
convocation of such world congress,
which was approved.
This plan was transmitted to the
labor movement of all countries Re-
plies were received from many con-
curing in the suggestion. However,
Carl Legien, President of the Fed
GRAFTON of Trades Unions of Germany
wrote that in his judgment such a
movement would be of doubtful pra-
liability, and the British labor move
Iment withheld endorsement,
For these reasons the Baltimore
| (1916) convention adopted as a sup
plement to the first proposition, that
the labor movements of the various
countries should prevail upon their
national governments to include re-
presentatives of Labor in the national
delegation which would participate in
the World Peace Congress.
These demands are in accord with
the fundamental principles Of dem
ocraey which is the basic issue in
volved in the war The labor move
ment holds that the government
should be the agency by which the
will of the people is expressed, rather
than the agency for controlling them
Labor took the position that be-
cause of their response in defense Of
principles of freedom, the people have
earned the right to wipe out all yes
tiges of the old idea that the govern