The record-union., 1894-12-15
RED-HOT FIGHT OVER THE POLITI-
CAL PROGRAMME
President Gompers VehementIy De-
nounces Charge that Officers of
Labor Organizations Use Their
Positions to Secure Political Elec-
tions and Appointment-Bran
1t as a Cowardiy Attack Upon Or
ganiZed Labor.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

over the political programme sub
mitted by the last previous convention to
various unions. John f. Tobin of the
Boot and Shoe Workers asserted that the
Presidents, Secretaries and other officers
of the labor organizations use their posi-
tions to secure political election and ap-
pointment.
Objection came at once from a dozen
men, including President Gompers and
Secretary Evans. Mr.. Tobin remarked
that such show of feeling was all the
proof he wanted that his shot had hit the
mark.
President Gompers denounced as lie
the general charge, which included him,
and defied Tobin or any other delegate to
point to Vulnerable place in his career as
to honesty. He charged that it a
cowardly, covert attack upon organized
labor.
On the assembling of the convention
Mr.. GOmpers announced that John Burns
had informed him that IL would be neces-
sary to cancel his engagements at Cincin-
natl and Detroit, as he must have an oc-
casional day OF rest.
The matter of adopting joint label for
the shoe workers was brought up by the
majority and minority report. AS one OF
the three organizations uniting on the
label is affiliated with the Knights of La
bor, the matter was deferred till the Com
mittee on Conference reports.
a letter from Governor Waite was read.
| 1t was characteristic document, touch-
/ ing on the administrations OF Presidents
! Harrison and Cleveland in calling out
! the Federal troops for the settling of la
| Dor and other troubles.
| At 10 o'clock the political programme
which was submitted by the last conven-
| ton to the various unions, to be acted
upon by them and then by the federa-
ton, was taken up. 1t was as follows:
! WHEREAS. The trades unionsts of
Great Britain have. by the light of ex-
! perience and the logic OF progress,
adopted the principle of independent la
| Dor politics, as an auxiliary to their econ
omic action; and, whereas, such action
| has resulted in the most gratifying sue
| cess; and, whereas, such independent
! labor politics are based upon the follow
| ing programme, TO wit: |, Compulsory
education; :, direct legislation; 3, legal
! eight-hour working day; 4, sanitary IN
Spection of workshops, mines and homes;
3, liability of employers for injury to
! health, body or life; ., abolition of the
contract system in all public works; Z,
! the abolition of the sweating system; s.,
the municipal ownership of street ears
| and gas and electric plants for public dis
| tribution of light, heat and power; 9, the
| naturalization of the telegraphs, tele-
| phones, railroads and mines; 10, the COL
| Iective ownership by the people OF all
means of production and distribution;
| IL, the principle OF referendum in ali
| legislation; therefore, be it
! ReSOtUcd, That the convention hereby
! indorse this political action Of our British
comrades; and,
ResotUed, That this programme and
basis of a political labor movement be
and is hereby submitted for the consid-
| Grafton of the labor organizations OF
America, with the request that their
delegates to the next annual convention
of the American Federation OF Labor be
| instructed on this most important SUBJ
ject.
The preamble was stigmatized by Mr..
| Strazer as bold Misrepresentation.
This brought Mr.. Morgan, author Of
the platform, TO his feet in very spirited
rejoinder.
Mr.. Strazer moved that the preamble
| be stricken out. 1t was claimed that the
labor unions of England bad no political
| organization.
Mr.. Tobin of the Boot and Shoe Work
! ers stirred up storm when he asserted
that there was a political organization
among laboring men, and thai the Presi-
! dent and Secretaries and other officers OF
the labor unions used their positions to
secure political election and appointment.
! Objections came from dozen men, in
cludIng President Gompers, Secretary
Evans and other federation officers.
Mr.. Tobin remarked that such a show
Of feeling was all the proof he wanted
that his shot had hit the mark. He as
followed by Z. j. Morgan.
| When he had finished President Comp
! ers took the floor and denounced as a lie
| the general charge which included him,
and deted Mr.. Tobin. Mr.. Morgan or
Si,<@,- IL 70
| bic place in his career as to honesty. He
| charged that it was a cowardly, covert
| attack upon organized labor. He was
mad clear through and his words We're
very bitter.
Others followed in a milder vein. but
the display during the ten minutes occu-
pied by Tobin and Gompers showed the
nature of the fight on the tapis between
the supporters and the opponents of the
sociaiistic plank.
Z. j. Mcguire denied that the action of
! the English laboring men politically was
based on the planks given in the political
programme. He read an extract from an
English newspaper which charged John
Burns with acting as decoy for the
Liberal party. He denounced the at
tempt to force the Federation into a politi-
cal party when each member had been
assured upon joining his union that its
pledges should not conflict with his po-
| iltlcal views IN any particular. lie said
the 200 labor leaders of Great Britain
who are holding municipal offices are
greatly outnumbered by their American
brethren in similar positions.
At Il O'Clock the previous question was
called. The roll was called, and the roll
call resulted in the striking out of the
preamble by vote of 800 to sol.
A vote was then taken on the plank
without debate. 1t was adopted.
The convention decided to consolidate
planks and IL, making the plank read
direct legislation through the referen-
dunn" 1t was adopted.
Delegate StraZer offered an additional
plank demanding the repeal of the oh.
jectional laws regarding seamen. He
wanted il made one of the leading blanks
Delegates favoring plank No. 10 saw in
the motion an attempt to change the
numbering of the planks so as to side.
track their favorite.
Discussion on this subject was unfin.
ished when, at 1920, recess was taken.
| On the reassembling of the convention
\. r. Hysell of the mine-workers moved
that committee of three be appointed tC
draft resolutions in regard to the decision
of Judge Woods and the Imprisonment
of Debs and others. \. r. Hyseu. IT. 7
Moran and Thomas Tracey were an
pointed,
i Mr.. Strazer asked permission to with
draw his amendment to the "politica