New-York tribune., 1906-12-10
HOT SHOT FOR C. T. u.
4 BLOW At SELF-ESTEEM.
american Federation RepresentatiUe
Says "Obey or Get ont"

Vice President James O'ConneT of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, appeared before the
Central Federated Union yesterday as the repre-
sentative Of President GompeIs, and made it
plain that it must obey the ultimatum of the
American Federation of Labor issued at it's last
convention. The matter was beyond argument
he said. and the Central Federated Union would
either have to respect the ultimatum or find
itself without a charter and face to face with
rival central labor union. ice-President O'Con-
nell, in his remarks, intimated that the Central
Federated Union not such an important
body as it considered itself, and that there were
other organizations in the country equally
worthy of recognition
Before O'ConnelI got the floor Ernest Bohm.
the corresponding secretary who represented the
Central Federated Union at the convention of
the American Federation of Labor in Mime
apols. began to read his report of the proceed
ings at the convention. He got down to the
point where the resolution giving the Central
Federated Union thirty days to reinstate several
unions and expel several others. with the alter
native of it's charter being withdrawn,
pass6.l. when it became evident that it would
have been impossible for him to have read his
whole report before midnight A halt was called
and it decided to have the report printed
and circulated among the unions the discussion
of the question being postponed until next Sun
day.
Vice President O'ConneH according to his def
milton of the relations between the American
Federation of Labor and the Central Federated
Union, said the latter is little more than body
organized 10 discuss labor matters, with little
power TO enforce anything and power to
pend unions or to force them to strike. The
American Federation of Labor could neither
order nor declare off a strike, but could either
grant withdraw charter, he said
OConnell began by saying that he was chair
man of the grievance committee Of the conven-
ton, and this committee first sanctioned the
ultimatum to the Central Federated Union. The
question. he said. was not of the individual diff
ferences between the unions but the living up to
the laws and rules Of the American Federation
of Labor He said in part;
The Central Federated Union is not the trial
board in matters of dispute between rival or
ganizations in the American Federation of La
bor The Central Federated Union cannot, under
the laws of the American Federation of Labor.
constitute itself judge and jury. 1t has no right
to discipline unions for not going on strike il
the irternatio unions of these trades decide
otherwise
ice-President O'Conneu said he had no apol-
ogy to make for the American Federation. 1t
had sent the ultimatum to the Central Federated
Union, and he was there Its representative.
If the Central Federated Union chose to live up
to the laws of the American Federation. we'll
and good, if not the ultmatum would have to be
enforced.
When he had ended O'ConnelI was asked ie
President Gompers could not order a national
union TO strike to get its local in New York to
strike.
He could not" he said.
Henry Du Veaux. of the Actors National Pros
teCtVe Union, which brought about the suSpen-
sion of the organization Of stage hands and mu-
sicians for refusing TO strike in sympathy with
the old chorus at the Metropolitan Opera House.
then asked several questions.
Il want To ask you what the Central FEEDER
ated Union is organized for" he said
1T is recruiting station for organized labor
q sort of organization station" the reply.
\ Shout OF angry dissent followed this.
one of the delegates asked if in case James
Farley, the strike breaker. had been appointed
by national union Il delegate to the CON
VentiOn. he would have been seated. O'ConneH
replied in the affirmative
Final action must be taken the utimatum
next Sunday. as he thirty days expires at the
of the MONTH