The Washington herald., 1906-12-23
CHARGES DECEPTION
President GOmpers Scores
Ship Subsidy Promoters.
CALLS SCHEME UBIQUITOUS
Labor Leader Publishes Statement,
in Official Organ, Alleging "Gang"
Conducts Bureau To Create False
Sentiment In Favor of Legislation.
A. r. of l.. Is Opposed to Measure.

In all our country there is not a more
| corrupt gang than the well-known coterie
who are engaged in the scheme 10 pro-
mote ship subsidy legislation
/ Ia these words and others which am
plify the statement Samuel Gompers in
/ the current number of the American Fed
/ erationist, makes specific charges of de-
! ception. forgery. and bribery against Ger
I tain persons. who have attempted. he
says. 10 create the impression that sever
/ al labor organizations. notably the Marine
/ Trades Council OF New York. are in favor
of ship subsidy legislation. Mr.. Gompers
handles the subject without gloves, Ike
one sure OF his facts, and apparently
without fear of libel or any ether weapon
which those attacked might use against
him.
Mr G0mpers accuses the gang with
/ conducting news bureaus to create and
foster public sentiment favorable to
+ such legislation. where no such senti-
/ meHt does or could exist without the spe-
cious and false arguments presented by
+ this means He calls the ship subsidy
ubiquitous" as proposition. and de-
|clares that the news bureaus have adopted
methods which can be designated by no
other epitheJs than false pretense."
/ He also says attempts have been made
/ directly 10 bride men TO give the use Of
/ their names to some Of their ingenious
publications.. He attempts to show also
I that the documents sent broadcast over
/ the country purporting 20 come from
/ the Marine Trades Council in New York
J -.-..,-.. r,v.r.,r~-.F Inn f-.trrF srJ f,v1arv
Labor Against Subsidy scheme.
/ Continuing. Alr. Gompers alleges that
/ the attitude of organized labor is un-
/ equvocally in opposition to the ship
/ subsidy scheme. and that no petition
/ statement. resolution. or other document
/ 20 the contrary is genuine OF trust
/ worthy. lie makes detailed statement
/ of the investigation started when num-
/ Der Of petitions We're presented 10 Con
/ Eress showing that several locals" had
: asked the lawmakers at the Capitol to
] enact Senate bin so TWO letters are
/ printed, one written by Mr. Gompers to
/ ]. z. Flynn. general organizer Of the
( Federation Of Labor Of Cleveland. Ohio
/ insJ-ucting him 10 proceed 10 New York
/ and investigate the petition and docu-
J ments purpOrting 20 come from the Ma
+ rine Trades Council in that city.
Directions How to Proceed.
Mr. Gompers' letter gives Mr.. Flynn
/ specific directions how 70 proceed I'm the
/ investigation. and instructs him to 20 to
. the bottom Of The affair. and to get AT
the facts and make a report thereon
/ He suggests that the financial conditions
. of the local" rs known To the FEEDER
! alton. would not allow of the printing
and distribution of the documents 10
which attention is called. and be directs
Dir. Flynn 10 ascertain By whose author
lty were the documents gotten. by whom
printed, and, particularly, who paid rho
/ postage account for their mailing ia such
( great quantities TO all parts Of the coun-
( Try, one or more sets having reached the
officers of every labor organization in the
United States
The other etter is the reply Of Mr..
Flynn, written about week after tina
OF Mr. Gompers. while in New York. aft
ct ne had practically ended his investiga-
ton. Ia brief the letter states that the
Marine Trades Council. through its Off
GERS, absolutely denied ever authorizing
/ the eight or ten documents which had
been incorporated in the petition to Con-
/ gress.
Never Authorized Documents.
Not only had the local never author
lied such documents, but not one cent of
money had ever been appropriated from
the funds Of the council for printing OF
circulating the papers. The denials Of
the officers and prominent members Of
the body were put in writing and duly
signed for the use Of the Federation OF
Labor
Mr.. Flynn found the printer of the doc
uments, but was obliged TO call In the aid
OF the district attorney OF New York to
force him 10 divulge the names of the
persons who had employed him and paid
him for his services. The printer. Nj
Flynn says, was c. J. O'Brien. OF pr
William street, New York O'Brien and
Walter 5 Weeks. who signed the letter
purportins 90 come from the Marine
Trades Council, were summoned to the
office of the district attorney
From their testimony it was found, ac-
cOrding to Mr.. Flynn's letter that A. d.
Story, who said he was employed by
Alexander Smith. whose office was in
Cleveland. Ohio. looked after the print
ing and distribution of the documents
Mr. Story's statement 10 the district at
tOiAey loLL Ills part OF lHe proof presented
by AIr- Flynn. It appears from the testi-
mOny that Mr.. Smith furnished the copy
for the documents and paid the bills for
printing and postage.
Used Forged Letter Heads.
Mr.. Flynn sums up the results of his
/ investigation by declaring that the letter
purporting TO come TO Congress from the
Marine Trades Council was counterfeit
( printed on a forged letter head of the
I council, and the name signed to it was
forgery. More than that, Mr. Flynn de-
rlares that the motto. printed in red ink.
In Shipbuilding All Trades Are United,
does not appear on the original letter
head.
The remainder of the article in the Fed
/ erauOnist is taken up with the reproduc-
ton of the statements, affidavits. ana
testimony brought out in the course of
/ AIr. Flynns investigation, with the orig
inal documents which led to the inquiry.
They constitute seemingly a clear case
for Mr. Gompers contention that no
reputable labor organization ever has
spoken in favor OF ship subsidy legisla-
] tfo7