The National Women's Trade Union League ENDORSED BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION MRS. RAYMOND ROBINS, Chicago, President Convention proceedings edited by Alice Henry and S. M. Franklin Delegates to the Second Biennial Convention of the National Women's Trade Union League. On steps of Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois. CHICAGO, SEPT. 25 to OCT. 1, INCLUSIVE REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS MONDAY MORNING SESSION Headquarters. The daily sessions of the Convention were held in the Anna Morgan Dramatic Studio, Fine Arts Building, Michigan Avenue. The Convention assembled on Monday morning, September 27th, at ten o'clock. While the delegates were coming to order an orchestra of union women musicians discoursed pleasing musie from the stage, which was decorated with the banners of the National and Local Leagues and bowls of roses. At the close of their contribution to the programme the musicians were accorded a vote of thanks by the Convention. Opening. The President of the League, Mrs. Raymond Robins, declared the Convention open and in oicing Chicago's welcome to the delegates said: Friends and Fellow Workers: It is good that hose of us, who are engaged in this great strugle should come together from the east and from the west, to learn how best we may equip ourlves for the conflict. Let us counsel one with another, and take fresh heart of courage; for "as in water face answereth face to face, so the heart of man to man." The industrial struggle is not only the supreme struggle of our age, but is also the universal struggle, in which we know that no one country can win out alone. It is, therefore, with special rejoicing that we bid welcome to the fraternal delegates who are with us, those friends who come to us from our sisters across the sea, Miss Macarthur of London, the secretary of the British Women's Trade Union League, and Fraulein Margarete Schweichler of the Verband Kaufmannischer Angestellten of Hamburg, who represents the largest union of women workers in Germany. And because we like to tie up the past with the present, and also to look into the future, it is especially fitting that our Vice-President should open this meeting, as having been one of the founders of the Women's Trade Union League in Boston six years ago. Therefore, it gives me great gladness to present to you as your presiding officer, for this very momentous and historic morning, Mrs. Mary O'Sullivan, Vice-President of our National League. (Applause.) |