New-York tribune., 1921-06-14
Defies Open Shop Forces
in Address at A. f. of
l.. Convention; Urges
w World Disarmament
Year Shows 100000
Membership p Loss
Eight and Half Millions
Spent ON l,634 Strikes:
Wage Cuts Denounced

DENVER, June 13.-President Sam
uel Gompers, addressing the opening
session of the forty-first annual con-
vention of the American Federation OF
Labor here to-day, declared that the
enemies of labor and the advocates of
the "open shop" had failed to crush
organized labor, and the ranks of the
American trades union movement held
intact. Similar sentiments were ex-
pressed in the report of the executive
council Of the Federation.
A year of progress was predicted for
1921, President Gompers declaring that
"before the next snow falls we shall
have passed the 100000 mark in the
American Federation of Labor"
Closer alliance and cooperation be-
tween the organized industrial workers
of the country and the farmers were
urged by the veteran labor leader in
"order that we shall not be crushed by
the reaction of industrial captains c,
princes Of finance"
For World Disarmament
Urging worldwide disarmament
President Gompers said:
81 believe that the time Will come
and we have earnestly striven and we
will continue to strive for the time
when there shall be total disarmament
in all the countries of the world anc
that disarmament will be based upor
universal agreement"
He made an emphatic appeal to the
workers to unite in opposition to the
movement designed to create depart
ment of public welfare.
The labor leader urged the delegates
to discuss the questions confronting the
convention with moderation, with in
tcrest, with intelligence, with intense
feeling, always driving at the just
point"
"While we love every human being,
he added, mo matter where he may
have been born or where he now re
sides, and will help as best we can
there is one principle from which
feel we cannot depart America first
President Gompers also paid high
tribute to the memory of John Golden
former president of the United Textile
Workers, and Milton Snellngs, presi
dent of the Steam and Operating Engi
neers' Union, who have died during the
last week. At his request the delegates
and visitors stood in silent meditation
for one minute.
Frank Morrison showed the member
snip of the Federation to be 3,906,52
as compared with 4,078,74O in 1920, i
was stated that the ranks of organized
labor had increased, as this report dit
not include thousands of members nov
involved in strikes or lockouts or un
employed.
1884 Strikes in Year
The secretary's report showed tina
there had been 1854 strikes during tn
year, involving 191, ,934 members, cost
ing S8,462,17 The Federation defens
fund showed balance of s161,217.
The convention adopted resolution
to be submitted to Congress protesting
against the Scott bill now pending
which, it was alleged, would increas
the length of the navigation season OF
the Great Lakes, reduce the number o
skilled seamen employed on ships an
increase the hours of labor. This ac
tion was proposed by delegates of tn
International Seamens Union, who de
clared that the bill would eliminat
provisions in the seamen's act an
would increase the dangers incident t
navigation.
The report of the executive counci
was presented by James Duncan, o
Quincy, Mass, first vice-president. |
was Immediately referred to commit
tees for consideration.
CounciPs Recommendations
The councils report covers wild
range of subjects and includes nearly
score Of specific recommend ation'
Among them are:
That the railroad situation be nves
tigated by national commission, con
sisting of seven representatives each O
/ the public, the stockholders and classi
| fled labor, with view to recommend
i ing remedial legislation to Congress.
That the executive council be author
ICED to conduct an investigation with
view to recomm ending at the next con
vention a policy as a basis for wag
measurement as opposed to the presen
plan of fixing wages in relation to tn
cost of living.
That the Federation indorses a join
resolution to be presented in Congress
proposing an amendment to the Con
! stitution under which all measure
finally enacted by Congress would b
Continued on page four)