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Show las rr.ay be essential to safeguard and j promote the rights, interests and f ree-j ree-j uom of the wage-earners." ' The call, issued by the federation's ( executive council and the heads of the i four railroad brotherhoods, declared labor I was confronted with "grave dangers at- i : fecting the very foundation of its struc- ture," and that it was imperative that : the responsible representatives of the j j workers agree upon "fundamental prin- ! , ciples' which will maintain "the right of j free men." Xo specific topics for discussion were outlined, but it Is known that pending anti-strike legislation will be one of the principal subjects. Other matters expected ex-pected to be taken up include collective bargaining and the right of organized labor to choose its own spokesmen as it sees fit, subjects which finally resulted in the dissolution of the national industrial conference called by President Wilson. The text of the call follows: ! "Nearly a month before the declara- j tion of war by the L'nited States govern- j inent, the executives of the national and international unions met in conference in Washington and then and there declared labor's at titude towards our government whether in peace or war, and labor made good. "The armistice was signed November 11, 1918. Automatically hostilities have ended. Technically we are yet in a state of war. The return of industry from a war footing to a peace bas.s is not readily read-ily accomplished. The patriot to fervor of our country in peril, brought about by the dangers which threatened the overthrow of democracy and freedom seem to have subsided. "In this critical reconstruction period labor fs confronted with grave dangers affecting the very foundation of its structure. So grave is tho situation regarded re-garded that at its recent meeting, the executive council of the American Federation Fed-eration of Labor and the representatives of the railroad brotherhoods agreed that the executives of the national and international inter-national unions should be invited to participate par-ticipate In a conference at the headquarters headquar-ters of the American Federation of Labor at 10 o'clock on the morning of December Decem-ber 3, 191!), and there to take counsel and to formulate such action as may be essential to safeguard and prompt the rights, interests and freedom of the wage earners, the workers, who form the great mass of the people of our republic. "It is imperative that the responsible representatives of the labor movement shall, therefore, consider the situation In the industrial and legislative field and agree upon fundamental principles and a program which the wage earners will accept ac-cept in performing their duties as citizens citi-zens and at the same time maintaining the righl of free men in order to conserve human interest and welfare. "We conferred with the representatives of the various farmers' organizations. The conventions of these several bodies will be held within the next thirty days. The representatives of the farmers, while in sympathy with the purposes of the conference, did not feel that they had the authority to append their names to th!s call. However, the formal communication communi-cation will be sent to their convention inviting them to appoint representatives to participate in the conference of December De-cember 13, with authority to speak in the name of the organizations they represent. rep-resent. , . "You are earnestly urged to attend the conference in person and thereby give the most effective and responsible expression ex-pression of the needs to meet the situation." LABOR CHIEFS CALL WASHINGTON MEETING TO DISCUSS SITUATION WASHINGTON", Oct. 29. Chiefs of the national and International unions affiliated affili-ated with the American Federation of Labor were called today to meet here December H3, "to formulate such action |
