Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-26
C0MPERS AFTER SHAFfER.
He Challenges Him 10 Prove His Statements
About Labor Leaders.
Makes Proposition TO submit
Charges and destinations toa
Committee Of investigation.

Washington, Sept. 25,-In an open let
ter issued today, Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
Of Labor and vice president of the
Cigarmakers' union. and John Mitchell,
president of the United Nine Workers
of America and second yice-president
of the American Federation Of Labor,
challenged Theodore A. Shaffer, presi-
dent Of the Amalgamated Association
of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers, to
prove his statement recently made
against them. The letter is dated New
York, September 25th, and is directed
to Mr., shaffer at Pittsburg. 1t cites
Mr.. Shaffer's statement as printed In
the newspapers of September gath, and
continues.
There Is no doubt In our minds that
the statements referred to were made
by YOU and assuming this TO be so we
believe that you should be afforded the
amplest opportunity Of demonstrating
the truths OF your statements. so II
they are founded on fact the world. and
particularly the world OF organized la
Dor, may know H. We believe that you
should be afforded the fullest latitude In
justifylng your course and your
charges, and at the same time pillory
us II we deserve II. On the other hand.
you will realize the impossibility Of our
allowing your charges and insinuations
TO go broadcast and stand unanswered
and unchallenged
Having due regard for our duty to-
ward the labor movement and the inter-
ests committed TO our charge, we have
no desire to enter into controversy
through the newspapers, and have
therefore declined TO say anything
about the matter to the representatives
OF the press who have importund us
10 answer but, repeating that we be-
lleved Il TO be necessary that your
charges and insinuations should be sub
Stimulated or refuted, to that end we
submit the following proposition 10
you;
First-That a committee of three
shall meet, either In Pittsburg. Wash
ington, ID. c.. or the city of New York,
for the purpose Of hearing and deter
mining the charges and insinuations
you have made against us.
Second-That II the committee finds
us guilty Of your charges and insinua-
tiOns, we will resign from the pres-
dency Of the American Federation Of
Labor and the vice presidency Of the
CIgarmakers' International union; from
the presidency Of the United Nine
Workers OF America and from the sec
ond vice presidency OF the American
Federation OF Labor.
Jhird-That the committee shall con-
sist of three members OF organized la
Dor. to be selected by you from lists
herein submitted.
The names of eighteen labor leaders.
heads OF different labor organizations.
are given. The letter states that the wri-
tiers have carefully omitted TO submit
the name OF any member OF the execu-
tive council OF the American Federation
Of Labor or Of any representative Of
any organization Of which any member
Of the executive council is a member
The letter concludes thus:
I'VE cannot imagine that you would
make grave accusations against us
without premeditatlon as to their con-
se1uences we therefore insist that in
common justice 10 us. and with due re-
gard to the interests which both you
and We represent, you Will advise us
within three days Of your acceptance Of
our proposition"