The Connecticut labor news., 1923-10-27
BY THE WAY
Comment and Criticism About Things Doing in the World.

There have been many constructive conventions of the American Federation of Labor but perhaps none was more obstructive and intent on building tor the future than the convention which has just ended its session in Portland, Ore
 From the very beginning, the conven- tion emphasized constructive work. Ii clearly and unmistakably demonstrated its determination to have nothing to do with destructive forces, and this soon made manifest, turned its activities to- ward strengthening the American Labor movement.
 First Ill importance, many think, was the covention's declaration for a deter mined, conscious crusade for industrial democracy, aimed to make industry as domestic as in our political life.
 Perhaps second in importance was the conventions decision to conduct a great organizing campaign, designed particu- larly to bring steel, textile and office workers into the ranks of organized la Dor, as well as to organize women work CTS and migratory workers. -.
 These decisions were a very small percentage of a long list of constructive decisions which are too numerous to even mention nthis column. It is sufficient to reiterate that the convention was con structlve from beginning to end. It made trade union history perhaps more than any previous convention.
 
 Reports from Washington that orders have gone out from the "Old Guard" to discredit Senator James Couzens of Mi chlgan give warning that the reaction aries will do everything in their power at the coming session of Congress to cast odiu1n on the progressive Senators and Representatives.
 What they will attempt was forecast by the campaign carried on against Mag nus Johnson The reactionaries and their newspaper organs pictured John son as a 'freeater," who made up for lack of braines by below that could be heard from his Minnesota praries to the man-made canyons of Wall Street Then Johnson came to Washington for a short visit and the reactionaries dis covered that he was really human be- ing after all. So different was the Far mer-Labors Senator from what he had been painted by his enemies that his foes were forced to admit their misrepresen- tation.
 But react1Onar1es never learn and they will undoubtedly try the same tactics on Couzens and sother Senators who place the interests of Big Business Members of organized labor should be on their guard and take stories designed to dis credit the progressive Congressmen with many, many grains of salt.
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 Recent news from London emphasizes more than anything else the difference between industrial conditions in the Uni ted States and in Great Britain While American workers have maintained their wage scales and standards of 1iviuU the British have had to accept lower pay in many instances and have had to contend with unemployment on a huge scale.
 There are now more than a million jobless men and to stem the rising tide of unemployment, the Government has been forced to sanction plans for under taking work which will cost at least $250,000,000. Organized labor here can congratulate itself that it largely escap- ed the troubles aff1icting the workers of Great Britain and that due to its strength and determination, it prevented the wage reductions such as have befallen British Worekrs in many trades since the World War ended