Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-20
GOMPERS EXONERATED
Shafer Denied That He Made
Any Charges.
SHERIDAN SAID He DID
QUESTION OF VERACITY, WHICH
CONVENTION IGNORED.
Heated Discussion Over a Resolution
Committing the Federation
to Socialism.
SHERIDAN SAID He DID

NEW ORLEANS, November 20. -Presi-
dent Gompers has been completely exon
Grated Of the charges of infidelity to the
principles of trades unionism said to have
been made by Theodore j. Shaffer presi-
dent of the Amalgamated Association o.
Iron, Steel and Tin Workers. The spe-
cial committee which has conducted the
investigation reported to that effect this
morning before the convention of the
American Federation of Labor. The COM
mittee reported that when Mr.. Shaffer
appeared before it he declared that he had
not any time, either in writing or other
wise, made any charges against Mr.. Com
pers of infidelity to trades unionism, nor
did he desire to before the committee.
P. ]. Sheridan, who brought up in the
convention a resolution which resulted in
the investigation, was also present at the
hearing, and was asked If 1t 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.
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 secret meeting, and II read by
Mr. Sheridan it would involve him in trou-
BILE with his own organization for divulging
the inner workings of the convention.
A Question of Veracity.
The convention decided that the question
of veracity between Mr.. Shaffer and Mr..
Sheridan was something with which it had
nothing to do, and there being no charges
against Mr.. Gompers there was nothing to
do but return a finding to that effect-that
Mr. Gompers was completely exonerated
This was done and the report was adopted
by the convention.
For the time being at least all opposition
to the election of President Gompers has
died out Since the refusal Of James Lynch
of the photographed union to run for the
office no further effort has been made to
secure a candidate. nor is it likely at the
present time that there will be rival can
ddate.
The convention then entered upon an ex-
tended debate. in which at times consider
able feeling was shown, on the resolutions
introduced by Victor l.. Berger of Mil
waukee, committing the convention to the
doctrines of socialism. The committee on
resolutions reported, as a similar commit
tee had reported al the Scranton convention
of last year. that the principles of trades
union movement contain all that is neces
sary at the present time for the advance
ment of the workingmen of the country.
Substitute Offered.
Delegate Max Hayes offered a substitute
for the report of the convention to the ef-
people to organize their economic and po-
litical power to secure for labor the full
equivalent of its toll and the overthrow of
the wage system, and establishing an in
dustrial cooperative democracy. The SUBJ
stitute was ruled out of order by the chair
as being substitute.
Delegate Hayes. then offered it as an
amendment, and it was so admitted by the
chair.
Delegate Hayes took the floor in defense
of his amendment, as did Berger, Ward,
Brewer and Sherman. In opposition to the
amendment and in favor of the report of
the committee were Delegates D. A. Hayes,
Vice President Duncan, Lewis Duffy and
others.
Delegate Wilson proposed to amend the
amendment by striking out the words "and
the overthrowal of the wage system and
establishing an industrial cooperative dem
ocracy." Delegate Hayes declared this ac-
ceptable to him, but no action was taken
and the debate proceeded.