Evening star., 1922-06-14
ATTACK CHILD LABOR.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CINCINNATI, Ohio. June 14.-Or-
ganized labor again raised its voice
at the convention of the American
Federation of Labor here today
against child labor. coupling with
this an observance of Flag day.
DR.. Albert Freiburg of Cincinnati:
who has devoted years to study of
the, effects Of child labor; Florence
Kelley of the National Consumers
League. T. V. Mccullough Of the In
ternational Typographical Union.
William Green of the United Mine
Workers Of America, and Mary V.
Halas of the Woman's National Trade
Union League, were scheduled as
speakers.
The days program was opened by
the Central Labor Union of this city
presenting Samuel Gompers. resident
Of the federation. with an American
flag. The audience stood during the
ceremony, and with its completion.
Joined in singing America" and La
Marseillaise."
Then the delegates turned to the
program of protest against child
labor.
Mr. Gompers told the delegates that
as far back as 1881 in the first con-
stitution adopted by the federation,
a declaration was Incorporated for
the enactment of state laws pro-
hibiting labor by children under
fourteen years old.
Labor's program now. he said. was
to obtain adoption of a constitutional
amendment making possible a
federal child labor law.
Delegates favoring radical change
in the American trade union move
ment made their first move in the
convention today by introduclnR a
! resolution for the amalgamation of
existing unions by Industries into
single organiZatio
The resolution was intrnducted by
Z. H. Fitzgerald and others. repre-
senting the Brotherhood of Railway
Clerks. and proposed that the 'Ameri-
can Federation of Labor take the
necessary action toward bringing
about the required solidarity with other
ranks of organized labor. and as
a first step in this direction that the
various international unions be called
into conference for the purpose of ar
ranging to amalgamate all the unions
in the respective industries into sin
gle organizations. each of which
shall cover any industry"
A flood of resolutions were intro
duced for later consideration by the
convention. BY the time the conven-
tion was called to order, l13 resolu-
tions had been received.
w. O. Cline. delegate from the Ala
bama state federation. offered a reso-
luton proposing that the American
Federation of Labor take sides with
the farmers in their controversy as
to the acceptance OF the Ford bid
for the Muscle Schoals water-power
development. made by the govern
ment during the war.
The California state federation asked
adoption Of a resolution declaring in
favor of a ban or oriental immigration
by denying admission as immigrants
and permanent residents all aliens who
are ineligible to citizenship under the
laws of the United States"
Formation of central bank in Wash
ington with such branch banks as oc-
| casion may demand" was proposed by
a resolution of the Wyoming state fed
Grafton.
Several resolutions dealt with Rus
sia. The Brotherhood of Railway Clerks
asked that the American Federation of
Labor demand that the United States
! government recognize the present Rus
J sian government and that the State De-
partment negotiate a trade agreement
with the soviet. Similar resolutions Were
| offered by other delegates. while a reso-
| luton by Sara Conboy. secretary of the
! United Textile Workers. and others pro-
posed that the convention reaffiTm the
declarations of the last two conventions
| that the federation is not justified In
! taking any action which could be con-
strued as an assistance to or approval
| of the soviet government of Russia as
I long as that government is based upon
authority which has not been vested in
| it by popular representative nationa
| assemblage of the Russian people.