New Britain herald., 1923-10-01
A. F. of L. Convention Re ceives Annual Report Which Encompasses All Activities of Labor Unions-Members Urged to Avoid Faseisti.like Or ganizations.

ment Of an industrial franchise com
 parahle to our political franchise
 must be the nsKt zeal Of the lahe
 movement the executive council Q
 the American Federation of Labor de
 eiared today In its report 10 the fed
 eratlon's annual convention.
 Warning Of the ''threst Of state m
 vaaon Of industrial lifs," the eounei
 aaserfed that the hour has struck fol
 "a pronouncement Of the aims o
 labor that shall more nearly express
 the full implications Of trade union
 ism."
 .The close of the war marked foI
 us . turning point in human rela'
 uons," the report said, and threw forth in bold relief the inadeauaey oi existing forms and institutions, Hence forth the movement for organization Of the workers into trade unions has a deeper meaning than the mere or ganisation of groups for advancement of group interests.
 "Henceforth the organization Of the workers into trade unions must mean the conscious organization Of one of the most vital functional clements for enlightened participation in a demo- cracy of industry whose purpose must be the extension of freedom. the en- frsnchisement of the producer as such, the rescue of industry from chaos, profiteefng and purely indi- udual whim. including individual Iin- capacity, and the rescue of industry also from the domination of incom- potent political bodies.
 The largest freedom of action, the fresst play for individual initiative and genius in industry can not be had under the shadow of constant incom- potent political interfersnce. meddle- someness and restriction.
 Through the muddling conflict Of groups who still find 1t impossible to come together in cooperation we must look to . future that must have its foundation upon cooperation and collaboration. The threat of state in- vaaon of industrial life is real. Pow erful groups of earnest and sincere persons constantly sock the extension of state suzerainty over purely indus trial fields.
 Such ignorant encroachments as Esch-Cummins act, the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations and the Colorado Industrial Commission act each blundering gesture of govern ment acting under the spur of organ ized propaganda or of political ap- petite for power, are examples of what all industry has to fear. The A@tt v.,ti, ,ts state regulatory powers under the gui5e of reform and deliverance from evil. can but lead into greater con- fusion and more hopeless entangle- ments. Trade unionism may lead the way for true progress, even at the cost of being branded as reactionary by those who do but little save pro- pound formulas based upon utopian thought and devoid of the benefit of experience and of any cognizance of our Fundamental social structure, our industrial life or our national char acteristics. We advocate organiza- ton of all wage earners and of all useful and productive clements.
 Strongest In America.
 Labor now participates more fully in the decisions' that shape human life than ever before and more fully in America. than in any other nation on earth; but our participation must be gradually brought to completion. The purpose of this is not only the com manding of better wages and better conditions of work, vital as those are and have been. The purpose that now unfolds is broader and nobler and filled with deeper meaning.
 < For the future industry must be- come something of which we have national consciousness. It must cease to be a disconnected collection .of groups, like states without a union. The future demands an American in dustry, in which it shall be possible for all to give of their best through the orderly processes of democratic, representative organization.
 The functional elements in our national life must fit themselves to work out their own problems, eradi- cate their abuses and furnish Amer lea with an ever-increasing flood of commodities, both necessary and pleasure giving. Industry alone has the competence, and it must demon- strate that competence through or- gAnlzation The organized functional elements in industry will find easy of solution those problems to which poll ticians now turn their attention in futility. Industry must organize to govern itself to impose upon itself tasks and rules and to bring order into it's own house. Industry must bring order to itself constructively. or 1t will have an order thrust upon it , which would be demoralizing if not fatal. Our people can not live and , thrive under the regime of bureau cracy that threatens unless industry i solves it's own problems.
 Industry, organized as we urge it [ must be organized, will begin in truth an era of service, rational, natural de- velopment and productivity unmatch- ( ed by past achievement or fancy" I Agriculture was urged to join in the 1 next developing step, although the 1. Council denied that it wished 10 of- a fer "unasked advice to those who oc- t cupy other fields in our productive T fife" It urged that the Federation continue to cooperate in every way with organized farmers. f
 Farmers More Interested. I During the past year." the report c aid, the relations between indus rial workers and productive agricul- .ure has grown tremendously. It is fl ,ur hope that the farmers will con- C inue their work of organization and hat we may give assistance in push ne forward the program upon which f re believe depends our future nation- .