The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-06-07
ANNUAL CONVENTION
OF THEA. F.M LABOR
OPENS SESSIONS
President Samuel Gompers
Opens Convention; Presents
Demands for Legislation
By Ralph F. Couch

by lNdlpA l. NOVSA
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Montreal, Canada, June -Four
million organized workers Of the
United States began framing de-
mands upon presidential candidates
and political parties today through
the annual convention Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor which open
ed here with nearly 1000 delegates
present.
Coming to the convention fresh
from personal contact with the rank
and file Of union men in all sections,
the delegates plunged Immediately
into consideration Of a comprehen-
sive program of economic, political
and social issues.
The program will be brought
squarely to the attention of leaders
in the Republican and Democratic
nominating conventions at Chicago
and San Francisco.
President Samuel Gompers of the
federation may leave his convention
here today before it's close to carry
labor's mandate personally to the Re-
publican convention in Chicago.
Gompers also, as head of the fed
eration's National Non-Partisan Po-
litical campaign committee, will pre-
sent the program to the country as
part of organized labor's fight against
reelection Of senators and congress-
men listed as enemies.
Inspired by the industrial and
economic confusion and strife of the
past year, the program is regarded
by Gompers and other federation Of
ficials as the most important ever
presented. Reviewing the struggles
Of the year, it demands repeal Of the
Esch-Cummins Transportation Act,
condemns profiteering, scores AttOr-
ney General Palmer on many counts
and presents a detailed plan for new
legislation to reduce living costs. The
plan to reduce living costs Is pre-
scented in the form of six demands
which are:
1. Government purchase of stand
ard commodities direct from producer
and resale at fixed prices through reg
ular retail channels.
2. Retirement of the floating debt
and part of the funded war debt
through a tax on Excessive war pro-
fits extorted from the American peo-
pie during 1916, 1917, 1918 1919
and 1920"
3. Extension of powers of the fed
eral farm loan bank enabling it to
advance credit to farmers cooperative
societies which are mo less vital and
worthy Of support than are the rail-
roads which were given hundreds Of
millions Of dollars"
4. Control Of credit capital to be
taken from "those whose chief in
terest is the emulation of profits, y
placed in the hands of public agency
and administered by voluntary and
cooperative methods
s. Labor department to compile
and issue monthly statements on the
cost of manufacture of stable arti-
cles.
Establishments of government
boards to Investigate prices and pro-
fits and public inspection of all in
come and other tax returns.
1.-The cost Of living must go high
err said the executive committee in
making these recommendations
wages must be advanced in every
case to point at which the Ameri-
can standard of living Is secure
Labor department reports were
quoted to show that since 1913,
wages generally have increased but
SIS per cent while living costs have
advanced S3.1 per cent and in some
cities between 80 and 100 per cent
Attorney General Palmer's cam
paign to reduce living costs was de-
scribed as a campaign of stupidity"
seeking "only here and there to pill
DRY some trifling merchant while per-
hitting great aggregations of vapital
upon which enormous profits have
been reaped to escape in the enjoy
ment Of monumental blunder.~