The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-05-23

IL
in this state than is manifesting it
self in the annual meeting of the
State Federation at Bellingham to
be opened June 18th. That a bit
ter contest will be waged for con-
troll of the convention is already
evident. The Seattle Lodge of
Machinists has elected its full quota
of 26 delegates instructed to vote
against the present administration,
and on appeal from them the Seat
tie Metal Trades Council adopted
the following motion:
Moved and seconded that we
recommend to all affiliated organ
| izations to send = full delegation to
the convention of the Washington
State Federation of Labor, and that
communications be sent out to the
| Central Labor Council of Seattle
and Metal Trades Council of Taco
ma, asking them 10 appoint COM
mittee from their delegates to work
with like committee from this
Council, for the purpose of outlin-
ing policy governing the admin
istrtion of the State Federation of
Labor
This communication received a
cold reception at the hands of the
Seattle Central Labor Council, who
| tabled it by unanimous vote. Alice
NJ. Lord, business agent of the Wait
resses Union, and a veteran of
many hardfought battles for labor,
who offered the motion, remarked
caustically, 1--WE don't believe in
secret caucuses." The Tacoma Met
al Trades Council, however, has
endorsed the scheme and has ap-
pointed its delegates.
This audacious plan on the part
of a group of trades to meet in ad-
vance of the convention and formu
late a plan to govern the admins
tration of the Federation, and then
ask the rest of the labor movement
to indorse it, is meeting with well
merited opposition from almost eY-
cry other section of the movement.
Some of the Locals affiliated with
the Seattle Metal Trades have
shown but little appetite for it.
The Seattle Boilermakers, the larg
est Local in the State, has to date
ignored the proposal.
The representatives of twelve
Unions of Tacoma, together with
the Miscellaneous Trades section,
have sent out a circular to all
Unions in the State pointing out
the plans afoot and asking that a
full delegation be sent to the con-
vention prepared to fight to have
the policies of the Federation de-
termined by the Convention and
|
Labor Movement-democratically
and honestly-and not through the
medium of a pre-arranged caucus
of certain group.
The l. w. w. elements have been
boasting for many months that they
aimed to control the convention,
and l. w. W.-ize the Federation,
and have been conducting for some
time an intensive campaign from
within" to elect their indirect rep
resentatives and friends as dele
gates for this purpose. However,
there are a number of delegates
who are honestly opposed to the
present policies and administration
of the Federation, a;.d in justice to
them, should not be classed with
the former group. The latter group
have the interest of the movement
at heart and no criticism should be
Offered them, except to say that
they are in unfortunate company.
1t is the former group which is
reported to be planning putting the
convention on record as favoring
the zone Big Union" and sever
ance of all connections with exist
ing Internationals and the A. f.
of L., and the election of officers
pledged to this and other destruc-
tive policies. that is arousing the
interest of majority of the Unions
of the State. Locals who have al
ways heretofore sent only one or
two delegates, are electing full
quotas. The workers of the State
are evidently determined that con
structive," rather than "destruc-
tive" policies are to govern their
state movement, and that such poll
icies are to be promulgated in the
convention by open-minded dele