New-York tribune., 1922-06-13

our government and the democratic
/ Institutions OF our country.
Labor. as labor. has not been the
only sufferer. There has been q gen.
cral feeling on the part Of predatory
interests, and it has been explicitly so
expressed. that they are in the saddle
and propose 20 play 90 the utmost the
role OF cOnQucrcT. Thus what our
movement has beer compelled 10 meet
has been a condition in which preda-
tory powers have sought to break down
all resistance in every quarter and 20
enrich themselves at the expense OF
the whole people. No experience has
testified so eloquently 10 tho funda-
mental soundness OF our organizations
and TO the manner in which they serve
the workers.
Attacked From Two Sides
"Wc realize fully that we shall be
compelled during the coming year 10
face the same forces that we have
faced during the last year. but we
shall fight with a greater confidence
because o. the record that has been
made.
"It should be borne in mind that our
movement has had 20 resist attacks not
only from one side, but from both
sides-from the extreme renctiouary
and predatory powers on the one hand,
and from the extreme revolutionary
and destructive forces on the other
hand. The TRADE union movement has
in reality stood as the great consiruc-
tive democratic force, typical Of Amer
lea. between the hres Of two dcstruc-
tive extremes. each extreme hating the
other. sometimes consciously IN secret
alliance and sometimes uneonseiously
and in ignorance
The first item presented is tho re-
port OF Frank Morrison. secretary OF
the Federation. on the subject Of
finances This shows that the Fcdcra-
tion during the fiscal year beginning
May /. 1921, and ending April 30, this
year. received a total Of S76i ,382.75,
on hand on April 80 OF Sl9s. .794.6s.
Membership Loss of ss3,io5
There follows one of the most in
teresting parts Of the entire document
on the topic OF membership OF the
unions affiliated with the Federation.
This shows that. whereas the tota,
membership in 1920. the Federat.on's
banner year. was 4.07s,7i0. IL dropped
this year 30 3,lg5 ,G35. loss Of $50 ,lO5
members.
ION April 80. 1921. we had 94i local
unions directly chartcd by the Fed
GRAFTON. as distinguished from the
locals affiliated other9ise)," reads the
report "Or tho same date this year
We had GG6--a loss Of 275 locals"
The report MAKES no explanation Of
these losses. but independent analysis
shows that. while they are serious. they
are not 30 vital % would first appear.
In 1916. it is shown, the total member
ship was 2.O721O2. This was the year
before the United States entered the
World War. Therefore. the figures for
1620-4.076. .740-show that the Fedora
tion almost doubled is membership in
the five years Of and Immediately after
American participation IN the war.
Thus IL will be seen that although the
1922 figures show the 3.l05 loss, as
compared 70 those o. 1920. they rep
resent q gain OF l.122933 By CONF
parison with the pre-war figures OF
1916.
Supreme Court Attacked
Following presentation of the report
Of Daniel J. Tobin. treasurer Of the
Federation. the document goes on 20
attack the United States supreme Court
In strong terms for It's decision hold
ing the Federal child labor law as un-
constitutional
perhaps ono OF tho remarkable
features connected with this decision"
the report says. "is tne fact lat the
first child labor law decision vas By
the bare majority Of one five 10 four
decision. while this later decision had
only one dissenting opinion. that Of
Justice Clark. II would. therefore, seem
that the Supreme Court OF to-day is by