The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-19
CONSERXATIVESIN
 ORGANIZED LABOR
 SEEM IN SADDLE
Are Having Their Own Way at the Denver Convention, With Radicals Without a
 Fixed Leader
By RALPH BARTON Special Correspondent of The Age-HerIId (COpyrigh, 1921, by The Age-Herald.)


 Denver. Col, June Specially "Progressives" In organized labor have found small comfort in the movement of events at the conven- ton of the American Federation of Labor to date. It has been distinctly Ia Gompers show, with the "old guard" of the movement dominating every activity and the familiar fom- pers views and opinions much in evi dence in speeches.
 It now seems probable that the "progressives" will devote their ener- gies mainly toward obtaining repre- sentation on the executive council of the federation, for the council is a body with very real power and mem bership in it implies considerable in- fluence in the affairs of the Ameri- can labor movement.
 The strongly entrenched conserva- tism of the federation has been well brought out in the convention, It must be admitted, however, that the attitude of the convention is not necessarily that of the rank and file, for politics has it's place in labor as well as in every other human ac- tivity and the fact that conserva- lives have so long been in power gives them an important advantage.
 Look for Surprise
 Long before the convention opened the report went out that William H. Johnston, president of the machin- ists union-who is now in Europe would probably be elected to the ex- ecutive council Whether this re- port was set in motion by the powers that be in the federation in order to please the "progressives," and to minimize the opposition to MT Com pers, or whether there is a stronger foundation for 1t, will probably ap- pear within a few days. It will not be surprising, from present indica- tions if the convention runs through all the coming week
 The resolutions which have met real favor at the convention have been those of conservative charac- ter. MT. Gompers, in his remarks on
 
 rather than constructive, and per haps his most interesting suggestion was that the federation would have five million members by the end of the year. It seems probable that such resolutions as are likely te strengthen the federation as an or ganization will be adopted, but those concerned with the labor movement in the large are likely to be reject ed. It is improbable, for example, that the federation will take any action toward support of the Bank of North Dakota, despite Mir. Gompers advocacy of closer relations between working men and farmers, or that any real measures will be under taken for the establishment of chains of labor banks, labor newspapers or labor motion picture theatres.
 "one Big Unionv Idea Dead The rejection of the "one big union idea. even in the very inocu- ous form in which the resolution was presented, shows that the craft unions are decidedly jealous of their prerogatives and are not disposed to yield any privileges for the sake of united action with other crafts. The renewed denunciation of the la bor. internationale by Mir. Gompers and his associates, in the face of the strong dsapproyal of the machinists and certain other organizations shows that there is approaching something that may soon resemble real rift in organized labor; TOT it does not seem probable that the machinists can be made perma- nently to reconcile themselves to the attitude, for example, of the carpen- ters, as manifested by their presi- dent, William Hutcheson.
 The matter of government owner ship of railroads may lead to some sort of test of strength but the psy- chology of the convention perhaps resembles as strongly that of con vention of business men as that CT a labor organization. The conven- ton certainly does not indicate any large degree of militancy on the part of the labor movement in Amer ica at this time, nor does 1t 1ndl- cate that any important action VIII be taken except with due regard to the conflicting group interests or the crafts concerned.
 The lack of any well-defined oppo- sition to Mir. Gompers, traceable part .ly to the lack of any outstanding leader among the progressives, mas been emphasized. In fact. perhaps the most effective opposition has come not from the progressives put from the Hutcheson group of ultra conservatives.