The Washington times., 1901-10-05
LABOR LEADERS AT odds.
Gompers Makes a Charge of Pre-
varication Against Shaffer.
Defends His Attitude in the Steel
strii<c-Cinims No Request for FL
nnncial Assistance Was Made
Criticises Arbitration Proposition.

Criticises Arbitration Proposition.
| The October number of the Fedora
! tionist,' the official organ of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, devotcs great
/ deal OF space to the discussion Of the
! charges made against the organization,
| against Samuel Gompers its president.
and against John Mitchell. the president
| of the United Mine Workers of America.
| While the ''Federationist" always, as far
| as possible, avoids all controversy be-
tween organizations and individuals con-
! nected with the American Federation of
Labor Mr.. Gompers explains that the
nomentuusness of the charges requires
I that they should he answered
Before discussing the subject, the full
| text of the circular letter issued by T.
J. Shaffer, President of the Amalgamated
Association OF Iron and Steel Workers of
America. is given, together with all the
/ CORE spondeEce relative to the settlement
! of the steel strike. Nj Gompers calls
attention to the fact tEat, while Mr..
! Shaiters circular letter, in which he
charges that the american Federation Of
Labor declined to assist the strikers, was
distributed broadcast throughout the
country, he did not send him copy.
In his reply Mr.. Gompers says:
Il shall show that there is not one
scintiha of truth in Mr.. Shaffers accusa-
tions ahd insinuations against the Amer
lean Federation of Labor President
Mitchell and myself, as well as in other
parts of the above circular Further, 1
propose to lay before the workers the
unWritten history of the means by which
the strike was brought about. its man
aGcment, and its termination upon con-
ditions much less favorable than could
have been secured by the efforts of my
colleagues and myself
During the conference on August
and at Pittsburg, between President
Shaner, Secretary Williams, and other
members of the Executive Board of the
ANA lgamated Association, and Secretary
Morrison, of the American Federation OF
Labor, and myself, i asked President
Shaner whether he required any financial
assistance from the American Federation
or Labor, reminding him that If he did
1t would be necessary, as he knew for
him to make the formal application as
required by our constitution; and that
! would submit such application to the
executive council by mail: or, if he
deemed it more advisable. by telegraph
NO request, either written, telegraphic
or verbal, was ever received during the
strike at the office Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor from Mr.. Shafer, or
from any other representative of the
Amalgamated Association asking for
financial assistance
Yet | venture to assert without fear
OF dlsproof, that nearly every dollar of
financial assistance received at the office
OF the Amalgamated Association came
Federation of Labor; and if the American
Federation of Labor, as such did not
give one cent, ii was, | repeat. because 1t
was neither directly nor Indirectly asked
to do so.
Mr. Shaffer says he srranged a meet
ing between Mr.. Morgan and myself; that
MIR. Morgan gave up his vacation, waited
for me. and / failed to appear; that /
have not since explained why | neglected
the interests of the ANA lgamated Asso-
ciat:on- | might enter into q long discus
sion of this assertion; hut an answer can
be best summarized in these words: Mr..
Shaffer says that which is absolutely un-
true, and he knows 1t /
This Is the sum total of Mr.. Shaffer's
interview between Mr.. Morgan and me;
which, / repeat, is absolutely without
fou6dation in fact. 1t was due entirely to
MI Shaffer that the interview with Mr..
Morgan did not take place.
AT the close Of this conference of Au-
gust and with MIR. Shaffer and his
colleagues, l prepared a statement for
the press, assuring the AInalgamated As
sOciation of every assistance within the
power of the American Federation of
Labor. 1t can be truthfuly,asserted and
ing the entire strike that could be con-
strued as being inimical to the Amalga-
mated Association or Mr., Shaffer.
IN fact after delivering an address at
Buffalo on Labor Day, the Associated |
Press sent out a report asserting that l |
had reflected adversely upon Mr.. Shat |
ferS course. AS soon as | saw il / sent
him a telegram, of which the following is |
a copy:
New York September 3, 1901.
" Theodore F. Shaffer, % Wandless
Avenue. Pittsburg, Pa.
Published statement myself or
committee considering any matter det-
rimental to you or Amalgamated As
sociation absolutely without founda-
tion. There was no committee meet
ing at Buffalo. / was there yesterday
to deliver Labor Day address You
can use this telegram as you wish.
. SAMUEL GOMPERS'
NO matter what my private opinion
may have been as to the wisdom of the
strike of Mr.. Shaffer's course my 10y
atty to the trade union movement and my
earnest solicitude for the men involved
precluded the possibility of my saying one !
word in adverse criticism so long as that /
contest was being waged.
Speaking of the proposition TO sui NIT |
the matter to arbitration, Mr. Gompers
SAYS:
Il have seen statements published as
Cmanating from Mr.. Shaffer and uncon-
tTadicted by him, stating that he would !
propose that the matter be submitted 10
arbitration. the first arbitrator to be Mr..
Simon Burns, General Master Workman
of the knights of Labor. Mr.. Burns to
appoint a second, and Nj Mitchell and l
Jointly appoint n third There is no pur-
pose on my part to say anything against
Mr.. Burns but he is notoriously antagon-
iStic To the American federation of Labor
and hostile to the trade union movement
and has lost no opportunity to invent any
thing that might reflect upon him
Then again, the faimess of Mr. Shaf-
fer ; proposition Will te questioned when
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