The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-09
penn, CONF EREN nee
OF FOREIGN BORN
VERY SUCCESSFUL
Delegates of 100000 at
Harrisburg Meeting

N'0tt-iSlA aVI tiiG : iOtSCCloh VI 4 " SitSii
Born Workers held its firsa state con-
ference at Moose Hall here. There
were present about Is delegates rep
resenting 81 Local Councils, Labor
Unions and several fraterual and re-
ligious societies. comprising a-r,em-
heEship of over 100000.
Jeanette Pearl, the field organizer
for the National Council of Protection
for Foreign BoEn Workers, opened the
conference by outlining its purpose,
told hoW,--she was received by the
workers with much enthusiasm in all
the localities she had worked in, that
in nany.-1ocalities1an organization for
the protection of the foreign born
workers has been a long felt need
which now becomes a necessity owing
to the proposed laws to finger-print
and register the foreign born work
ers.
T. Patrick MacDermott of the u. NJ.
w. of A. was elected chairman for
the conference. MacDermott in a stir
ring speech called upon organized lab
or to fight the obnoxious anti-alien
bills that will come before the next
Congress. Attorney Robert Rosen-
berg of Harrisburg was then intro
duced.
Rosenberg said in part IF our fore
fathers in this country had passed
such stupid Legislation, many of our
great men of foreign birth could not
have contributed their valuable serv~
ices for the upbuilding and greatness
of our country"
A. Ramuglia representing the ma
tional office of the council explained
in detail the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the pro-
posed anti-alien bills, reading from
the bills some of the subtle provis-
ions. He pointed out the class char
acter of the legislation stating that,
"The purpose of the proposed laws is
to divide and set aside section of
the working class as more or less I'M
desirable, with the purpose in view of
keeping them unorganized." This
legislation is a well planned piece Of
work concocted in Wall Street for
general police surveillance of all work
ers," said Ramuglia.
A mass meeting was held in the
evening at Moose hall which was well
filled with serious minded workers and
liberal citizens.
DR.. r. w. Hoag, a member of the
American Federation of Teachers and
the former director Of the educational
department of the Pennsylvania Fed
Grafton of Labor was introduced by
Chairman Patrick MacDermott as the
principal speaker of the evening. DR.
Hoag denounced the proposed laws as
well as the proposers of the bills. He
said "the bills were introduced by
stupid and prejudiced southern gentle
men," He further condemned all such
legislation as being contrary to all the
traditions of America; and pointed out
that all such legislation was directed
at the worker. Dr. Hoag in conclud.
ing, called upon the intelligent trade
unionists and other liberty loving PEG.
pie to do all in their power in a lega
way to prevent the passage of such
legislation.
Glass Consciousness First.
Ben Thomas, the next speaker, rep
resenting the Philadelphia Council fol
the Protection of Foreign Born Work,
ers pointed out that class conscious
ness is more important to the work
ers than racial or national conscious
ness.
A resolution among several Others
was adopted calling on the A. f. Of
L. to initiate campaign of education
through it's affiliated organizations
with the end in view of uprooting dis
elimination and prejudice; the repeal
and defeat of all laws or proposed
laws discriminating against the for
eign born workers.
The naturalization committee pre-
sented draft of bill, which was
adopted, to be presented to Congress
that would make it more easy for the
foreign born workers to become nat
! ural1zed.
Need Funds.
One of the difficulties with which
the conference had to deal was the
question of raising sufficient funds tc
carry on the present work and fur
Their extend the organization. Stamps
are to be sold for this purpose, anc
organizations are called to do then
best in contributing funds so as the
work can be extended. Money should
be- sent Immediately to the national
office of the Council for the Protec'
ton of Foreign Born Workers, or Nina
Samorodin. Sec. room SIT, Al Unior
Square, New York City.