Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-25
A. +. L. NAMING HEAD,
COMPERS AND LEWIS
BOTH CONFIDENT
Continued from page /.

crimination by certain unions against
the Negro and woman wage-enrnera
was bitterly denounced,
The committees report rejecting tho
constitutional amendment 10 give
women industrial equality" defends
the fedcration's stand on women In
industry and cited efforts te. get bet
ter wages and working conditions for
| them.
/ IL asserted only few nnions were
discriminating against woman, and fo-
that reason disapproved the amend
ment and urged those international
and national organizations which do
not admit women to membership to
give early consideration for such ad
mission"
Equal rights for women in industry
was voiced by delegates from the cigar
makers and the laundry workers
unions, who declared III a woman does
mans work she should receive n
mans pay" All said organized labor
should protect wcmen wage -earners.
w. ID. Mahon, president of the Anal
gamnted Association of Street Railway
Employees, asserted his organization
would not allow the Federation TO die
tate TO IL in the matter of woman labor.
He said he was in favor of protection
for woman workers. but he did not be-
live tho back platform of n street car
was the place for n woman"
The defeated constitutional amend
ment would have provided for the issu-
ance of n separate charter by the Fed
Grafton to a woman's local without the
..St tt,a bas
ton over the particular trade.
The Negro question arose on the re-
port of the Committee on Laws, which
disapproved n resolution calling for the1
suspension of unions that discriminat
cd against Negro workers. The com
mittee. however, was upheld by over
whelming vote.
Replying 10 a question from the floor
as 70 whether II was possible to force
any affiliated union to wipe out the
color line" President Gompers said:
THE American Federation of Labor
has previously declared that IL is the
duty Of all workers to organize, re-
gardless of sex. nationality, race. po-
litical belief or color. The Federation,
however. cannot force this view upon
individual or affiliated unions with
out their consent"
The convention called upon presi-
dent Harding 10 investigate the strike
riots at the Standard Steel Car Com
pany, Hammond. Ind. in September,
1919, and TO fix the responsibility for
the issuing of guns and the death of
four steel car workers.
The resolution charged workers were
shot down with riot guns furnished by
the United States Government. All
organized labor in the United States
was requested 10 unite 10 ASCERTAIN
the actual facts in relation TO the use
of these harbarous weapons and to fix
the responsibility upon such individual
officers, servants or representatives of
the Government who shall be found
respon sible for this great
outrage against legal and natural
rights
Enactment of legislation by Con
gress providing strict Federal con
troll Of the production and distribution
Of natural resources now privately
held and privately developed was de-
rsIandcd by the convention.
The executive officers were instruct
Cd TO exercise every legitimate means
10 obtain the enactment Of legislation
at once for such Federal control
through publicity or otherwise"
The convention voted down a pro
posal calling for approval OF six
hour day with an eight-hours' pay for
the worker. so as TO secure employ
ment for some of the mass of unem-
pioyed in our country"
The report Of the committee. which
was adopted, approved the idea in
volved in the resolution, but declared
that TO put IL into effect at this time
would make conditions in the country
more confused and chaotic"
The various international unions
were urged to consider the shorter |
work-day and take whatever action /
advisable. Federation officers were in
structed TO encourage them in their I
decisions.
Support was pledged by the Fedora
ton 10 the printing trades unions in
their fight for the 44-hour week, anll
.hc policy of supporting any organiza-
ion seeking the shorter work week
xas reiterated
John NJ. Mcfarland. president of the
Union, in an address or
he printing trades fight, said that his
irion was raising 100000 a week for
-