The Connecticut labor news., 1924-11-22

SldnQlnS pO11llS II1dQc by tle eXcCuI1Vc council of the American Federation of Labor in it's report to the Federation's forty-fourth annual convention, held here. The report points out that the year since the Portland, Ore, conven- ton of 1923 has seen steadye for ward march of organized labor and a cheering growth of constructive and progressive thought in the nation. Organization Gain Is Seen. "The year. says the executive council in it's introduction to the re- port, has witnessed many dramatic developments affecting wage earners and the labor movement itself has wit messed steady progressive move ment toward better organization, a life in all it's important aspects.
 'tIt is with immense satisfaction that we note the growth of constructive and progressive thought on every hand, perhaps the healthiest sign on our whole horizon. It is obvious that there Is today a greater understanding of the aims of labor than ever before, a greater and deeper sympathy with la bor's purposes and aspirations and finer spirit of cooperation.
 Educators, to cite an example, have arrived at better understanding of labor and they have during the year %hoi interest by inquiry at the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor for information and counsel, as well as regarding methods by which they might be helpful.
 Labor's Position Wins New Friends.
 There has been a marked weaken ing of the cold wall of bigoted opposi- ton on every hand Labor's position has won new friends and defenders and has challenged the admiration and sympathy of great numbers who have during the year come to better un- derstanding of our movement
 Tt is not only the policy of our movement regarding what are gener- ally known as purely labor measures that has won for us this growing un- derstanding and friendship; the posi- tion of our movement on broad meas ures of social and industrial progress has been equally productive of under standing and goodwill.
 Open Shop" Drive Reported in
 Retreat.
 '.The militant determination of our together with this promul- gation of democratic constructive policy in our industrial life has re- suited in the almost complete elirnina tion of the so-called "open shop movement as an aggressive force. That movement is, of course, not dead, but it is, and for the past year has been, in retreat It has been overcome by organized determination backed by the weight of vastly superior and purely American philosophy. We look with a considerable measure of satisfaction upon the developments i'll this field and we believe we may safely look forward to a continuance of that healthy and constructive trend.
 No Standing Still in Labor's World.
 Tn the world of life and labor nothing Is static-there IS no standing still. If we are not to go backward, we must forge forward. This we have done during the year just passed and this we must do in the year to come with even greater intelligence, deter imitation, and vigor. We are each day convincing the wage earners of our country of the supreme necessity of trade union organization. We are likewise convincing great numbers of those who are not wage earners in similar manner, thus building up sustaining body of opinion for progress