The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-19
METAL TRADES
ASKED TO join
INTERNATIONAL
3 Delegates Coming to
Persuade u. S. Unions
BY LAURENCE TODD,
Federated Press Correspondent.

Federated Press Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Aug. II. -FP)-
Three fraternal delegates from the
International Metal Trades Federation,
WEose headquarters are in Bern,
Switzerland, are about to visit the
Snited States to bring an appeal to
me Metal Trades department of the
A erican Federation Of Labor that it
& / the European federation of work
Ell in that industry. The delegates
are Conrad Zig, general secretary; Sec
rotary Brownie of the Amalgamated
Society of Engineers-British repres-
entative in the Bern Federation-and
President Dissmann of the German
Metal Workers Union.
Years Negotiations.
These men are going to lay before
the convention of the Metal Trades
Department, in Detroit just preceding
the convention of the A. F. of L., their
arguments for American participation
in worldwide federation of the work
ers in the metal industry. They have
been in correspondence with President
O'ConneH and Secretary Berries of the
department, on this issue, for some
years. Nothing has come of the dis
cussion.
The International Association of
Machinists, comprising what was for
many years the largest single organi-
cation in the metal trades in this coun,
try, also correspondent with Secretary
Zig, and on one occasion President
Johnston Of the Machinists proposed
to Ilg that the metal workers take
steps to induce all governments to
turn their arsenals and navy yards in
to plants for the production of things
useful to humanity.
To Visit Industry.
Landing in New York on Sept. Is,
the visitors will be met by Arthur
! Holder, former editor of the Machin-
Its Journal and legislative agent of
he A. F. of L., who has been assigned
to them as secretary, and by William
Schoenberg of Chicago, general or
ganizer for the Machinists, who will
act as Interpreter for Herr Dissmann.
They will visit big industrial plants in
Schenectady, the Pittsburgh district,
Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit, study
ing American industrial conditions af-
fecting the production of electrical
equipment, steel, engines, general me-
tai manufacturers and automobiles.
After attending the convention Of
the Metal Trades Department and wit
Messing the opening sessions of the
convention of the A, F. of L. they will
return to New York, sailing on Oct. 9
for home.
Dr.. Klein's Confession.
In connection with their inquiry into
low American wholesale production is
Ieing developed, the statement of DR..
Ahlius Klein, director of the bureau of
Vbreign and domestic commerce, de-
partment of commerce, will be enlight-
ening. Klein agrees with the A. f. OF
l.. theory that the low standard of
living forced upon European workers
since the war is factor in the present
prosperity of American manufacturers
of goods sold abroad.
Regardless of deprecated Euro
pean currencies and low wages-in
fact, partly because Of the low stand
ards of living which they imply" saye
Klein, gloating over the situation
"the intelligence and resourceful
adaptability of the American manufac-
turer, backed by a firm policy as to
quality in goods and services as
against cut prices, have made place
overseas for American fabricated
wares which bids fair to continue its
steady growth"
Exports of finished manufacturers
from America during the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1926, were 16 per cent
more than in the preceding year, and
nearly three times as great in value,
or twice the amount in goods, as in
the average of the five pre-war years.
What About Heavy Industry?
The visiting metal trades unionists
will notice, however, that Klein does
not claim that American goods will
drive European competing goods from
the European market. What Klein
goes on to say is that European goods
will regain their old markets while
American goods OF special kinds, and
those based on quantity production,
will develop a bigger consuming-power
abroad as they have at home.
] n The visitors viii ply the American
rade union leaders with questions as
10 why, in view Of this industrial pros
perily in the United States, the trade
union Movement itself is not more in
duential ia Schenectady, Pittsburgh,