The Chicago Federation of Labor decided at its meeting last Sunday that it would not hold its regular Labor Day parade this year. This method of publicly displaying the strength of organized labor was declared to be antiquated and a waste of money. The Associated Building Trades adopted a similar resolution, and with these two leading organizations opposing it, there is little probability of a parade this year or next.

President Fitzpatrick led the opposition against the parade. He advised the unions to save the money which would be required to pay for uniforms, banners, coaches, and bands, and use this money to build a strong defense fund.

"About $500,000 is being paid annually by the workers of Chicago for these parades," he said. "This money is wasted. Let us take the five dollars that every union man would probably pay for uniforms and establish a strong fund.

We can use such a fund in the defense of labor as we did in the case of the teamsters, at a cost to us of $60,000. We will obtain better results that way than by exhibiting ourselves in a parade on Labor Day."

The older labor leaders supported Fitzpatrick, and delegates from several of the oldest and strongest unions in Chicago stated that they were tired of parades. Leland P. Smith of the committee on law moved that an autumn festival be held to take the place of the parade. The festival should be held during the three days preceding Labor Day and one of the days should be dedicated to the National Women's Trade Union League for the promotion of its plan to establish a fund for financial assistance to members about to get married. The motion was not adopted, however.