Evening star., 1936-10-31
JAMES 0'CONNELL,
UN|ONLEADER, DIES
Served % Years as Vice
President of A. F. of l.;
Funeral Monday.

James O'Connell, who for more than
q half century was one OF the coun-
try's outstanding trades union leaders,
during % years Of which he served es
vice president Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, died yesterday at his
home, 2126 First street, after an ILL
ness of nearly two years. He was IS
years old.
He also served as president Of the
international Association of Machin-
lists. president of the Metal Trades De-
partment of the American Federation
of Labor, chairman of the Commission
on Industrial Relations and in other
important national labor posts and
gained national and international
fame for his work in behalf Of Or
ganized labor.
High tribute to the service of Mr.
O'Connell was paid today by his fellow
workers.
IT have known personally and Of
ficially Mr.. James O'Connell for more
than As years." said Frank Morrison,
secretary of the American Federation
of Labor. He has rendered remark
able service to the wage workers of
North America. Perhaps the great
est service that he rendered was the
adjusting of labor grievances between
national and international labor or
ganizations during the period he was
chairman of the Adjustment Commit
tee of the conventions of the Amer
1can Federation of Labor.
He endeavored at all times to Gre
ate good will between men and be-
cause of that fact his fellow trade
unionists held him in the highest
esteem"
Educated in PENNSYLVANIA.
Mr.. OConnell was born in Miners
Vile, Pa, August %. 1858, and was
educated in the public school of Oil
City, Pa. He was married to Miss
Ellen Gallagher Of Geneva, N. Y,
June Il, 1886, and is survived by his
widow and four children.
His long career as a national trades
union leader began in 1891, when ne
was elected president Of the Interna-
tional Association Of Machinists and
came to Washington. where he made
his home continuously to the time IF
his death.
In 1908 he was elected president of
the Metal Trades Department of the
A. F. of L. and served in that Office
until his retirement because of i'll
health in 1884. He completed his
service as president of the machiniSts
in 1910, after 19 consecutive years of
leadership of the organization.
Mr.. O'Connell was elected third
vice president of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor in 1895 and served
continuously as third and later as
second vice president until 1918.
He was chosen one of the represent
atives of American labor at the Brit
ish Trade Union Congress in Plym-
outh, England, in 1899. In 1918 he
was appointed by President Wilson to
serve as chairman of the Commission
on Industrial Relations. The 15-vol-
ume report which this commission
produced after two years of labor is
regarded as the first complete work
of its kind and still Is used by labor
organizations.
Served During World War.
During the World War, Mr.. O'Con-
hell served as a member of the Exec
utive Committee on Labor of the
Council of National Defense.
He was one of three trustees Of
the American Federation of Labor
Building from the time it was built
in 1916 to the time Of his retirement
two years ago. During the last two
years he had been president emeritus
of the Metal Trades Department Of
the A. F. of L.
Mr.. O'Conne1 was Democrat, a
member of ST. Martins Catholic
Church and a member of the Wash
ington Board Of Trade and the Co.
lumbia and Congressional Country
clubs. He also was long prominent
IN the knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his widow, three
sons, Martin j., James, jr., and Rev.
Thomas E. O'Connell, and a daughter,
Miss Marion M. O'Connell.
Funeral services will be held at 9
am. Monday in st. Martins Church,
North Capitol and T streets.