II.
1. The first national federation of trade unions was founded in 1835, less than ten years following the formation of the first city centrals and beginning of the labor movement.
2. This federation was called the National Trades' Union and was organized on different principals than the American Federation of Labor.
3. It was composed of city centrals over whose action it had considerable control to the extent of even requiring them to contribute to a national strike fund.
4. But the labor movement was still too unstable for permanent organization so that the National Trades' Union was short lived.
III.
1. The spirit for national organization of unions persisted, however, so that thenceforth attempts were made periodically.
1. Of these the most substantial and far-reaching was the Knights of Labor. It was also the immediate predecessor of the American Federation of Labor.
3. Founded in 1869 as a secret organization by a union of Garment Cutters in Philadelphia, it at first struggled along without a formal national organization.
4. It merely interested detached unions in assuming its name and in forming local district assemblies or what are now called central labor unions.
5. By 1876 the need for a national organization again came to the surface and the Knights of Labor was formed on a national scale.
6. At first it grew slowly in membership and floundered considerably in its aims and politics, but gradually it became articulate and experienced a phenomenal increase in membership.
IV.
1. In the course of the struggle between a variety of conflicting elements certain policies came into the ascendency.
2. Philosophically it was middle-class, believing in cooperation and political action that would usher in a society of self-employed, small property owners.
3. Economically it was grudgingly committed to unions, strikes, boycotts and the label. But none of the present-day policies that have made trade union action effective and successful received serious consideration even by those who thought of them.
4. Governmentally the Knights of Labor was a highly centralized organization, virtually giving absolute and dictatorial power to its higher officials and General Executve Board.
a. Its General Executive Board could order and call off strikes of any of its subordinate units.
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