Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-07-24
FUTURE OF AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF LABOR
icontinued from Pace TwOl

ANeneAuAcu rum Aasc A#ol
came the American Federation of
Labor.
The aim OF the American Federation
Of Labor is for the advancement not
only Of the wage earners and people
generally OF this country but of the
entire world, in fact for all humanity.
The first convention Of the Fedora
ton declared:
I'VE believe the gaining Of higher
] wages an a shorter workday to be the
| preliminary steps toward great and
accompanying improvements in the
condition of the working people,"
That convention also declared for
compulsory education, against child
labor, for national eight hour law,
against contract convict labor, the
abolition of the struck system" in the
payment of wages, for a mechanics
lien law, the repeal Of all conspiracy
laws as applied TO the organizations
Of labor in the regulation of wages
and hours Of employment, for a bu-
reau Of labor and statistics and an
immigration law to prevent the impof-
tation of foreign laborers under con-
tract.
Objects Not Yet Attained.
From the date of the Organization of
the American Federation Of Labor UNI
til the present it has persistently fol-
lowed the declarations Of that conven-
ton and Of all others that have been
held. But all its aims and objects
as yet have not been fulfilled. There
always viii be work for the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor.
In 1910 the American Federation
Of Labor declared:
"Organized labor contends for the
Improvement Of the standard of life,
to uproot ignorance and foster educa-
ton, to instill character and manhood
among our people, to bring about a
recognition of the Independence of the
modern life of man and his fellow
man. 1t aims to establish a normal
workday, take the children from the
factory and the workshop and place
them in the school, the home and the
playground. In word the unions of
labor, recognizing the duty of toll,
strive to educate their members, to
make their homes more cheerful in
every way, to contribute an earnest
effort toward making life the better
worth living, to avail their members
Of their rights as citizens and to bear
the duties and responsibilities and per-
form the obligations they owe to our
country and our fellow-men. Labor
contends that in every effort to
achieve its praiseworthy ends all hon
orable and lawful means are not only
commendable but should receive the
sympathetic support of every right
thinking man."
When appeals were made to con-
gress for remedial Legislation labor
was met with constant rebuffs. It
was then determined to make an APP
peal to congress and the president of
the United States in which the griev-
ances Of labor would be set forth. That
was in 1906. The Bill of Grievances
submitted contained the following:
"As labor's representative we ask
you to redress these grievances, for it
is in your power to do So. Labor
now appeals to you, and westrust that
it may not be in vain. But. if per-
chance you may not heed us we shall
appeal to the conscience and the sup
port of our fellow citizens"
Following the submissionsof the APP
peal the American Federation of La
Dor adopted the following:
"We will stand by our friends and
administer singing rebuke to ZEN
and parties who are either Indifferent
or negligent or hostile"
Great Progress Made.
Since that time 200 laws supported
by labor have been enacted and large
number Of ininiical to labor and the
people have been defeated. That could
not have been accomplished if there
ad been no American Federation of
Labor.
As long as there are men who seek
employment and men who desire to
hire there win be differences Of opin-
ion as to working conditions. 1t will,
therefore, be the duty of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor to aid the
cause it represents, the basic princi-
pies Of which have come down to us
IN the struggles Of laborsfor thousands
Of years. And these struggles will
continue to be necessary.
The American Federation Of Labor
is . necessity. It viii continue to
urge improvements in the standards
Of our people. And to that end it
must be ever wakeful. It viii con-