Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-06-13
National Convention
The American Federation of Labor is Now
Holding goth Annual Session
Five Hundred and Fifty Delegates Representing Over Three Mil
lion Members in AttendanCe--FavOr Government
Ownership Message From Pres. Wilson
By Pierce Hayden, Staff Correspondent

Stall Correspondent
nation as an invasion of the constitu-
tiOnal rights of citizens. Another big
issue is to be that of stabilizing work
ing hours for labor, reflected through
the demand of the metal trades de-
partment for forty-four hour week
universal in all branches.
The Reconstruction Program, while
drawn for domestic application, is in
reality an international document and
generally conceded to be one of the
greatest of American labor documents
+ Interesting, in this connection, is
the Executive Councils recommenda-
tion that the convention declare for
government ownership of railroads.
The Reconstruction Program asks
that they be Owned, Operated or
Regulated' by the government.
The political issue offers an op-
pOrtunity for dispute in the conven-
ton. The Executive Council recon-
mends continuance of the policy of
non-partisan political action in the
national field, which would close the
door, as it has been closed, to ad-
vocates of a national labor party. A
strenuous fight on this issue has been
promised and is generally expected
to materialize.
However, in spite of multitude of
forecasts and promises, what is as
! near a certainty as anything can be
is that the convention will devote its
main efforts to constructive work on
! great problems and will conclude it's
session in firm adherence to the main
policies of the past.
A resolution protesting against re-
peal by congress of the daylight saw
ingl aw was defeated at Tuesdays
session. .
The resolution was voted down
after spirited fight had been launch
ed against it by delegates, especially
from Ohio and the southwest, who
said the daylight saving law worked
hardship not only upon labor but
interfered with work upon farms.
Advocates of the resolution assert
ed the law had operated to the benefit
of working men generally.
Many delegates opposing the meas
ure said it had been used by employ
ers to cut down expenses and as a
means of requiring their men to work
overtime. T. w. Mccullough of
Omaha, delegate of the Typograph-
ical Union, said the law worked
especial hardships on agriculturists.
Matthew Woll has been reelected
President of the international Labor
Press Association. The convention of
the association was lively one, with
some fifty or more labor editors
present. They recorded a general
progress for labor papers.
When James Duncan reported for
the last labor mission to Europe he
said that after the Americans had
| conferred with the French Confedera-
ton of Labor the Frenchmen asked
the Americans not to divulge what
had taken place as it would injure
the Frenchmen whose position had not
accorded with the American position.
What was the American astonish-
ment to find next morning in La
Bataille, organ of the French Con-
federation, a complete report of the
proceedings. European labor diplo-
macy was a devious proposition.
President Gompers has not regained
all his old time vigor and he protects
himself from over-eXertion, but he is
rapidly gaining strength and the con-
vention will suffer not bit from the
effects of his recent accident. Mrs.
Gompers occupies one of the visitors
chairs, as in former conventions, a
kindly little lady who speaks softly
and gently despite misfortune's
harshness.
j. Mahlon Barnes is here. "What
are you going to start" he was asked.
He smiled and was non-committal.
Barnes has led many fight on Presi-
dent Gompers, but he hasn't made any
serious dent yet He has fewer sup
porters this year than usual, it ap-
pears.