Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04
j. S. LABOR GAINS
TO NEAR MILLION
Membership Has Increased
10000 Since Last
Convention.

When the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor meets In
Atlantic City Thursday 1t will have be-
fore 1t figures showing a gain OF APP
proxirnately $50 900 members during the
nine months that have elapsed since
the last convention. s..
If a proportionate rate OF gain Is
maintained during the three months
remaining before the annual conven-
ton to be held in Toronto, the growth
for the wear will be a round million
members. At no time in the history
of the federation, except during the
World War, has there been anything
like this years rate OF membership
gain.
Present Strength 3,50o,000.
Secretary Frank Morrison puts the
nresent membership at 3,500,0OO. AS
usual this means dues-paying members
and exemptS those who retain MEMBER
ship but are not paying dues Ior one
reason or another. various nCeIn 70
tional unions have various reasons aos
are unemployment, lockouts, strikes ana
sunerannuation. At all times the mem
hershin officials point out, is actually
larger than the published inquire. .
The membership has not been ABOVE
2 1000 90 since 1928. The peak OF oo g
trifie over 10000 was reacneo III tSSo
after an upward surge tnaI nao , pvt
ranid and constant since 1913. WIN
1aSl the postwar slump set in: taxing
fine membership down to point wen
wider 4 600 900, while 1922 found the
federation with a membership OF only
a little over 100000. Since that time
there has been no great movement up
or down, though there has peen .
steady rise since the bottom was reacneo
" last wear President William Green
coined the double membership 1or
1924" slogan and the New Orleans con-
vention ratified a doubled membership
az this wears goal. That goal Will not
he reached and the cold figures may
not show a million members cameo.
they will not show quite three-quart.s,ts
Of million gained thus lar. Du. ene
true figures, allowing for various eA-
emntion from dues. probably Will rep
resent a real census Of the teoeraCon
membership.
No Spectacular Drives.
There have been no spectacular mem
bership drives with the exception OF the
drive to organize Southern textile WORK,
ers. but a large amount OF quiet ana
almost routine organizing work mas
heen performed. Federation onciaIs
noint out that the gain in mempefSn.,ip
is largely made up OF aooitlons nAe
those made by the machlnlSts, WHO nav o.. e
gone about organizing work during the
year in such a manner as 10 accom-
nIish what veterans regard as little less
Than a marvellous result. though TINS
has been done with no brass bands ana
no great public clamor: Not only mas
the position of the mach1nistS peen I'M
proved in railroad shops, put II mas
been strengthened materially In oeiiei
80 HNA
Most of the building trades nave
made real gains during the year. Inc
increase in total membership Is con-
sidered the more remarkable In the race
of the fact that some unions nave IoSO
since the last annual report
In addition to the membership ngures
which Secretary Morrison VIII nave aoi
ed with the task of formulating prac-
tically all of its annual report, dealing
with eyery subject in which labor Is
interested. leaving for subsequent el-
forts only those matters that are II,
such a process of change that no maj
report can now be made.
Politics to Be Discussed.
The work of the last political cam
naion will be before the council 1or
the formulation of report, which, II
nrecedent is followed. will tncluoe
recommendations Tor future poliCicdi
efforts. There is reason to believed that
the executive council will find satlstac-
ton in surveying the result OF its Ell
forts in the last campaign. Earlier TAD
ulations Of congressional results are
known to have given the federation
cause for qualification. 1t Is not evl-
dent that any change In policy Will DC
recommended.
If Vice President Matthew VOL lays
before the council an issue over Wnlcn
he has been much concerned the coun-
ell will have something to say relative
to the great and growing movement OF
American industries to foreign coun-
tries. Mr.. Woll points to some $50 large
corporations that have built branch
plants abroad and it is his point that
this movement has stopped large vol
ume of employment in America, Great
ing a like volume in other countries.
There is every reason to believe tnat
the review of legislative activities. In
cluded in every annual report. will con-
tain q verdict that in this respect labor
has had q successful year. 1t Is known
that 1t will recall no great defeat. even
IL 1t does not contain q record OF sue
cess concerning that Injunction bill,
which labor had hoped, above all, TO
Copyright. 1897