Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-20
GOMPERS OPENS
LABOR MEETINGS
Carpenters and Joiners Here
for General Sessions.

In his address today at the opening
session of the twentieth general con-
vention of the United Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners of America, at
the Athenaeum, Samuel Gompers, presi-
dent of the American Federation of La
Dor, touched first upon the early his
tory of the organization. and said that
he felt 1t his duty as well as a privilege
to say to the younger men in the trade
labor movement not to imagine for a
moment that that which had been accom-
plished for the carpenters of America
had been handed to them on a silver
platter
He said that he remembered the time
when the skilled carpenter received S1.75
for a days work of ten or eleven hours
and then he touched upon the fight for
an eight-hour day that had been con-
Quoted by the carpenters.
He spoke of the position of strength.
influence and power for good that was
enjoyed by the carpenters. but added
that they were not tout of the woods
yet; that the enemy that wishes to
crush labor does not declare so in so
many words but makes pretense of
having sympathy for the working
people.
He said that the method of such an
ganized labor movement and If that
could succeed to reach at the throat Of
every worker.
The organized labor movement. he said
had accomplished many things of advan-
tage, not only to members of organized
labor. but to all wage earners.
Here and there, he said, there had been
attempts to reduce wages, and added that
reduction OF wages was no way out OF
industrial difficulty and that labor would
resist such reductions.
He spoke Of the work done by labor
during the war and of sacrifices made by
IL. and touched also upon the Civil War
and Of the presence in the city Of Civil
War veterans
Black slavery had been abolished, be
said, but now there seems to be a ten
dency to enforce slavery among whites
URGES MEMBERS TO
DEMAND UNION LABEL.
The Importance of asking for articles
bearing the union label was empha sized
In his talk at the morning session by
John Manning OF Washington. secretary
of the label trades department of the
American Federation of Labor
Along this line, he pointed out the
power in the hands of the women Of the
homes, who do so much Of the pur-
chasing.
The remainder Of the. morning session
was occupied in reading the report OF
the credentials committee.
The program for this afternoons ses-
sion included the reports OF officers the
general executive board and the board OF
trustees.
In his report, William L. Hutcheson
~ -
Carpenters and Joiners OF America, said
that ION Aug. 10. 1881, there assembled
In the city OF Chicago delegates for the
purpose OF converting in session the first
general convention OF the United Brother
hood Of Carpenters and Jolners OF Amer
lea who represented twelve local unions,
With a combined membership of 2,042
members.
To-day those Of US VIII care assembled
here represent an organization of 2.505
local unions, with a membership of 400,
104 members"
He touched. In his report. upon the
War Labor board, and said that lit is
not because the undersigned had the
honor Of being a member of that board
that he feels that the work accomplished
by that body was OF great benefit not
only to members o four organization. but
to the workers Of the country. Int be
cause the records will show that in the
cases that were brought before the board
for consideration. fair and impartial
hearings were given and that the find
ings made in the majority of cases were
favorable to the workers"
Various features OF the work of the
brotherhood were touched upon IA the
report.
II Is expected that the convention will
be in session about ten days or two
weeks.