The Connecticut labor press., 1920-06-12

settled until close to the end. Many steel delegates are opposed 10 the action taken by the executive council i'll supporting the strike when It olo anu threaten to resent 1t and DOCK any ell- dorsement of the action.
 The Irish question also is causing much commotion, a large group ot del egates demanding that the convention declare for complete freedom for Ire land despite the fact that the conven- ton is meeting on British soil. They are attacking the resolution from the executive council demanding the 1mme- diate ratification of the Peace Treaty, and intend to block that unless 1t st1pu- lates that freedom for Ireland be de- manded.
 The convention also was stirred by resolution presented by the national committee for organizing iron and steel workers, which cited the alleged un- lawful acts of Western Pennsylvania authorities i'll suppresslng free speech and free assemblage and asked that the federation invite President Wilson to make an address to Duquesne' "a, on the subject of Free Press, Free Speech and Free Assemblage." Six fedora ton organizers were recently sentenced to iail for addressing a steel workers meeting in Duquesne, and the1r cases are now to be carried to the supreme court.
 The National Federation of Federal FmDloves asked the convention to call upon congress to "reclass1ty the CIVIL service and adopt a wage scale com, mensurate with the skill, training and responsibility involved in the work per formed, and with just relation to the increased cost of living.
 The resolution said "the efnc1ency oI the government service IS suffering Dy reason of high turnovers and actual vacancies in hundreds of positions, for which the wages offered are 1nSuIncleiil to attract any workers.
 The federal employees organization also asks that congress be urged to pro, vide "1iberal1y for the study of soclai and industrial problems and technical research in all branches of science touching the welfare of the nation
 The convention also has before 1t report on prohteering which d1scloses that shoes that sold in 1915 for $4, are now sold for SIP, while the increase Ill labor cost has been only 40 cents. Prac- tica1ly the only persons proceeded against under the Lever act were the
  the high cost of living, the report added.
 The convention on Thursday wiped out the "color-line" and warned its affiliated international unions that negro workers must be given full and equal membership with white men. The fed eration'S action came at the end of stormy. session, which nearly resulted in Trace war" between delegates from the southern states and the negroes and their syrnpathizers.
 Rejecting the recommendation of Its organization committee, the federation for the first time i'll history threatened the autonomy of an affiliated union by requesting the Brotherhod of Railway Clerks to give the negro freight handl- CTS, express and station employees full membership and eliminate from its constitution the words, white only"
 The committees report on non concurrence" on the ground that the federation had no power to interfere with the constitution of an affiliated union immediately drew the fire of the negro delegates and those of several northern states, chiefly Illinois and New York. G e-.
 There was a voluminous exchange of oratory in which the negroes charged taxation without representation and, discrimination" to which their oppon- ents replied with accusations and be- traya1 by negro workers of the whites in past labor disputes.
 Recommendation that the workers and employers of the U. s. create voluntary arbitration body to settle la bor's grievances was placed before the convention, as means of bringing about a more harmonious relation ship" and reducing the high cost of living. The resolution presented by E. L. Edgerton, of Syracuse, N. Y, repre- senting the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers, de- c1ared that establishment of the com mission would end the present cycle of wage advancing and price increasing (which it seems utter folly to continue"
 Labor and capital must get togeth- er," said Edgerton, eff the cost of living is to be reduced. We must voluntarily decide this question for ourselves, as congress has failed~to enact remedial legislation for reconstruction or to re- duce the high cost of living"
 Alexander Howat, representing the Kansas State Federation of Labor, in troduced resolution condemning Gov ernor Allen for "l1is despicable efforts to enslave the working class of Kansas, and finally the working class of the United States, in prostituting his office as governor of Kansas to the work of crucifying the working class