Evening star., 1922-06-12
Open Shop, Wage Cuts, Russ
Recognition and Court
Decisions on Agenda.
PRESIDENT, CONGRESS
AND JURISTS ATTACKED
Gompers Declares Service to
Masses, Freedom and Progress
to Guide Deliberations.
BY the Associated Press.

CINCINNATI. Ohio, June 12.-The
| open shop, unemployment. wage re-
ductions. recognition of soviet Rus
sia, the one big union, court decisions
and injunctions affecting labor, and
| other subjects formed the major is
sues that confronted the American
Federation of Labor, which convened
here.
| The report Of the executive coun-
ell on many of these issues was ready
| for presentation to the delegates.
| No debate was on the program for
| the opening sessions because of the
preliminary routine and introduction
of resolutions, some of these possibly
| presenting new issues. Delegates
here for the opening were elected to
number 500. forming what Samuel
| Gompers. the federation president,
described as the parliament of
! labor"
| Our consideration of industry and
| industrial problems" said a formal
statement by Mr.. Gompers. forecast
/ ing the conventions work, will be
from the point of view of service to
/
sideration Of political problems will
| be from the point of view of freedom
and progress for humanity"
The big National Guard armory.
! far removed from the city's business
| district. is the seat of the convention
town. marched to it for the opening
session at 10 o'clock. A thousand
! flags formed the decorations and a
| band of 100 pieces played the ac-
I
america as the first item on the
| program.
After prayer by the Rev. Father
Peter Dietz, the program centered
about series of welcome addresses
by Mayor George P. Carrel. Secre-
Fedora ton of Labor. and others. end
ing with Adolf Hummer. the tenn
porary chairman. presenting a gavel,
made by Cincinnati carpenters, to
Mr.. Gompers.
Addressing the convention. Mr.
was mot in a mood to have constitu-
tional rights and privileges taken
from us by any subtle reasoning or
assumption of power, no matter
! whence 1t emanates."
| Labor demands. Mr.. Gompers con-
| tinued. employers meet in. conference
| for settlement of disputes, but. he
| said, genuine conference was impos-
| sible unless both sides meet on equal
! ity.
Asserting that labor was confronted
| by foes, Mr.. Gompers added that I'VE
| do not becloud our minds now and
fool ourselves into any fancied Sc
curity
| Discussing the disarmament confer
| ence, Mr.. Gompers said that not much
| had been accomplished compared with
so much that needs to be done, but
he added, that a beginning had been
made toward ending war. He advo-
Gated the abolishment Of submarine
| chasers as well as dreadnaughts. as
| serting that the little fellows can
put up about as good a fight as the
| big ones"
Organized labor throughout the
world, he concluded. had made the
greatest contribution toward limiting
armament"
Year of Strife.
The record of organized labor's ac-
complishment in "a year of unusual
strife and unusual Industrial depres-
| sion" was laid before the convention
| in the report of the fetieration's ex-
| ecutive council.
| The report declared that American
| labor during the year not only suf-
| fered from the widespread unemploy-
ment that existed but was beset "by
| opponents more active and deter
mined than ever
The report explicitly and pointedly
! criticized Congress and of some state
| legislative bodies. Fault was found
| with the action of some courts, in
Guiding the Supreme Court, end with
| what was described as President
Harding's proposal to regulate trade
| unions.
The report declared that in the
! direct labor field, workers in a num-
! ber of industries have been compelled
| to resort to cessation of work. be-
cause organized /. employers" were
unwilling to meet workers In con
| ference" The most important in
stance was declared to be the cause
of the existing coal mine strike, al
! though troubles in the textile. gar
ment printing. granite, and packing
| house industries also We're cited.
I'VE submit that it is vital that
there be a return of good faith in
! industry. If it is impossible to have
! faith in pledges, then the industrial
structure will be undermined
! Turning next to courts, the council
! protested most emphatically against
such unjust and inhumane decisions"
| as that of the Supreme Court void
ing the child labor act.
| Instances of most fragrant abuses
| of equity power" were declared to be
/ contained in Federal Judge Ander-
sons order at Indianapolis, enjoining
| continuance of the check off" system
, of collecting miners union dues, and
| in Federal Judge McClintic's. decis-
| ion in West Virginia against strikers
of the same union in that state. This
latter decision the report character
| lied as conclusive evidence that the
! injunction, as used, is devoid of all
| sense of fairness and decency.
! The executive council described its
renewal of non-partisan political
| campaign organizing In advance of
| the fall elections and expressed sat
! isfaction over the wonderful enthu-
siasm expressed" by every local or
| ganization of labor. THE campaign
i effort will be to focus votes behind a
program of Opposition to compulsory
labor law" and Opposition to injunc-
tions and contempt proceedings as
/ substitute for trial by jury" the
council said.
| Congress II Attacked.
Congress has proved that only
| those who are well-to-do or control
great interests can induce 1t to lis
| ten," the council said. Unless there
His a change in the personnel (of the
House and Senate), people can pre-
| pare themselves for still greater suf-
fering and injustice"
State legislative bodies also were
| taken to task in some cases, chiefly
| in the matter of compulsory arbitra-
tion laws. The Kansas Industrial
court was described as IAN utter
! failure" and similar legislation in
lGo.iIIilA-s vi ! ass =. column t.l
I 7 4