The New York herald., 1922-06-14
Continued from First Page.

bership figures given for the American
Federation of Labor for the last year
and found in the annual report of the
executive council submitted to the con-
vention yesterday Mr.. Gompers said.
1T may be that on their face and with
out examination they seem to show a
loss of about 71O.S93 members in the
year.
Even II that actually were the case.
labor's showing would be most credit
able. in view of the bitter opposition we
have had to meet.
The truth is that we have no way
of really knowing whether we have loss
that many members, and the fact may
be that we have lost none at ALL
I'm 1920 the year in which our men,
bership was highest. we reported 4.O7S.-
7io. We now report 3,195.651. One fact
to which I wish to point is that is "A
membership of more than a million over
the figure for the last pre-war year.
Those unions which seem to show
loss are the unions most heavily en-
gagged in war work. fortunately no
longer necessary. War plants are closed
and in some cases whole industries are
out of business. Thousands of workers
have been forced into other occupations
Navy yards are q good example.
Uncertainty Regarding Loss.
"But there is this feature which makes
1t impossible to know whether we have
lost and which makes 1t certain that we
have not lost anywhere near the num-
Der OF members indicated as lost on the
face of the figures.
National and international unions
pay their per capita tax to the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor on the basis
OF the dues collected by them from their
membership. Those men do not collect
from men and women who are out of
work
Taking account of the spirit of tho
movement. our strength is greater than
ever for there Is to-day In our ranks a
militant attitude and a solidarity and
unity never equalled.''
The position of the British miners
was described by Herbert Smith, acting
president of the British Miners Union.
He said:
I'm Europe many countries have
reached their zenith. Industrially and
politically their suns may have set, but
there Is no reason why their people
should go down into poverty and misery
because of the more vigorous develop
ments of newer and more favorably
placed nations.
THE American labor movtment. like
America itself can be great and vast.
but 1t cannot be so great as to neglect
to perform it's part in the great world
effort to bring happiness to humanity"
Il. T. Poulton, also fraternal dele
gate from Great Britain. urged closer
relationship between the labor organiza-
tions Of all countries.
Mr.. Poulton and Mr.. Smith have been
delegates to the American Federation
of Labor conventions for more than
twtnty years.
Mr.. Poulton said he had heard men
who ought to know what they were
talking about" predict that greater
war than the world war would be fought
within ten years. He said II was UP
TO organized labor to see that such a
conflict was impossible.
Ernest Robinson. secretary of me
Canadian Trades and Labor Congress.
made an appeal for an international
AngloSaxon Union. embracing the
United States, Canada and Great Brit
ain.
James F. Dalton, Louisville labor
leader. took the floor to invite the con-
vention to attend the laying of the
corner stone OF Louisvilles $780,
Labor Temple next Sunday.
The child labor situation will be dis
cussed by the convention tomorrow.
Speakers will include Senator La Fol-
lette, Mrs. Florence Kelley. one of the
hackers of the original child labor law.
and DR.. Albert II. Freiburg of Cincin-
natl. who will describe the physiological
effects of labor on children.