The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-12
Nor of Hours Lengthened to
Conform With Pre-
War s T'e
VT. LEGIST ! URE
CALLED sSACTIoNARY
In Rep y Submitted to the
VT. P - 4ch, American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor

DOafd OF Jne vermont Draneh, American
Federation of Labor, which made report
to-day to the annual convention of that
organization which opened in Montpelier
this morning, to continue Wednesday
and Thursday. The 1919 Vermont legis-'
lature was criticized in the report Of the
| legislative committee as "the most re-
dictionary body that has represented Ver-
mont in the past 20 years"
| The convention assembled in the city
council chamber in the Montpelier city
hall with about 80 delegates in attend
ance. All the sessions will be held in
that room except the Wednesday even
| ing meeting, which will be mass meet
| ing, and will be held in the auditorium
of the city hall Some of the officers of
| the branch arrived in Montpelier yester
day afternoon and spent the time audit
| ing the accounts and getting affairs in
shape for the reports to-day.
! After the meeting was called to order
| by President Fred w Suitor, Rev p. J.
| Long offered prayer and I. X. Merrill
gave the organization the address of
welcome to Montpelier. The treasurer's
report showed that the organization had
cash on hand at the beginning of the
year S245.70 and that it received S60s.42.
| Its expenditures were 637.49, leaving
| S2l663 in the treasury Aug. 10.
/ The following committees were APP
pointed. Auditing and credentials, James
Reedy, Rutland w. H. Eager, Barre,
| Clyde Brigham, Montpelieri transporta-
tion. Nicholas Powers. Bellows Falls,
C. r. Hall, Barre, John G.. Gauthier,
Barre; constitution, Arthur Lund, Barre,
w. J. Reehan, Bellows Falls, NJ. P. Sui
| llvan, Graniteyille, Jack Mason, Burling
| ton, NJ. A. Kenyon, Rutland; resolutions,
Walter j. German, Rutland, Romeo
Magne, Montpelier, Edward Rousseau,
! Burlington, Mike DAILY, Rutland, Walter
NJ AyIward, Waterbury; executive
council c. H. Reagon, Montpelier, Il. E.
Cary, Bellows Falls, S. H. Harron, Mont
pelier, Frank Bergeron, Burlington, Jo-
seph Moore, Burlington; rules, Frank
Porter, Rutland, H. G. Townsend, Barre,
Robert Veswick. Burlington, James
Thurber, Burlington.
The report Of the legislative committee
was read, followed by the executive com
mittee's report.
i An adjournment occurred shortly be-
fore noon until 1880, when the resolu-
4 tions were to be introduced and referred,
and then adjournment until evening un-
less something new occurs.
Executive Boards Report.
/ The report of the execkive board IS
as follows:
TO the Trade Unionists of Vermont
Greeting;
+ ! he al
The enemy surrendered uneonditonall.. :.
and with il has come the long delaycN
revolt of the workers in enemy countries
against the royal autocrats who were
Irresponsible for the war.
From our very entry in the war the
| workers of Vermont have freely and
fully responded to duty's call Whether
enlisted in the ranks of our valiant fight
ing forces or in the industrial armies at
home, in Liberty loan campaigns OF war
chest drives, everywhere the sons and
daughters of toll have met the acid test
of loyalty.
"But our real test is just beginning
and it will be the most difficult and tho
most momentous that our state or ma
tion has ever faced. The coming of peace
at this time gives us a preponderant
share of the power and prestige of VIC
tory, while it saves US from paying any
thing like the frightful costs that hays
been paid by other belligerents. All of
our industries have been speeded up and
| greatly strengthened; waste and ineiii-
ciencies have been eliminated. Our pro-
ductive capacity has been enormously in
creased Our resources of labor and util.
lied resources have been increased while
those Of other countries have been di-
minished We have practically every
| thing the world needs, and sc alone
among all the industrial nations seem 70
be in position TO expert in vast Tuau-
titles the materials needed fof reccn.
stuction. =
"For this reason The Termont State
Federation Of Labor can see 70 possible
excuse for the cry that wages shall be
reduced to tho prc-war standard or Int
working hours shan be iengtheued Wage
standards established during The war
have not kept pace generally with in
creased cost->of living commodities 10
has only been in some of the most es.
| sential var work that seemingly high
rates have been paid but when analysed
and brought down to the absolute facts
surrounding the employment il is found
| long hours Of overtime work and Sunday
work have been almost altogether re-
sponsiblc for the fattened pay envelope
gully realizing the responsibility Of
defining a program to be followed by the
workers of Vermont, aud the struggle
that must come in placing comprehcn-
sive legislative or economic changes in
/ effect your executive board still feels
that the line of march should always
| lead forward, and with that thought in
mind the following suggestions are Of
fered for consideration and approval.
"Demobilization Problems"
"We pledge to our returning soldiers
| full cooperation in tbe proper readjust-
ment of industrial conditions to conform
to the newly established world demuc.
raey. To this end we welcome and in
vite to our councils representatives of
| the returned soldiers and sailors Ms soon
as they are in position 60 take up
matters Of mutual interest IN no other
manner than by such cooperation and
by such recognition Of their complete
community Of interest with lis, aan we
counteract obvious preparations to cx-
plot the soldiers Of the industry. IN no
CONTINUED on eighth pare)