Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-10-26
CHIEFS To CALL
A WALkOUT VOTE
# BAN |SPASSED
Subject Will Be Taken
Up at General Confer
ence of liz Unions.
MACH|N|sTs' HEAD RAPS
INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS S

" OGlAAAlE WV @c' ~ GoNAA
lied labor intends to preserve
the right to strike, officials Of
the American Federation Of
Labor said today, in warning
that passage in congress of the
anti-strike legislation proposed
in the pending railroad bill would
result in an immediate general
Walkout over the country.
I'VE are willing to 60 to any limit tc
maintain the right organized labor has
enjoyed for twenty years." said one fed.
Grafton official.
William II. Johnston, president of the
international Association of Machinists.
the second largest international union
affiliated with the federation, said he
would order vote Of the $4,000 mem
hers Of his association. He and other Of
ficials said there was not doubt that
similar action would be taken by all
of the 112 affiliated unions.
Mr.. Johnston said there was increas
ing tendency on the part of some en-
ployers to bind their workers with in
dividual contracts, so as to shut out
trade unions. This was particularly
true, he said, in the metal trades, and
+. aAICLL dSIIOA uulSuL DE lSSOlttl w Il
all other means Of advancing the inter
ests of the unions failed.
1t was made known that the proposed
antistrike legislation will be one of the
subjects to be discussed at the forth
coming conference here of union labor
chiefs
In line with the call from President
Gompers for financial support of the
steel strike. Johnston announced that
pf 81 yrraatr IN "a
tire membership Of the machinists as
sociation AS defense fund.- would be
proposed next month.
A. r. L. and r. r. Alliance.
Officials of the four railroad brother
hoods conferred today. with Samuel
Gompers. president of the American
Federation of Labor. 1t has been pro-
posed that the cooperation Of the broth
ernoods be enlisted in the general fight
now being Waged for recognition of the
principle Of collective bargaining and
representation by the chosen spokesman
of labor.
Some close observers of the industrial
situation said an alliance between the
federation and the brotherhoods appear
ed more than probable. They pointed to
the anti strike legislation and the notice
Of the railroad workers that thay soon
as reasons why the brotherhoods would
desire such an alliance
Terms 1t Nations Crisis.
Charles S. Barrett. president of the
National Farmers Union, and one of the
farmers representatives in the national
industrial conference here. issued an APP
peal today. to the farmers to "be prepar-
I'd to aid our beloved county III her pres
ent hour Of need
"Menaced by entrenched priviledges or
the one hand and perilous red prop
aganda on the other" said Mr.. Barrett
the nation is facing the most dangerous
situation since the Civil war. Although
reveing in plenty though business was
never so plenty, though employment was
never more general. the country is sit
ting on powder magazine which threat
ems at any moment to explode.
Farmers Needed as Pilots
The failure of the industrial confer
ence to accomplish any concrete thine
makes it necessary an offensive and de
fcnsive alliance between all constructive
forces of the country against the com,
mon enemy of extremefsm. 1t place,
the question where it was before thu
conference assembled and leaves an ad
1ustment to the patriotism Of the people
In this crisis in the nations history
the farmer must get to the helm and BIZ
must stay at the helm until the ship Of
state in brought safely into the haven Of
rest"
Besides the plea for real sanity" made
by Secretary Lane. who acted as chair
man Of the industrial conference, tbs