A Source of continual irritation in Canada, not only in industry and business, but among the great mass of the people, is the existence of affiliations of foreign organizations in labour ranks and the influence, upon Canadian workpeople and their affairs, of unions with their headquarters and greatest membership in the United States. Trades-unionism has made giant strides in Canada in the last twenty years, more than doubling its membership,’ but to-day international labour unions have three times as many local branches and members as Canadian central labour bodies (largely founded by former members of international unions who for various reasons severed their connection with the parent bodies and are for the main part in direct opposition to the international organizations), and twice the local branches and members of all Canadian labour bodies taken together.

Without going into instances or details the objections to such a situation can readily be appreciated. Under existing conditions Canadian labour, and indirectly Canadian business, can be dictated to by United States organizations possessing the balance of weight and power and Canada, perhaps against her own will and her own best interests, involved in labour wars which may be politically inspired across the border or waged purely for the benefit of workers in a foreign country. A feeling has long been gathering strength that Canadian labour should be organized in purely Canadian organizations and Canadian workingmen be free from foreign dictation and possible exploitation.