OCR Text |
Show HEALING BALM ; I ON WOUNDS 1 1 Labor Leaders Recall 1 1 Staieieets. . . I Socialist Element in Fed-- j eration Convention With- draws Charges. Bitter Controversy at California Meeting Has Been Brought IH to Happy End. IH SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 22. DIrputes , ! regarding trade jurisdiction occupied IH most of the time of the delegates to the American Federation of Labor ln to-day's to-day's session. There was . a ripple of yesterday's exciting proceedings when upon the opening of the session two resolutions, Introduced by Delegate jH Victor Berger, leader of the Socialists, were presented for consideration. Ono of these provides for abolishment of jH the militia as it now exists in the jl United States, and the substitution of il the Swiss system. The convention over- ll whclmlngly defeated the measure. The second Socialistic resolution asked the Federation to go on record as being In favor of petitioning Congress to pass a bill providing for an old age j pension for worklngmen. This measure jH was also defeated. Berger Makes Statement. The convention accorded Delegate Victor Berger the floor under a suspen-slon suspen-slon of the rules that he might make a statement regarding the aspersions cast by the contents of a printed slip from his newspaper office upon Samuel Gompers and John Mitchell. Denied Authorship. Healing balm was poured on the wound when Mr. Berger stated that not only did he deny the authorship ln-ferrlng ln-ferrlng that Samuel Gompers and John Mitchell had been traitors to the cause of labor, but that he knew nothing about the charges and was not in sympathy with the same, and regretted the incident that caused the 111 feeling , of yesterday. Stricken From Records. John Mitchell thereupon arose and asked to have stricken from the records the statements made by him to tho ef-feet ef-feet that unless Mr. Berger proved his charges he must stand before the con-ventlon con-ventlon stamped as a liar. iThe con-ventlon con-ventlon gave Its unanimous consent to this procedure amid applause, and o IH ended the bitterest controversy yet waged on the floor of the convention. A great number of resolutions regard- Jl lng trade Jurisdiction were Introduced and debated upon. In but few Instances we're agreements reached. , 1 Bitter Fight Waged. jH The most bitter fight was waged over , t IH the differences between the boiler- ljH makers and the structural Iron workers. The matter was finally compromised. 1 A score of other disputes between the H crafts were referred to the executive IB council for final adjustment. The dls- H putes ln each Instance pertained to defining classifications of occupations. IH The woodworkers and painters both IH claimed Jurisdiction over finishers, but H the grievance committee sided with the H woodworkers. The committee was. over- Hl ruled by the vote of the convention. In H a like manner the upholsterers were H given Jurisdiction over the carpet-layer." H and mattress makers, and blacksmiths H over men of their craft working with ll wagon-workers. H Disputes Occupy Much. Time. H It Is believed that these trade juris- IH diction disputes will occupy most of thft iH time of the remainder of the session. H In tho matter of a boycott of a New B Orleans labor paper by tho New Orleans H central labor body the convention went H on record as being strongly opposed to H any abridgement of the freedom of the HH press, and voted that unless the boycott JM was raised the charter of the central IHH body would be revoked H Thanked for Their Aid. HH D. C. Copley, a member of the cxecu- J tivc council of the .Western Federation IH of Miners, addressed tho delegates, H thanking them for their aid ln the re- H cent struggle ln Colorado and express- H inr- tho how that tho day was not far H distant when all of the labor organlza- lions of the Nation would be amaJga- H mated Into one grand federation. H Boycotts Recommended. H The committee on boycotts recom- mended tho placing of a number of H firms throughout the United States on H tho H Will Take Trip up Bay. H Tomorrow the delegates will take a jH trip up San Francisco bay and visit the IBH Mare Island navy yard, where they will ll bo given an oportunlty to see the plant IH ln operation and to visit the dismantled H Russian cruiser Lena. At night a mass JHI meeting will bo held, at which President HH Gompers, John Mitchell and other lead- H |