The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-21
Socialists Came Within 400
Votes Of Securing Control
STRUGGLE LASTED ALL DAY
shaffer Appeared Before COMMITTEES
and Said He Had Not at ANY Time
Charged the President
With InfideIIty.

New Orleans, November 2o.-The social
lists came within 400 votes of securing the
control OF the convention of the American
Federation OF Labor today. The struggle
lasted almost the entire day and num-
Der Of able speeches were made on both
sides, notably those Of D. A. Hayes.
James Duncan and President Gompers
against the socialists, and Victor Berger,
Max Hayes and W. r. Wilson Of the
United Mine Workers in behalf Of the
resolution introduced by Delegate Berger
and amended by Delegate Wilson in q
manner acceptable to Berger. The de-
bate lasted until 8 o'clock in the evening,
when roll call showed 4744 votes against
the amendment of Mr. Wilson and 4s44
in favor of the amendment. No business
was transacted in the convention during
the day other than that of the debate
ana the report of the committee which
Investigated the Gompers-Shafrer trouble.
Gompers Exonerated.
MIR. Gompers has been completely exon
Grated of the charges of infideiity to the
been made by Theodore ]. Shafrer, presi-
dent Of the Amalgamated Association OF
Iron. Steel and Tin Workers. The report
of the special committee which has con-
Quoted the investigation reported to that
effect this morning before the convention.
The report was not a wflitewash. Tho
charges sgainst Mr.. Gompers fell as nat
as piece of dough dropped from the
clouds. The committee reported that
when Mr.. Shaffer appeared before it he
declared that be had not at any time,
either in writing on. otherwise. made any
charges against Mr.. Gompers of infidelity
to trades unionism, nor did he desire-to'
do 30 before the committee.
P. J. Sheridan. who brought up in the
convention the resolution which resulted
in the investigation, was also present
at the hearing and was asked If It was
true that Mr.. Shaffer had made any
charges before the last convention of the
Iron. Steel and Tin Workers against Mr..
Gompers, and he replied that he had.
Mr.. Shaffer denied It, Mr.. Sheridan offer
ed to read the minutes of the meeting at
which the charges were said by him to
have been made. Mr.. Shaffer objected
to this because the minutes were those Of
a secret meeting and II read by Mr.. Sher-
idan 1t would involve him in trouble with
his own organization for divulging the
inner workings of the convention.
The committee decided that the oues-
tion Of veracity between Mr.. shaffer and
Mr.. Sheridan was something with which
1t had nothing to do, and there being no
charges against Mr.. Gompers, there was
nothing to do but return finding to the
effect that Mr.. Gompers was completely
exonerated. This was done, and the re-
port was adopted by the convention.
For the time being at least all opposi-
ton to the election of President Gompers
has died out. Since the refusal of James
Lynch Of the Typographical union to
run for the office no further effort has
been made to secure a candidate. nor is
1t likely at the present time that there
will be rival candidate.
Considerable Feeling Shown.
The convention then entered upon an
extended debate In which at times con-
siderable feeling was shown, on the reso-
Iutions introduced by Victor L. Berger OF
the doctrines of socialism. The commit
tee on resolutions reported as a similar
committee had reported at the Cranton
convention of last year that the principles
of the trades union movement contain
all that is necessary at the present time
for the advancement OF the worlxingmen
of the country.
Delegate Max Hayes offered a substi-
tute for the, report of the committee to
the effect that the federation advise the
working people to organize their econom-
ic and political power to secure for labor
the full equivalent for its toll and the
oyerthrowal of the wage system and es-
tablishing an industrial, cooperative de-
mocracy. The substitute was ruled out
of order by the chair as being substi-
tute for the report of the committee,
resolution. Delegate Hayes then offered
1t as an amendment and 1t was so ad-
mitted by the chair.
Delegate Wilson opposed to amend the
amendment by striking out the words
"and the overthrowal of the wage sys-
tenn and establishing an industrial CO.
operative democracy" Delegate Hayes
declared this acceptable to him, but no
action was taken and the debate proceed
ed.
Delegate Hayes took the floor in favor
OF his amendment, as did Berger, Ward.
Brewer and Sherman. Opposition speak,
ers to the amendment and In favor of the
report of the committee were Delegate
A. Hayes. President Duncan, Lewis
Duffy and others.
Injunction Issued.
George Innes of the freight handlers Of
New Orleans, informed the convention
that an injunction had been issued by q
local court restraining his Organization
from holding meetings and asked the ad-
vice of the chairman. He was told bv
President Gompers that If the members
of the union were engaged In no unlawful
act to go ahead with their meetings.
From o'clock in the afternoon unit,
$40 the debate went on. President Com
pers being the last speaker. He urged
the union men to adhere closely to union
principles. declaring that their succer-
would be greater than 1t would be If thew
after any doctrine other thar
that under which they were organized.
A motion made by Delegate c. H. Bar-
ter to lay the matter on the table wa~
lost. A roll call was demanded the vofe
heinp an the adOntfon ~ ~, xxxs,.-~r