The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1919-06-28
A HOUR LAW De-
MANDED BY LABOR
Leaders Anticipate Nation Wide
Campaign for Government
Ownership of Big
Business

Atlantic City, N. j., June 23.-
The American Federation of Labor
at the closing session here today OF
its annual convention pledged itself
to obtain general forty-four hour
week for workers in all crafts in
the United States and the employees
in the government service. The de-
mand was based on a determination
to prevent unemployment, which the
delegates declared is one of the two
primary causes of industrial unrest.
The other cause is the decreased
purchasing power of the dollar.
Manufacturers and employers were
urged to bridge the gap" and in
crease wages without any contro-
Versy."
Samuel Gompers, president of the
federation, was greeted with a roar
of cheers late in the day when he
announced from the platform that
three of the four great railroad bro
therhoods-the engineers, conduc-
tors and trainmen-had applied for
charters in the federation. The
fourth brotherhood - thefiremen =
was meeting in Denver, he said to
consider a similar application. II
the fremen follow the example of
the other brotherhoods, the rank of
the federation will be increased by
100000 men.
Delegates were of the opinion that
with the entry of the brotherhoods
the federation will back the demand
of the railway men for government
ownership and control of the roads.
This subject has been referred to the
executive council, with instructions
to formulate policy.
SUPPORTS TELEGRAPHERS
In addition to taking action on the
shorter work day, the convention to-
day pledged it's support to the strik-
ing commercial telegraph operators
and appointed committee to confer
with Postmaster General Burleson
in the hope of obtaining for the tel
egraphers the same concessions
which have been granted to electri-
cal and telephone workers: A resolu-
tion was adopted requesting Congress
to investigate the alleged suppression
of free speech and other American
institufiores. n. ssaIscGS,ss vr11orens Z
Toledo sor employing discharged sol
diers In uniform TO perform civil po-
lice duty in strike.
When the question of the forty
four hours week came UP it was ap-
parent all delegates to the conVen-
ton, as well as all the officers OF the
were inclined to the
view that the shorter work day was
one of the most vitality important
subjects approved by the reconstruc-
ton convention. The report OF the
committe which had been studying
the subject was adopted unanimously
as expressing the convictions OF the
convention. 1t said, in part:
ut must be realized that during
the war {, 100000 of the most active
young men were taken from indus
tries for war service. Despite TINS
the production of the country during
the war was greater than at any 9TH
er given period in history, OF course
this great production was materially
assisted by the introduction OF Wo-
men into the factories, and to a
large extent by the elimination OF
the liquor industry and taking over
of people previously engaged in that
work for war production.
Labor organizations for many
wears have been fighting to secure
the eight-hour day, once known as
the shorter work day. This eight
hour day means forty-eight hours OF
labor per week. Because OF the
changed conditions brought, about by
the war, q number of the industries
have been able already to Introduce
the forty-four hour week, contlnu-
! ing the eight-hour day with nah
lholiday Saturday,