The Washington herald., 1920-02-15
UNIONS AGREE
| WITH FARMERS
ITO COOPERATE
|Ihree-Day Congress at
Chicago Ends With Both
Parties Satisfied. =
TOUCH ALL SITUATIONS
Resolutions Adopted Which
Members Believe Will
Start New Era.
TOUCH ALL SITUATIONS

Congress finished its Iabors of
making America safe for the pro-
ducer and consumer. They also
went on record against other ills
which afflict the body polite. and
the 3S5 delegates present went
home firm in the conviction that
they had started a movement which
will lay a new economic founda-
tion in this country.
The congress. which Is composed
Of delegates from the Farmers
National Council. with headquar-
ters at Washington; the American
Society Of Equity. especially strong
in the Northwest States: the An
i'clent Order of Cleaners, the Grange
and the Farmers Union and labor
unions affiliated with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. In the
offing were officers of the Nom
Partisan League, headed by Arthur
c. Towniey. its founder. but as the
convention was supposed to itself
be nonpartisan, no references were
| made to the Northwest organiza-
| ton. ST..
Establlsh Good Relations.
The object of the gathering was to
establish cooperative relations be-
tween the producers. as represented by
the farmers and the consumers largely.
II not wholly, represented by the men,
bers of labor unions. In the main the
sessions were harmonious, taking into
consideration that it was readily the
first effort to actually get the farmers
and trade unions together.
A significant resolution was passed
during the final session. and, in fact,
all resolutions were acted upon today.
A stir was created when II was pro-
posed to abolish the grion label on
union goods. The motion was not ex-
actly put laat way. but tnat Is how
III was interpreted, 1t was not an act
against the union labor as much as it
was to show the farmer delegates
that union labor was not hide-bound
Organization. but more than willing to
aid their brother farmers in liberal
interf citation of industrial conditions.
! Favers Union Goods.
Duncan Mcdonald, vice president OF
the InLois Federation of Labor.
headed the committee which drew up
the resolution which provided that
the Congress favored union made
instead of Labelled goods for use
in cooperative stores. This practi-
lcally relegates the label to the orna-
mental, although Ii does not affect
the union principle in the manufac-
ture of goods. It was pointed out that
the union label was meaningless in
many industries. as for instance coal.
and that the farmer. should not be
made to discriminate in the fine dis
tinction Of what constituted labelled
union made goods.
The principle of cooperation be-
tween farmers and labor unions was
established in dozen or more reso-
lutions bearing on different topics. In
this connection practically everything
which figures in the country's indus
/ trial life was touched upon. Resolu
tions on direct marketing. finance and
banking, government ownership, sale
of ships. newspapers, World War
Veterans, packers bill and interna-
tional legislation were discussed.
Indor.e Plumb Plan.
The principles of the Plumb plan
on railroads were Endorsed al
though government ownership of
railroads was not embodied in the
resolution. Equal suffrage was
supported when the convention
voted to ask governors to call spe-
cial esssions in those States whose
amendment has not been passed.
The principles of municipal and
county food warehouses, provided
in the Kenyon-Anderson bill for the
control of the packers, were in
dorsed and Congress was urged to
act on the measure promptly. An
other resolution adopted protested
against the United States Shipping
Board disposing OF any of the Ger
man, or other ships built.
1t was urged upon the govern
ment to permit the use OF army
motor trucks and other equipment
and to use these in good roads con-
struction and in the hauling of
farm products to markets. A COM
| mittee will visit Washington to
discuss the proposition. In regard to
the World War Veterans the con-
gress voted to cooperate with them
and lead them their moral support.
One of the most important prob
LENS considered was the financing
OF the various cooperative under
ltakings proposed. In this connec-
ton it was voted to establish ma
tional banks in the big cities.
Depository Dividend.
the profits of these banks shall be
1 divided between a surplus educa-
tional work and dividend to oe-
positors and borrowers afte~ a. .
original stockholders have received
/ a dividend of per rC'
ton was raised as to how to get the
money to start the bank. This was
answered by Warren s. stone.
Chief OF the Brotherhood -"
motive Engineers. who presided. He
! said it was not question OF how to
get IL but what to do with toe
money that would pour in. The plan
Is to use the big funds - ="
! ing of the various labor unions, II
is claimed, but il was ueIic.
therd would he a scramble cf indi-
vidual stockholders to get in on the
ground floor.
Daily Newspaper.
'rhe resolution caJiny Tor a daily