New-York tribune., 1922-06-14
Labor Convention Sends lis
Opposition Resolution TO
President Harding, the
Cabinet and Congress
Union With British Asked
DELEGATE Suggests
Move 10 Effect Inierna-
tional Conditions and Pay
Bv Gilman Parker

American NI y NWIIiH Ut NN| fNI|iN.N
% the truly American taXraycr," or
garized labor to-day went on record as
opposing that measure and forwarded
resolutions II adopted on the subject
% President Harding, the Cabinet and
Congress.
Attacks on the bill and adoption o.
the resolutions constituted The chief
action % the day taken rs tho Amcri-
can Federation o. Labor convention.
The next most important consideration
Of the delegates was that given 90 q
proposal By II. II. Smith, one OF the
two fratcrral delegate 90 the conycn-
ton from The British Trades Union
Congress, shat the organized workers
OF the United States and Great Britain
"join in such international movements
as will be ot lasting benefit TO all con-
cerned'
Candidate Fight Looms
Unofficial but dependable adviccs
from Chicago were tnat the wage cuts
% be announced by the United States
Railroad labor Board III the case of
members OF the brotherhood of Rail-
way and Steamship erks. Freight
Handlers and station Employees will
amount % az least ten per cent for
clerks and more than that for some
other classes Of workers holding mem
bership in that brotherhood.
The railroad unions affiliated with
the federation, dcsirous Of obtaining
representation Of the rail workers on
It's executive council, were reported 10
have decided 20 place Joseph A. Frank
lin, president o. the Boilormakers'
Union. as a candidate for council mem
bership against Daniel J Tobin, the
transfers chief. who also is treasurer
Of the federation. The friends Of Iobin
expressed confidence they would be
able 10 rc-elect him.
Retaliation with the federation was
said 70 be sought by the brotherhood
Of Maintenance Of Way Employees and
Railroad shop Laborers
Because Of ding on
the part Of some newspapers as 10 the
executive council report announcement
that organized labor sustained men,
bersh losses during the last year,
Samuel GOmpers. president Of the
federation, issued q statement substan-
tiatlug the independent analysis Of the
losses made yesterday by The New
York Tribune, in which 10 was shown
that while the movement lost more
than 500 900 members since its banner
year, 1920, it gained about 100000
during The war period, and therefore
continues 20 hold more than l,OOO,OOO
OF its war gains"
Presentat on Of the resolutions on
the ship sNbsidy bill was by James
duncan. first vice president OF the fed
Grafton. After they were brought be-
fore the convention for action the bill
was assailed in fiery address By An
drew Furuseth, president or the Inter-
national Seamcns Union. who termed
IL "the most scientific iooting scneme
ever promulgated and declared that
"sea power lies chiefly IN men and not
IN ships"
After the "cunrirly devised scheme
statement the resolutions 50 on 20
picture the bill &C. measure to pro-
vide patronage which IS certain 20 be
used for purely poitlcal pur-o 0"'
declare that it is "being widely mis-
represented as necessary 30 -.e .a
tonance and upbuilding Of the Amer
lean merchant marine
'1nimiCal to Public
The resolutions conclude as follows;
Whereas, the facts are that It's en-
actment into law will bring about
condition under which all managers
and operators Of ships must regard
business. and efficient management as
secondary consideration Of compara-
lively little importance, and the claim
that ship subsidies are necessary TO
equalizc the cost Of operation between
foreign and American vessels is de-
ceptivc. and cannot be substantiated
except in cases where such inequality
/ exists, because American government
officials have failed, and are failing,
properly 70 enforce the existing Ameri-
can laws, intended 20 promote equaliza-
non, this being especially true Of the
aw known as the La Toilette seamen's
Let; therefore be IL
Resolved by the American Fedora
ion Of Labor. in regular convention as
scmbled. that the said ship subsidy bill
-e condemned as inimical TO the public
interest. and particularly destructive TO
hc nations hopes and aspirations for
sea power
In urging more united action be-
ween the workers Of America and
agland, Smith spoke IN part as fol-
ows:
British labor has, since the armi-
stice, gone through one Of the greatest
crises in It's history. To some extent
this may also be true Of Ameri
can labor. Unemployment Ngurts IN
America are bigger than those OF Brit
ain, although they are less in proper
tion TO the total population than they
are in Great Britain.
Attacks British Rule
Last year and the year before more
industrial war was experienced in
Great Britain than In many a decade
before. Employers seemed TO take It
into their heads that even the pre-war
privileges and those that had been Sc
cured during the war must be taken
away"
Smith then went on 20 review the
history OF the British industrial strug
giles OF the postwar years, depicting
that Of the miners, whom he heads, as
the greatest he attacked the British
government for what he said had been
rs abandonment Of the industries when
the need for war organization passed,
and "for stupidly believing that the
more wages were received among those
who arc employed the more quickly the
wheels Of industry would turn-a
great fallacy IN which IL has been clev-
criy encouraged by the Federation Of
Employers Of Labor"
This policy. he said. had reduced the .
purchasing power OF British workers
NJ 70 than 70 nor cent croaf in n, uror1-