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Show irxvjtn v&iyjutsiTT Review o or 2 I tgj$- - Liaboir AcatixJZ$2fip EDUCATE ORGANIZE COOPERATE VOL VI; NO. .k3 w SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH. PTEMBER u 10. -- Labor Federation Meet In Session Four Days The Utah State Federation of Labor convention adjourned Thursday after being in session four days. Officers for the ensuing year were elected Wednesday afternoon. Paul M. Peterson of City, president of Mine and Mill Workers local No.. 99, and representative from Summit County in the 1935 state legislature, was elected president. His installation took place Thursday. , Harold G. Crose, Salt Lake City motion picture operator, was reelected secretary-treasure- r. George Dinsdale, of Ogden, who has been a member of the executive council for 21 years, was re P-ar- elected first vice president by ac clamation. The other members of the executive council elected are: Robert Henderson, Kenilworth, United Mine Worker, second vice president, by acclamation; John C. Forrester, Standardville, United Mine Worker, third vice president, by acclamation; 0. G. Spencer, Brigham City, fourth vice president; Tom P. Costas,. Park City, Mine & Mill Workers, fifth vice president (he formerly was sixth vice president); Eli B. Kelsey, Salt Lake City, Street Carmens union, sixth vice president (he formerly was fifth vice president); R. IL Fuller, Ogden Trades and Labor assembly, seventh vice president. fk AMERICA TIIE DISG - 13. 1935. Price: 5 Cents Per Copy ROOSEVELT ISSUES STATEMENT ON LABOR RELATIONS MEASURE arly show that 22 the Act Puts Into Law the Right of Workers to Organize iled in strikes and Says For the Purpose of Collective Bargaining and Provides for economic bet Methods by Which the Government Can Safeguard that mg the first six 35. Of these 17 were months ot Legal Right. white and five were Negroes, one of whom was lynched for his ac Employers Are Prohibited From Interfering With Labor OrganCompany-Promote- d Unions Are Outlawed izations tivities in organizing the share in Alabama. and Employers Required to Bargain Collectively With Emcroppers union Of the 22 workers killed, 13 were ployes' Representatives Chosen in Elections Based on Mamurdered during strikes, by najority Rule. tional guardsmen, thugs, and vigkilled in were Two ilantes. Gallup, velopment of the employment conBy A. F. of L. News Service. N. M., and this was followed by a tract on a sound and equitable PresiD. C. WASHINGTON, veritable reign of terror in which basis. By providing an orderly pro600 were arrested, ten of whom dent Roosevelt in approving the cedure for determining who is enLabor Relations titled to represent the employees, are held on charges of murder, and Wagner-Conner- y two investi of the' Bill issued on a statement it aims to remove one of the chief by kidnapping July 5, and the gators. scope of causes of wasteful economic strife. purpose regarding In addition to these 22 killed in the measure. By preventing practices which tend economic struggles, there have The bill contains specific inhibi to destroy the independence of labeen six lynchings of Negroes in tions prohibiting employers from bor, it seeks, for every worker the past six months; four in Mis- interfering with the right of their within- its scope, that freedom of sissippi and two in Louisiana. One employes to organize in bona fide choice and action which is justly arose out of the struggle of Ne- trade unions, outlaws company his. Functions of Board groes for the right to organize, and promoted unions, and make it ille others grew out of altercations gal for employers to use employ The National Labor Relations with white men. Only one Negro ment or employment terms to dis- board will be an independent quasiwas accused of attacking a white courage or encourage membership judicial body. It should be clearly woman." None of the lynchers have in any labor organization. understood that it will not act as been prosecuted. There are also provisions which mediator or conciliator in labor The recc workers other 5 - ANNUAL ADDRESS AT STATE FEDERATION CONVENTION By PRESIDENT M. I. THOMPSON President M. I. Thompson de- depression. We were faced with the livered his annual address at the most tragic situation of the naUtah State Federation of Labor tions history, with millions of convention Tuesday. He said: wage earners permanently unemFirst of all, I desire to take this ployed, and another several milopportunity to again express my lions partially employed; with more deep gratitude and appreciation to than 30,000,000 people men, wothe. officers and members of the men, and defenseless little chillabor movement who have so loyal- dren depending upon the cold ly cooperated with me in the up- hand of charity for their daily building of our movement in this crust of bread. With millions of State at a time when conditions! farmers in virtual bankruptcy, loswere critical and in the midst of ing their farms and homes by the the worst depression known in thousands, and a third of the banks of the nation being compelled to American history. When I wTas first elected presi- close their doors permanently. Misdent of the Utah State Federation ery, suffering, and starvation were of Labor in the Ogden convention stalking the land, (and he .people "in 1929, I realized that the task of were 'faced ' with desperation and filling that position would be the despair. This deplorable situation conmost trying and arduous I ever attempted. At that time, the labor tinued year after year, all through movement was all tom asunder, mv incumbency as president of the and the influence of the State Fed- Utah State Federation of Labor. The years from 1930 to 193? were eration was practically nil. At the 1929 convention there exceptionally dark, and discourag were only a few unions represented ing. with some 15 accredited delegates. New Deal Helped The income of the Federation was Not until President Franklin Deless than $25 a month, and even lano Roosevelt, as helmsman of our that little income came irregular- Ship of State, initiated the New Deal" program was there any hope ly. Situation of Deplorable any immediate easing of the bac Another phase which we had to conditions. Since the humanitarian consider at that time was the be- leadership of President Roosevelt, ginning of the worlds most serious we commenced to see a little sun- - REPUBLICANS SEEK TO SPLIT LIBERAL VOTE IN 1936 By James D. Graham, President, Montana State Federation of Labor A survey of the political situa tion shows that the Republican party, working through the U. S. chamber of commerce, is endeavoring to create sentiment in favor of a new party under the name of Farmer-Labo- r party in hopes that such a party will draw from the Democrat party sufficient radical, liberal voters to enable the Republicans to elect the president in 1936. The desire of the Republicans is to create a political situation similar to that which existed In 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt organized the Bull Moose party, split the Republican party and elected Wood-roWilson president. Had Tedremained with his Roosevelt dy" 1912 Democrat party the in party would have been defeated. On the other hand, Farley, the master politician of the Democrat party, is urging the formation- of a - farmer labor to into the Democrat coalition go next primaries year and nominate their candidates on the Democrat ticket. If Farley is successful in having the liberals and progressives go into the Democrat primaries, and should the be defeated at the priit will be too late to mary election, nation-wid- e a organize Outlook Dark Those who desire a labor party formed in this country are not reckoning with the internal situation within the organized labor movement. There is a cleavage within the A. F. of L. that is well developed, caused by jurisdictional disputes, the growth of sentiment for a vertical or industrial form of union and the desire for power by officials of the international unions who saw an opportunity to become powerful through the operation of the codes under the NIRA. With the internal situation In the A. F. of L as it exists at present, it is impossible to organize a labor party in this country which would have the undivided support of the local unions. Those who advocate the formation of a labor party at present desire a mollycoddle liberal, progressive, opportunist platform in the main calling for old age pensions, unempoyment insurance, the week; and nothing said about the abolition of the capitalist system. With the Democrat party a miserable failure and the Republican party still in the dumps the only policy for the Socialists to follow is to go forward with the fight to party after abolish capitalism, build up their the primaries that can be a factor own organization and prepare for in the general election. the big campaign next year. liberal-progressi- ve w liberal-progressi- ve liberal-progressiv- I'VVV es 30-ho- ur set up elections, operated accord- disputes. The function of mediation light behind the dark clouds of de- ing to the principle of majority remains, under this Act, the duty pression. The conditions have been rule, by which workers may choose of the Secretary of Labor and of improving little by little, so that their representatives for collective the conciliation service of the Dein this convention we have reason bargaining and makes it illegal for partment of Labor. It is important to feel justified in sounding a note to refuse to bargain col- that the judicial function and the employers of optimism and. hopeful encour- lectively with the duly elected mediation function should not be agement, and that there is abund- union representatives. confused. Compromise, the essence ant evidence at hand which shows of mediation, has no place In the Presidents Statement that the nation is gradually emergis the text of the interpretation and enforcement of Following ing from a period President's statement accompany- the Law. of distress and painful economic Scope of the Act ing the announcement that he had experience. We look back upon six signed the bill: This Act, defining rights, the years of unemployment, impaired This Act defines, as a part of enforcement of which is recognized human value, financial collapse, our substantive law, the right of by the congress to be necessary as and mounting losses during which of employees in both an act of common justice and the size of an army of idle men industry for the purpose of collec- economic advance, must not be and women fluctuated between ten tive $ndv provides misinterpreted. - It my. eventually, bargaining, and thirteen--millionTltose were fnethods by which the government eliminate one major cause of labor painful days for labor. For work- can safeguard that legal right. It disputes, but it will not stop all ing men and women were the chief establishes a National Labor Rela- labor disputes. It does not cover all victims of economic demoralization. tions board to hear and determine industry and laborf but is applicWords cannot adequately describe cases in which it is charged that able only when violation of the the mental and physical suffering this legal right is abridged or de- legal right of independent would burden or obthrough which they passed. Those nied, and to hold fair elections to days of darkness and discourage- ascertain who are the chosen rep- struct interstate commerce. Acment were both oppressive and de- resentatives of employees. cepted by management, labor and brave, Only the public with a sense of sober Collective Bargaining courageous pressive. men and women can pass through A better relationship between responsibility and of willing cosuch an ordeal and at the same labor and management is the high operation, however, it should serve time maintain their faith in the purpose of this Act. By assuring as an important step toward the the employees the right of collec- achievement of just and peaceful existing social order. We can say, without fear of suc- tive bargaining it fosters the de labor relations in industry." cessful contradiction, that through the encouragement of the American Federation of Labor, the Presi- CALIFORNIA OIL WORKERS FIGHT dent of this nation :ias put over a COMMUNIST DISRUPTION PLANS legislative program in the interest of the average man and woman which is bound to redound with Vice President Fred L. Phillips to right the most prominent abuses great benefits to all classes of peo- of the International Association of of speed up, low wages, etc. They are militant, and because loyal ple. We are safe in saying that the Oil Field, Gas Well and Refinery members of the organization fail last session of congress enacted into law legislation in behalf of Workers of America, regarding the to act as militantly, the sense of the men, women, and children of situation in California says: distrust which the communists this nation which is bound to make As usual the communistic ele have endeavored to stir up probour citizenship more secure and ment is once more raising its voice ably has some effect. Membership is Wise happy. In my opinion, never before and ugly visage to undermine the The leaders of the unions are was there enacted into law such a work being done by the bona fide beneficial program for the citizen- trade unionists. These red birds vilified for their efforts to stablize ship of this, or any other country, have gained membership in our an industry in order that wages, within the short peri ad of .a few Locals, publish their creeds far and those things most important to the months. wide, and, also, as is usual, seek to men who work, may have stability. Labor is Active belittle all improvements brought The acts of the committees and the Since our meeting in annual con- about by the earnest efforts of the men who are actually making the vention last year events have oc- leaders of the organization, backed fight for organized labor have been curred which have been of tremen- up by the loyal support of the real distorted in any and every manner dous importance to all wage work- trade unionists, so that they may possible. However, as our memberers. This year can properly be des- stir up dissatisfaction within the ship at large became more familiar ignated as one of unusual social ranks, in order to disrupt and null- with the methods, the operations, and economic experimentation. Or- ify all advances made to date. At the actions, and particularly the ganized labor has taken an active the outset of our membership drive results of this subversive propapart in all that has taken place, in California, in accordance with ganda, we find that they are inand has been affected eitler with the national program, they have creasingly prompt to take action. favor or disfavor, by all thei taken occasion once more to seek It is unavoidable, of course, that to destroy confidence in men who in the midst of an organization changes which have taken place. At the beginning of the .Roose- have endeavored to improve condi- drive pertain objectionable elevelt administration, when things tions of the workers. This has been ments will come into an organizanistra-tion were gloomy, and the done by inference in most cases, tion. The only way in which this was anxious to remove this and statements have been made an- may be cured is for thee memberacute situation, in the s ond ses- onymous in all respects which are ship as a whole to eject from memsion of the 73rd congre ss and in calculated to destroy the sense of bership anyone who has been the session that has jv t closed, responsibility of individual mem- accepted as a member while under additional improvementwere bers towards theier organization. false pretenses as to the beliefs made. The present la ws were In accordance with red in- of organized labor. This will be strengthened, by correct ng their structions, after the communists done." weaknesses and enacting new leg- have decided that they are going Because organized labor pracislation which experie ice had to be compelled to work with trade tices what clergymen preach, the of unions instead if as them, against absolutely taught nerjssary churches should use the union lato men all the important recovery, measures they are now urging bel all on their printing, the Rev. are union. were to successful. the inferring They join It isnt necessary for i le to jre-lat- e through their pamphlets that the Leon Rosser Land, Rabbi Sidney to the delegates of this con- prominent members of committees, Goldstein and the Rev. Bradford vention the heroic zeal with which the officers of the Locals, the inter- Young declared in a joint letter the administration endeavored to national representatives have prac- sent to 1200 Protestant and Jewish (Continued on page 4) tically laid down on all attempts pastors in New York City. long-continu- ed self-organizat- . self-organizati- on . -- - . Jf" |