The labor standard., 1919-05-15
ROCHESTER UNION
 MEN ADVOCATE
 POLITICAL ACTION
Central Trades and Labor COun- cil Lifts Ban on Political Discussion at Meetings - "New York Legislature Very ReactiOnary"

ROCHESTER,, N. Y.-Enthusiastit approval was given by union labor te "The Mechanics" report of move ment to start powerful Labor party in Rochester. The time is ripe.
 Organized labor, with united effort can sway the political destinies o1 Rochester. Representing, as the loca unions do, a majority of the voters male and female, why not use this tre- mendous power for the benefit ot the majority?
 Such active labor leaders as Henry D. O'Connell, of the Electricians, and James Patterson, of the Sheet Metal Workers, have announced their hearty support of the new Labor party O'Connell points with pride to the slg- party, of it's 100000 votes in the mu- nicipal campaign, of the election as mayor of Labor candidates in several minor Illinois cities.
 "A Labor party is needed III Rochester, and you can count me e heartily in favor of the project sald
 The same Spirit was manifested by James Patterson, of the Sheet Metal Workers.
 "In England the Labor party has 186 active representatives in Parlla- ment," he said. "Here we have no actual union labor men, elected as such, in Congress. And the absence of union men in the state legislature at Albany was sadly felt this year."
 Other active labor advocates en, -dorsed the movement, and urged immediate organization. Impetus was given the local movement by the out spoken endorsements of labor men, now that the Central Trades and Labor Council has lifted the ban on political discussions and endorse ments in official meetings.
 The American Federation of Labor has rescinded the clause i'll it's const1- tuition forbidding "politics" in union meetings, and this will afford union men an opportunity to discuss candl- dates and policies in regular sessions.
 To show the absolute necessity for labor representation in the state leg1s- lature it is only necessary to refer to a recent official summary by Thomas D. Fitzgerald, chairman of the State Federation's legislative committee, of the past sessions record. This sum mary is addressed by Fitzgerald to organized labor, and reads:
 "No legislature in the history of the state was more reactionary than that of 1919. Property rights were its first consideration; human rights were it's particular abhorrence. It is true that some amendments to the labor laws were made, the most important extending statewide protection to building industry employees, and the Workmen's compensation law so amended as to reduce to minimum the opportunity for defrauding in
 
 settlements. In the Senate four pro- gressive Republican senators voted with the Democrats and brought insurance, eight hours for women, and minimum wage bills, but these three important measures were subsequently, strangled on roll calls in the Assembly" >
 In Illinois, April 26, the Labor party elected their candidates in nine cities. Aurora went over the top with 1 200 majority, electing Charles Townsend, labor candidate, mayor; in Kankakee, five labor Aldermen won; Kewannee elected J. H. Andrews, Labor candidate, mayor by 400 ma jority; Labor in Collinsville .el elected jority. A clean sweep was made, in Batavia, H., James Freddendal, Labor candidate, was elected mayor by 148 plurality, and the entire Labor ticket won. The old parties combined against the workers, and lost.
 Wesley Perry won for mayor in | Beardstown by 1,1S9 plurality, and five Labor Aldermen were carried in with him.
 A hot fight was waged in Joliet, with the old party leaders united against William E.. Porer, Labor can 1 9Ge 9e7 Frank m X Friedrich i 1i La Iaboy w can, @ didate for Commissioner, won out.
 Bridgeport, Conn, Labor leaders hope to win the city election.
 Here is the opportunity for Roches- ter.
 Transportation of the Future.