The Washington times., 1920-09-05
lABORMOUNTS
/. TO NEW PEAK
Workers Own Holiday Finds
Them Stronger, More Pros
porous Than Ever.

Labor Day will find organized
Labor in the strongest and most
prosperous condition in its history,
according to leaders Of the workers
in every trade and craft in the
American Federation Of Labor.
YEAR OF VICTORIES.
Their Labor Day statements, made
public today, sound a note of triumph
for labors progress. and victories
during the past year, notwithstand-
ing II was year marked by un-
precedented unrest, with two OF the
most important strikes in the history
of the labor movement and the largest
number OF unauthorized strikes on
record to make IL epochal.
They point to the gain OF 1000 900
in the membership OF the American
Federation OF Labor. to wage in
creases aggregating many billions or
dollars, and to gains made by nearly
every international union in shorter
ing conditions.
Chief in interest is the statepent
of II. f. Tghe. president OF the
Amalgamated Association of Iron,
Steel. and Tin Workers, which had
jurisdiction over most of the workers
involved in the last steel strike.
Declaring the basic principle of his
organization to be Cancellation and
,sacredness of contracts between en-
ployers and employees" he says: 'To-
day 1t has the proud knowledge that
those of it's membership who have
stood faithfully by its policy, are re-
l. Ill ~
ever paid in the history of the known
world for their class of work"
BIG WAGE GAINS.
According to w. d. Mahon, presi-
dent of the Amalgamated Association
of Street and Electric Railway EN-
ployes Of America, one of the unions
involved in the New York tramway
strike, street car workers through
wage increases gained during the year
are receiving $40,000,000 per year
more in wages than during 1919. The
increases affected 10000 members
of the union.
Frank Gilmore, executive secretary
OF the Actors Equity Association,
says in reporting the gains made by
the actors union: Through labor we
have won recognition of our associa-
tion; we have won the right to col
lective bargaining; we have trebled
our membership, and increased our
financial resurces eight or ten times"
FOUR MILLION IN STRIKES.
1t is estimated that the number of
strikes during the past year exceeded
the 1000 mark involving nearly 4,O0O-
900 workers and probably topped the
2,399 reported for 1919.
Only n of the 11G international
unions affiliated with the federation
reported on strikes during the year
These partial figures show 1,255
strikes, involving 734,056 workers and
costing $3,212,O56.75. or the 734,056
workers included, 5ST,4 WON i'm
proved conditions.
The latest report of the Department
Of Labor shows nine strikes and
fofty-four controversies which have
not reached the strike stage before it
Tor adjustment.
Labor Day. 1920, finds labor facins 2
the geratest issues of the time" says
Samuel Gompers in Labor Day mes
sage to the organized workers Of
America.
y I'VE are in the midst of a political
campaign of paramount Importance.
We are in the midst of a time of un-
settled national policies and of un-
settled International policies
The message continues:
Five million organized toilers are
engaged in the political campaign of
1920. More than $4,000 have voiun-
teered for service on committees in
the communities throughout the
United States.