STATISTICS OF MINES AND QUARRIES IN OHIO IN 1914.

A report just issued by the Department of Investigation and Statistics of the Industrial Commission of Ohio contains data on coal, clay, gypsum and iron mining in the state, and on limestone and sandstone quarries.

The maximum number of employes in the coal mines of the state during 1914 was reached in March, when 43,190 men were reported, while the minimum was reached in June, when but 5,331 men were employed. By December 28,319 employes were reported on the payrolls. In other words, of the number employed in March, only one out of eight was employed in June, while two out of three were employed in December. The number employed in March, however, was about 4,000 below the number required to man the mines when running at full productive capacity, as indicated by the average number reported employed during 1913.

The average number of days worked by pick miners in pick mines, and by loaders in machine mines, may be taken as a fair statement of the days during which pick mines and machine mines, respectively, were in operation during the year. Pick miners worked an average of 150 days during 1914, while during 1913 they worked an average

of 189 days. Loaders averaged only 101 working days during 1914, while they averaged 206 working days in 1913. Thus pick mines were in operation during 1914 for about five-sixths as many days as they were in operation during 1913, while machine mines operated during 1914 for less than half as many days as they operated in 1913.

Wage and salary payments during the year, as reported for more than 40,000 employes, aggregated $16,095,740.

Awards under the Workmen's Compensation Act were made during the year for 2,066 accidents in coal mines, of which 51 resulted in death, one in permanent total disability, 62 in permanent partial disability, and 1,952 in temporary disability. The total amount awarded in these cases, including death benefits, compensation, medical and hospital expenses, and funeral expenses (exclusive of medical and hospital attention furnished employes by firms carrying their own insurance under Section 22 of the Act) was $242,824.31.

The coal production during the year was 18,736,407 tons. It was only slightly more than half of the production for 1913, and smaller than for any year since 1899.

The report contains similar data for the other mine and quarry industries of the state, with the exception of accident data, which are shown for coal mines only.

Pursuant to law, the regular meeting of the Thirty-fifth Annual Convention of the American Federation of Labor was called to order at 10 a. m. Monday, November 8, by Mr. Daniel C. Murphy,. President of the San Francisco Labor Council, in the spacious auditorium of the California State Building on the Panama-Pacific International Exposition Grounds in San Francisco, who, in accordance with the usual custom of the opening ceremonies of all conventions of the American Federation of Labor, called upon a member of the clergy, the Most Reverend Archbishop Edward J. Hanna of San Francisco, to invoke the divine benediction upon the convention's deliberations; after which he introduced Mr. C. C. Moore, a representative of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition Directorate, who in his official capacity extended a welcome to the convention in behalf of the exposition management.

Owing to other engagements on the part of others who were to address the meeting and the consequent necessity of allowing them a certain stipulated time in which to meet them and in deference to their wishes, the program as originally arranged was not adhered to, so the chairman next called on President Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor, who, while somewhat

taken unawares on account of being called out of his turn, nevertheless responded in his usual vigorous manner, making what many considered one of the best speeches of his career.

The following other speakers addressed the convention in the order named: Hon. Hiram W. Johnson, governor of the state of California, on behalf of the state; Hon. James Rolph, Jr., mayor of San Francisco, on behalf of the city of San Francisco; Mr. H. D. H. Connick, Director of Works of the Exposition, who during its construction came much in contact with the organized labor forces engaged in its construction, and who testified to the pleasant relations existing between the Exposition management and the local labor organizations, making possible the completion of an enterprise of such magnitude without practically any industrial strife, which goes to prove that regardless of the magnitude of any enterprise, industrial strife between organized employers and organized workmen can be avoided and the enterprise successfully carried out, provided both sides are willing to be absolutely fair and honest with each other; P. H. McCarthy, President of the San Francisco Building Trades' Council and former mayor of San Francisco, and Daniel P. Haggerty, Presi

dent of the California State Federation of Labor, at the conclusion of whose address Temporary Chairman Murphy turned the convention over to President Samuel Gompers, who duly declared the convention in order and in session.

The report of the Committee on Credentials, reporting 329 delegates from 85 international and national unions, 24 state branches, 63 central bodies, 21 local trade and federal labor unions and seven fraternal delegates, was next read and adopted.

An abstract of the report of the Executive Council, giving in as brief a form as possible a concise statement of the activities of that body and of the officers of the Federation, was next read by Vice-President Duncan, after which the convention adjourned to reconvene in Eagles' Hall, the permanent convention hall down town, Tuesday morning, November 9.

The convention was called to order the following morning in the above hall, where it remained in session until all business coming properly before it had been transacted.

In the appointment of standing committees, your delegates were honored with assignments as follows: Committee on Rules and Order of Business, E. William Weeks; Committee on Resolutions, E. M. Ware.

Upon the report of Secretary Morrison and Treasurer Lennon, covering the finances of the Federation, the Auditing Committee appointed in accordance with the laws of the Federation to audit and examine the books and accounts for the term beginning October 1, 1914, and ending September 30, 1915, reported as follows:

Per capita tax...

Supplies

RECEIPTS.

Disbanded and suspended unions

and fees for charters

issued ..

not

2,000.00

"American Federationist".

One-cent assessment

$110,632.39

We audited the accounts of moneys received from the appeal issued by the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor, December 3, 1914, for the International Glove Workers' Union of America to assist the Glove Workers on strike in Gloversville and Johnstown, N. Y., the United Textile Workers to assist the Textile Workers on strike at Atlanta, Ga., and the Western Federation of Miners to assist in the legal defense of 39 members of the Western Federation of Miners in Calumet, Mich. We found that there was received at American Federation of Labor headquarters $6,371.91 in response to the appeal. This amount was disposed of as follows:

Forwarded to the Glove Workers'

ers' International Union.... $2,126.25 United Textile Workers.. 2,084.90

We find that the above balance, $391.50, is on deposit at the Riggs National Bank, to the credit of Frank Morrison, Trustee.

The foregoing tables correspond in all detail with the books of the American Federation of Labor and we therefore pronounce them correct in all respects.

The report of the committee was adopted. In the abstract of the Executive Council's report read to the convention and later printed in the official proceedings, two references of importance to our organization were made, viz.: Attention was called to the status of our jurisdictional disputes with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers. These were referred to the Adjustment Committee, who later reported on these subjects as follows:

Painters Railway Carmen.

"Your committee finds that owing to illness in the family of the President of the Carmen's organization, he was unable to attend the convention, and by mutual consent the Painters and Carmen have agreed to a postponement for the time being in order that a conference may later be held by representatives of the organizations at inter

est.

"We recommend that this request be granted.

Carpenters-Railway Carmen. "Your committee finds that owing to illness in the family of the President of the Carmen's organization he was unable to attend this convention, and by mutual consent

the Carpenters and Carmen have agreed to a postponement for the time being, in order that a conference may later be held by representatives of the organizations at inter

est.

"We recommend that this request be granted."

The report of the committee in both cases was unanimously adopted.

During the third day's proceedings, interesting addresses were delivered by the following fraternal delegates: Messrs. C. G. Ammon and E. Bevin, representing the British Trades and Labor Congress; Fred Bancroft, representing the Canadian Trades and Labor Congress; Miss Agnes Nestor, representing the National Women's Trade Union League; Miss Anna Fitzgerald of the Women's International Union Label League; Rev. E. Guy Talbott, representing the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ; Jerome Jones, representing the Southern Labor Congress, and last, but not least, Fraternal Delegate B. Suzuki, who, with his colleague, S. Yoshimatsu, represented the Laborers' Friendly Society of Japan, a general organization of labor in that country.

Needless to say, all these addresses were edifying and instructive, so much so that we recommend they be published in full in later issues of the Journal when space permits.

As time and space preclude the possibility of referring in detail to every important action taken affecting the interests of every affiliated organization and the movement generally, your delegates can only give the salient features of action taken affecting the interests of our organization, but in doing so, may have to refer at some length to action taken in connection with disputes between other organizations which directly or indirectly have, or may have, a bearing on our status as an organization affiliated with the Federation.

As stated by Delegate Ware in another part of this issue, the only resolution introduced by your delegates was the resolution known as No. 15, which reads as follows:

"Resolution No. 15- By Delegates E. William Weeks, E. M. Ware and W. J. Adames of the Brotherhood of Railway Car

men:

"Whereas, The men engaged in the repairing and building of cars, trucks, and other railway equipment, are compelled to work a large part of the time in rain, heat and other inclement weather because of inadequate shelter to protect them from same; and

"Whereas, Such conditions are injurious to the health, safety and comfort of such employes; and

"Whereas, In several states in the Union efforts have been made to have remedial legislation enacted, requiring railway companies to provide adequate shelter for such employes, and have failed because of the combined opposition of the railways; and

"Whereas, The railways are interstate concerns; therefore, be it

"Resolved, That we in convention instruct our President and Legislative Committee to have introduced in Congress a bill requiring the railways to build adequate buildings over their repair tracks for the protection of the men engaged in the repairing or building of cars, trucks and other railway equipment."

The Committee on Resolutions to which the above was referred reported thereon as follows:

"The committee recommends that Resolution No. 15 be amended to read as follows:

"Whereas, The men engaged in the repairing and building of cars, trucks, and other railway equipment, are compelled to work. a large part of the time in rain, heat and other inclement weather because of inadequate shelter to protect them from same; and

"Whereas, Such conditions are injurious to the health, safety and comfort of such employes; and

"Whereas, In several states in the Union efforts have been made to have remedial legislation enacted, requiring railway companies to provide adequate shelter for such employes, and have failed because of the combined opposition of the railways; and "Whereas, The railways are usually interstate concerns; therefore, be it

"Resolved, That we in convention instruct the Executive Council to co-operate with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen in having introduced in Congress a bill requiring the railways to build adequate buildings over their repair tracks for the protection of the men engaged in the repairing or building of cars, trucks and other railway equipment."

The report of the committee was adopted. As stated by Delegate Ware elsewhere in this issue, the amendment recommended by the committee and adopted by the convention places the responsibility of introducing this bill up to the Brotherhood, the Executive Council to co-operate in securing its enactment whenever it is deemed advisable to introduce same, which was satisfactory to your delegates.

Of the 157 other resolutions bearing upon every conceivable subject of interest and concern to individual affiliated organizations and the movement generally, changes to the laws and subjects dealt with in the report of the Exectuive Council, your delegates were more or less vitally interested, largely on account of the bearing the action taken on each would have upon our organization, and in the final disposition of them, casting their votes each time, both on roll call and otherwise with that object always in view, in the following: The jurisdictional dispute over the question of tool sharpeners, members of the Tunnel and Subway Constructors' International Union, an organization similar in character and nature to ours, a purely industrial union engaged in the construction of tunnels and subways, and the Internation

al Brotherhood of Blacksmiths and Helpers, the Blacksmiths claiming jurisdiction over these men and demanding they be transferred to their organization.

The Philadelphia convention, acting upon the recommendation of the Executive Coun. cil on this subject, decided that these men properly belonged to the Blacksmiths and directed that conferences be held between representatives of the two organizations, with a view of reaching some amicable understanding. Conferences were held, but without results, thus leaving the entire matter up to the San Francisco convention. The Adjustment Committee, to whom the subject matter was referred, reported as follows:

"Your committee finds that the decision rendered by the Philadelphia convention and by the Executive Council during the year in connection with this controversy has not been complied with by the Tunnel and Subway Constructors, and your committee, therefore, recommend that unless the Tunnel and Subway Constructors comply with the decisions heretofore rendered within ninety days of the adjournment of this convention that the charter of the organization be withdrawn."

After considerable discussion pro and con, a roll call upon the committee's report, in accordance with the law when the revocation of a charter is involved, was had, with the following result. For the committee's report, carrying with it the revocation of the charter, 9,763 votes; against the committee's report and against revoking the charter, 7,774. As the law requires a two-thirds' vote to pass a recommendation or motion to revoke an organization's charter, the committee's report therefore was not adopted. For obvious reasons, as much as your delegates would have liked to have obliged the Blacksmiths, a sister railroad organization, by voting with them, we felt we could not consistently vote to revoke the charter of an organization similar in character and nature as ours, for refusing to hand over a substantial portion of their membership to another organization, thus destroying their effectiveness and solidarity; hence we voted "no" unanimously' as the records will show.

On the controversies between the Machinists and Carpenters, Sheet Metal Workers and Carpenters: in the former case, the Carpenters claiming jurisdiction over the erection and installation of every imaginable class of machinery and having failed to comply with the directions of the Philadelphia convention to cease from their unwarranted and unlawful extension of jurisdiction, assumed by them without the consent of the A. F. of L. or by conferences and agreements with affiliated organizations, the Committee on Adjustment, to whom this subject was referred, reported as follows:

"Your committee finds that the action of the Philadelphia convention as provided for in Resolution No. 152 of that convention has not been carried into effect by the Brother.