The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-06-20
THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION
CONVENTION
Special to Labor Papers.


Never has a convention of the
American Federation of Labor
been so deeply engrossed in ques
tions of great international mo-
ment. Not even the war drew the
convention into consideration of
more problems of world interest
than face this thirty-ninth conven-
ton, with it's nearly $50 delegates,
representing 3,262,000 members.
Above all else is the Treaty of
Peace. I'VE declare our endorse
ment of the triumph of freedom and
justice and democracy as eXempli-
fled in the covenant of the League
of Nations" says the report. 1t
says further, The Treaty of Peace
as drafted by. the allied and asso-
ciated governments sets a new
standard in the relation of nation
to nation and gives to government
purpose that has been lacking
| where the monarchical and bureau
| cratic concept obtained. The Prus
sian idea defeated on the field of
| battle, is now forever made impos
sible of revival by the Treaty of
Peace submitted to the German en-
voys." Endorsement of the treaty
seems assured.
The report says the labor section
of the treaty 'Is, of course, COM
promise" and declares that the
fact that American proposals sub
mitted for insertion in that section
Ranked above all others in point
of progress measured" must be a
source of deep satisfaction to the
American working people.
The Reconstruction Program,
while drawn for domestic applica-
ton, is in reality an international
! document and generally conceded
| to be one of the greatest of Amer
lean laDOr documents.
Interesting, in this connection, is
| the Executive Councils recommen-
dation that the convention declare
| for government ownership of rail
roads. The Reconstruction Pro-
gram asks that they be owned,
operated or regulated" by the gov
ernment.
The Mooney case long since took
on international interest by the use
made of it by Red" propagandists
in Europe.
General opinion here today is
that if the Mooney people muster
fifteen per cent of the vote they
will be doing we'll. The same esti-
mate is given as the outside
strength of the Seattle plan for re-
organization of the Federation into
twelve departments.
A lengthy section of the report
deals with the PanAmerican Fed
Grafton of Labor, recommending
continued participation in that or
ganization's activities.
Continuing the international
sweep of convention business, there
are three reports of missions to
Europe, which, taken together,
form a comprehensive picture of the
European labor situation as seen by
Americans during the last half of
the war and concluding with the
story of American labor participa-
tion in the peace conference.
The Zone Big Union" movement
in Canada will come before the con-
vention through the report of the
Canadian Trades and Labor Con-
gress. submitted by p M. Draper,
Secretary. Just how the Reds plan
to inject the issue into the conven-
tion is not known, but they prob
ably will wage their fight around
the Seattle proposition for reorgan-
ization. Nevertheless, they may
take advantage of the Canadian re-
port to nettle the convention.
The following message was re-
ceived from President Wilson:
May | not send my warm greet
ings to the annual convention of the
American Federation of Labor and
express my deep qualification that
the international conferences which
have gone out of discussions of
peace have led to a much fuller and
more adequate comprehension of
the questions of labor to which
statesmen throughout the world
must direct their most thoughtful
attention? 1t has been a real hap
piness to me to be of a little serv-
ice in these great matters.
81 cannot justly refrain when
sending this message from express
ing in very warm terms the appre-
citation felt by all who have been