The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
sHIP SUBSIDY L
A statement From Mr.. AIexander n. Smith
In Answer 10 the GOmpers Charges.

IN Answer 10 eno Gompeft LuuFEeo.
To THE EDITOR OF The sUN-Sir: rn TEE
sun OF December % you published q news
article regarding my relation to the work Of
the Marine Trades Council OF New York and
Vicinity in sending appeals to labor lodges
In different parts Of the ountry asking them
to adopt and forward to Speaker Cannon
resolutions in favor OF the pending ship
subsidy bill. In a Washington despatch
printed with the article Mr.. Samuel Gompers
is quoted as charging me with high crimes
and misdemeanors 1 trust that you viii
accord me space for a reJoinder.
For some years Mr.. Gompers had been
publicly asserting that organized labor 10
opposed to subsidies for American ships. /
doubted II. The Marine Trades Council OF
New York. I was informeN. an organization
with which a dozen different trades unions
whose member are employed in ~shipbuild-
ing and kindred industries were affiliated.
had last spring Adopted a resolution In favor
Of that bill. l went to the headquarters OF
the organization, and there found It's secre-
tary, Mr.. Walter 8. Weeks. whom 1 asked II
his organization had adopted such a resolu-
ton, and he replied that II had. l asked why
his organization did not appeal TO other labor
unions to adopt similar resolutions. since the
building Of ships in this country. which that
bill would promote would mean better pay,
shorter hours and steady work for the mem.
bers OF his organizations in their several
trades. Weeks replied that they would gladly
do 80, only they could not afford the cost.
When i said that I might be able to secure
the funds to meet the expense, he agreed 70
bring the matter before his organization. and
this he wired me subsequently he had done,
and ! did raise the m~oney-less than a thou
sand dollars all told. about 500 OF which was
spent for postage. printing. stationery. mall
ing. &c: 500 was paid to Weeks for his work
and time. and the rest was paid out in other
nrnnaH tnnidnnfal nxnnnana AhnnN 4 4 ma
letters. with documents bearing on the ship
subsidy bill. were thus sent out. q cut OF
Weeks's signature having been prepared
from his written signature furnished for that
purpose. Copies OF a preliminary letter. to
the number OF about $50, were sent to national
and international labor unions asking for
rosters of their subordinate lodges. When
he received these Weeks brought them TO nv
agent in New York. a MIR. Story. Then the
$4,000 letters were'sent to the secretaries Of
these local lodges OF labor. and several hum
dred replies that Weeks received he also
brought to Mr.. Story, who sent them to me,
and l have them, also the envelopes In which
Mr.. Weeks originally received them.
Two additional letters were about 10 be
mailed. over Weeks's signature. addressed to
newspapers and to members of Congress,
reciting what had been lone In the way OF
making the appeal to other labor unions and
the results so far as then known. These let
ters Weeks had read and appro we'd.
Then Mr.. Gompers and his agents appeared
upon the scene. charging w~rongdoing and
having Weeks and Story brought before the
District Attorney. where each made state
ments. and these Gompers has published.
Weeks now pretends that he never arranged
with me for the use of his name and the send
ing out of the letters in behalf OF the Marine
Trades Council. and it is inferred, but not
explicitly stated, that his organization had
- ----11 % II
that be true or not. l acted in perfect good
faith with Weeks. and he was in full touch
and accord with Mr.. Story. who was looking
after certain of the details of getting out the
letters and documents. Weeks says he never
saw the letter sent out over his name as sec
rotary for the Marine Trades Council. al
though he brought to Story and ] have half
a dozen such letters that were returned TO
Weeks with rotations thereon as to the action
taken in the adoption Of resolutions by the
organizations to which they were sent.
Nor is il denied that the Marine Trades
Council adopted q resolution In favor of the
bill, and on the ground that its enactment
would benefit its members. Besides. | have
on the letterhead of the Marine Trades Conn-
ell. addressed to the Merchant Marine and
Fisheries COMMITTEES, in v lch he states that
to inform that that his organiZa-
ton desired the passage of the bill. reciting
the advantages their members would enjoy
So. we have the fact OF the resolution. Of
Weeks's active participation in making the
appeal to 5000 local labor unions to adopt
similar resolutions, his bringing the letters
he received in reply to my agent, his letter
TO the Congressional COMMITTEES, and, as stated
in a Washington despatch in The Sun OF
December rs. some 1000 genuine resolutions
from as many different labor unions fled by
passage of the shin subsidy bill. Mr.. Com
pers may think. and his organization in reso-
lutions may say, that organized labor is op-
posed TO the shin SnhRfdV hill huf the fart
remains that several thousand organized labor
unions in resolutions filed with Congress
declare, that they favor the passage OF the
ship subsidy bill.
AIFyANnRR r. SNuTu