Montana labor news., 1933-11-23

The American Federation of Labor
stands firmly and boldly against rack
eteering and gangsterism of all forms.
1t is the particular duty of the officers
of the Federation and its Executive
Council, and its organizers and other
representatives, and the officers and
members of all international and ma
tional unions, state declarations Of la
Dor, city central bodies, local unions,
and of all other divisions of the trade
union movement, to use every means
within their power to prevent the en-
trance Of any form of racketeering or
gangsterism into any part of the
movement, and to purge it of any faint
of this menace which may have enter
ed into it in any part of the country.
The trade unions are an essential
factor in our industrial, economic and
social life. They are necessary to the
social welfare of the community.
They are the only means through
which working people can effectively
participate in the determination CT
their wages and working conditions.
Through trade unions alone is it pos
sible for the workers TO be adequately
represented at hearings and confer
ences relating to laws and public reg
ulations which vitality affect their in
t%erests. The trade unions are the
only medium through which the or
ganized voice of the workers can be
heard in a representative manner in
the legislative halls of the city, state
and nation. In a thousand ways,
trade union organizations, that is to
say, the organization of workers of
common or allied occupations for the
purpose of discussing their common
problems and needs, especially as re-
lating to wages and working condi-
tions, is Of such tremendous import
ance in the lives of the working peo-
pie that it is difficult to imagine any
thing that can be more dangerous to
the common wealth than the misuse or
perversion Of any of these ~organiza-
tions to purposes other than those for
which they were brought into exist
ence by their members. Through
them, the worker finds the means of
a happier and better life, that reach
es not only into his place of employ
ment, but into his home, to his wife
and ever to the very babe in the era
die. The progress he makes through
trade union activities enhances his OPP
portunity to secure for his children
the education to which they are en-
titled. 1t enables him to participate
more actively in the civic life of the
community. 1t means for him great
er freedom to make the sort of social
contacts so necessary to the fulfill
ment of life. Higher wages, better
sanitation, greater safety and shorter
work time at his place of employment
send him out to his home with more to
give to his family, a stronger, clean
er, healthier man, with time to sit at
his W fireside, to meet with his
neighbors, to assume his place il the
political life of the community, and
to participate in all of its social ac-
tivities.
There is certainly no place in any
of these splendid organizations for
gangsters OF racketeers or others who
would misuse the good name of the
trade union movement, or any Of its
divisions. President Green, the Ex-
ecutive Council and the affiliated ma
tional and international unions have,
whenever necessary, taken action in
particular cases of such a character
as to leave no doubt as to the attitude
of the American Federation of L 4bor
on this point. In view Of the fact,
however, that the question has been
raised at this convention, your COM
mittee has deemed it wise to present
this statement for approval here in
order that no enemy of the movement
may be in a position to say that the
convention failed to reiterate the po-
sition Of the American Federation of
Labor on this subject.
Your committee recommends that
this declaration of the committee be
adopted by the convention and that
the Executive Council be instructed to
send copies of the declaration to all
affiliated organizations for their in
formation and guidance in order that
action may be taken wherever and