The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-14
PAT HARRISON TAKES SHOT AT HARVEY
GOMPERS PREDICTS
YEAR OF PROGRESS
in RANKS OF LABOR
Says Advocates Of "0pen shop"
Have Failed 10 Crush
Labor Unions.
fRY Ths Assselatsa Pr,s.. J


DENVER. Colo, june ia--t'reatdent
samuel oompers. addressing the open
inE session or the forty first annual
convention of the American Federa-
tion of Labor said the advocates OF
the open shop had failed % crush
organized labor. and that the ranks o.
the American trades union movement
held intact similar sentiments wers
expressed In the report q the execu-
tive council % the federation.
A year Of progress was predicted
FOR 1871. President Gompers declaring
that before the next snow falls We
shall have passed the 5000 900, marx
in the American Federation of Labor.
Closer alliance and cooperation be-
tween the organized industrial work
ers 81 the country and the farmers
was urged By the veteran labor leader
IN "order that We shall not be crushed
by the reaction Of Industrial captains
or princes Of finance"
The frst official action % the con-
vention was 10 adopt a resolution 20
bs submitted 90 congress protesting
against the pending Scott BIN which
"a was alleged would increase the
length - the navigation seas0n on the
great lakes reduce the number OF
skilled seamen employed on ships and
Increase the hours - labor.
The convention unanimously adop-
ted 4 declaration % the executive
council calling upon All local ard tn
ternational unions 10 aid tho Pueblo
food sufferers Urging world wide
disarmament IN his address at tho
opening Of the convention. President
Gompers. said.
"a helleve that the time will come.
and we have earnestly striven and we
viii continue 20 strive for the time,
when there shall be total dlsarma-
ment - AL the countries 0f the world
and that disarmament viii be based
upon universal agreement"
lie made an emphatic appeal 70 the
workers 10 unite n opposition to the
movement designed 20 create q de-
partment % public welfare.
Under the pretsnzs of trying 60
create q department % public welfare
Il r. seriously proposed 90 destroy the
department ~ labor ana the depart
ment 81 agriculture. he said. NO one
can f0rotell where reaction leads As
a matter % fact these are the only
two departments IN the government
~ the United states that represent
az all the producers ~ the wealth ofI
our country. and Il - seriously pro-
posed 10 destroy these two depart
ments."
The labor leader urged The delegates
% discuss the questions confronting
the convention with moderation. with
interest. with intelligence. with IN
tense feeling. always driving &c 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 a. best We can.
there e one principle from which ri
feel We cannot depart--' America first
President Gompera also paid a high
tribute 90 the memory Of John Golden.
former president % tho United Tex
tile Workers. and Milton = NetinRa.
president ~ the steam and operating
engineers union. who have died dur
ing the last week Al his request the
delegates ard visitors stood IN silent
meditation Tor one minute.
The report ~ the executive council
was presented BY James Duncan ofl
Quincy Mass. fret vice president ~
covered the many important issues
confronting organized iabor-the open
shop waEe reductions. Irish question.
relations with foreign trade union
movements. antf-labor legislation. lm
migration. high cost of living. railroad
situation and scores ~ other major
problems This report with its recon
mendations was Immediately referred
20 committees for consideration.