Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-21
CONSERVATIVES RULE
IN LABOR MEETING
BY RALPH BARTON

DENVER, Colo. June 18.-"Pro
gressives" in organized labor have
found small comfort in the move
ment of events at the convention of
the American Federation Of Labor
to date. 1t has been distinctly a
Gompers show, with the "oId guard
of the movement dominating every
activity and the familiar Gompers
views and opinions much in evidence
in the speeches.
1t now seems probable that the
"progressives' will devote their en-
ergies mainly toward obtaining rep
of the federation, for the council is
body with very real powers, and
membership in it implies consider
able influence in the direction of
the affairs of the American labor
movement.
The strongly entrenched conserva-
tism of the federation has been well
brought out in the convention. 1t
must be admitted, however, that the
attitude of the convention is not nee
essarily that of the rank and file,
for politics have their place in la
Dor as well as in every other human
activity, and the fact that conserva-
tives have so long been in power
gives them an important advantage.
Long before the convention open
ed the report went out that William
H. Johnston, president of the Ma
chinists' union-who is now in Eu-
the executive council. Whether this
report was set in motion by the pow
, ers that be in the federation in order
minimize the opposition to. Mr..
Gompers, or whether there is a
stronger foundation for it, will prob
ably appear within few days. 1t
will not be surprising, from present
indications, if the convention runs
The resolutions which have met
real favor at the convention have
been those of conservative character,
Mr.. Gompers, in his remarks on dis
armament was platitudinous rather
than constructive and perhaps his
most interesting suggestion was that
the federation would nave five MIL
lion members by the endeof the year.
1t seems probable Ahat such resolu-
lions as are likely to strengthen the
federation as an organization Will pc
adopted, but those concerned with
the labor movement in the large are
likely to be rejected. 1t is lmprob-
able, for example, that the fedora
ton will take any action toward sup
port of the Bank of North Dakota
despite Mr.. Gompers' advocacy OF
closer relations between working
men and farmers, or that any real
measures will be undertaken for the
establishment of chains of labor
banks, labor newspapers or TABOR
motion picture theaters.
The rejection of the one Dig
union" idea, even in the very innoc-
uous form in which the resolution
was presented, shows that the craft
unions are decidedly jealous of their
prerogatives and are not disposed to
Weld any privileges for the sake OF
| united action with other crafts. The
renewed denunciation Of the labor
Internationale by Mr.. Gompers and
his associates, in the face OF the
| strong disapproval of the 1nachln-
shows that there is approaching
something that may soon resemble a
real rift in organized labor; Tor IL
| does not seem probable that the
somewhat advanced views or the
| machinists can be made permanently
to to- reconcile themselves to the at
| titude, for example, of the. carpen-
| ters, as manifested by their presi-
dent, William Hutcheson.
| The matter of government owner
] ship of railroads may lead 10 some
| sort of test of strength, but the
! psychology of the convention per.
| haps resembles as strongly that OF
| a convention of business men as
that of a labor organization. the
| convention certainly does not lndl-
cate any large degree OF mllltancy on
| the part of the labor movement IN
| America at this time, nor does 1T
| indicate that any important actlon
| will be taken except with due regard
to the conflicting group interests of
| the crafts concerned. ....-.
The lack of any well-defined oppo-
| sition to Mr.. Gompers, traceable
| partly to the lack of any outstand-
| ing leader among the progressives,
has been emphasized. In fact, per-
| haps the most effective opposition
has come not from the progressives.
but from the Hutchinson group or
| ultra