New-York tribune., 1921-06-13
Labor to Meet
Crucial Issues.
Says Go1npers
Federation Convention Will
Mark Milestone i'm Ma
tional Progress" Leader
Assures the, Public
Reelection Not Opposed
Unemployment, Open Shop
and Railroad Situation
Are Held Chief Problems

! DENVER, Juns 12.--The forty-first
annual convention of the American
Federation of Labor, which opens to-
morrow, will be gathering for the pro-
motion and development of American
welfare and freedom. President Samuel
Gompers, of the Federation, declared in
a statement tonight.
This convention, the veteran labor
leader said, would mark "milestone
in our natioGal progress would deal
with the great post war issues cor
fronting organised labor, which are tc-
day in the balance at the crucial
moment, where the die must be cast
one way or the other"
More than 500 delegates from the
United States and Canada were assem-
bled for the meeting, which probably
will continue two weeks. ]. H. Thomas.
president of the Railway Workers
Union of England, is here to represent
as al fraternal delegate the workers of
Great Britain in the British trade
union congress.
Opposition to Gompers Fades
Despite many reports that President
Gompers and his administration would
De opposed for reelection, up to to-night
there had been no open indication Of
such movement. While John J..
Lewis, president of the United Mine
WORKERS, doomed as a candidate for rhe
presidency by the anti i-Gompers forces
declined to make any statement. it wa $
understood that he would not oppos o
the labor chief.
The delegates to the Machinists'
Union cannot vote for President Com
pers' as they are instructed by the
convention of their international or
sahization not to vote for any officer
who is an "activc or honorary member
OF the National Civic Federation, ;,
Ihey, however, have not announced anv
intention of putting candidate in the
field. - '''e
The machinists' delegates also are
instructed to vote for the passage of
resolution providing for the election
! of the officials and members of the
executive council of the Federation bv
general referendum vote of all or
ganlzed workers Of the country. Thev
also want the Federation reorganized
along industrial instead of craft lines
making it great industrial congress.
Railroad Men to Confer
Leaders of railroad organizations
and several other unions, it was learned,
were planning to confer to decide
whether they would put candidate in
the field for a vice president. Last
year these organizations attempted to
get this representa- ton on the Fedora
tons executive council, but failed.
The greater issues before the oonven-
ton, as outlined by President Gompers
tonight, include:
The condition of unemployment, of
which estimates run as high as 5,OOO.-
| 600 workers.
"The unAmercan movement to
crush labor and blast it's spirit through
what is called, with miserable disregard
for the truth, the open shop movement.
The railroad problem, involving the
nations chief means of transportation. -
The Immigration problem, with its
vital bearing on American standards of
living and of citizenship.
THE problem of Russian affairs.
the cancer that is eating at the vitals
of world civilization.
| THE problem Of how best to meet
conditions brought about by court de-
cisions, problem unhappily not de-
creasing in importance and for that
reason demanding more than usual at
tention.
New Demands Pressing
Added to these are the constructive
demands which labor must voice with
endless repetition and with growing in
telllgence and emphasis, the problems
that will be brought forth by the dele
gates affecting the trades and callings
of the workers. the relationship of
American labor to international bodies,
the consideration of suggestions and
proposals looking to the marking out
OF new work and new programs of
action"
Disarmament, the Irish question and
the high cost of living also will occupy
outstanding positions on. the Fedora
tion's program.
The adoption Of a resolution calling
upon Congress to take steps to bring
about worldwide disarmament will be
unopposed, labor leaders declared, as
the convention in 1913, 1914 and 1919
went on record as fayorinp interna-
tional disarmament.
Two factions of Irish sympathizers
have developed among the delegates.
one is preparing a resolution demand
ing that the Harding Administration
'mme edlately recognize the Irish re-
public, that Great Britain withdraw her
troops from Ireland and that she also
>FAJ iAAihSuiaLSiy Ine 5S,VUU U,UUU,OU
lent her by the United States. The
other group is preparing similar reso-
lutions, but demand that President
Gompers take steps to put any action
OF the convention on the Irish question
into effect
Woll Appeals to Labor Press
The labor and trade union press of
America must dedicate it's resources to
assisting the trade union movement in
establishing world peace, in repeal.
ing restrictive wartime laws and in
combating attacks of anti-union inter
ests, Matthew Woll, president of the
international Labor Press Conference
declared in his annual report made
public tonight.
This report, which will be presented
tomorrow to labor press conference.
reviewed the attitude of the American
press towards organized labor and
made recomm endations designed to
promote greater labor press move
ment. Delegates representing the
labor union newspapers and publica-
tions of the United States and Canada
VIII consider the document.
Kansas Miners Will Strike