The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-17
The CT. U. TALKSOF BOLTNG.
PUTS OFF A DECISION IN ITS
FIGHT WITH THE A. r. OF l..
VIII Vote q Week From sunday Delegates
Denounce the Federation and Say That
it's Only q Due Collecting organization
Fist Fight After the Meeting.

DrDDuuCB tuC FtUrFAttDu AUu say tDA
It's Only q Due Collecting OrganIzstion
Fist Fight After the Meeting.
The Central Federated Union failed
yesterday to decide whether it would obey
the ultimatum OF the American Federation
OF Labor which goes into effect on January
1. The c. r. U. debated the matter for
six hours and the Federation and a num-
Der OF the national and International unions
were denounced.
As there is no appeal from the order
which requires the c. +. U. to reinstate a
number OF unions which it suspended and
to expel a number OF others or lose its
charter. a final vote on the question will be
taken a week from Sunday.
1t developed yesterday that. while a large
number OF the unions are angry at the
ultimatum, many were inclined to defend
the A. +. of L. The delegates were almost
on the point Of a personal encounter once or
twice. A fist fight too place after the
meeting was over.
Frank Morrison, secretary Of the fedora
ton, was in the hall, and vas invited to
take the hoor shortly after the debate
began. He vent over the same ground
that was covered by Vice-President John
O'Connell on the previous Sunday. All
the powero OF ordering m calling of strikes,
he said, was vested in the national and in
te~rnational unions. The Central Federated
Union existed for the purpose of securing
legislation. for the benefit of the work
ingmen. 1t had no power TO order strikes
or discipline union for ordering strikes,
but had power to appoint committees TO
- --s.- Tk. A L - nAKV11 mt
order strikes, but could levy assessments
to assist strikers.
Several of the delegates said that if the
c. F. L. had no more power than thea. F.
OF l.. allowed il it might as we'll go out of
business. Threats were made that in case
the order goes into effect there will be two
central bodies, one made up Of the A. F.
OF l.. unions and the other composed Of
the independent unions, OF which there
are about twenty.
John Kennedy of the Brotherhood Of
Butcher Workmen said that as far as he
could see the A. +. of l.. was of little actual
use to the affiliated organizations. The lat
ter should be allowed to settle their own
disputes. He declared hat ii was i'm pos
sible to find out in some cases the policy OF
the A. F. of l.. or its officers He said that
il looked as II they wanted to saw certain
leaders all the time. He wanted to know
il il was customary for the A. F. Of l.. to
throttle the truth so that the officers Of ma
tional unions could save their faces.
The American Federation Of Labor never
throttles the truth" said Morrison. at
tells the truth at all times
Rudolph Modest of Cigarmakers' CnionNo.
90 said he could not see now the American
Federation Of Labor aided any unions. A
national organization of butcher workmen
was destroyed during a strike some years
ago, and the A. +. of H.. did nothing to save
il.
"They got onlv strike benefits for one
week" he said. cit seems to be a big due
| collecting organization and nothing more"
General Organizer Herman Robinson of
the federation took up the cudgels in its
behalf. He said that il was the most bene-
fetal organization of labor the country
had ever known m saved organized labor
from being disrupted. A motion was made
to put the que Stion of obeying the ulti-
matum to a referendum vote. Morrison
reminded the delegates that there was no
appeal and it was decided to take a final
vote on the question a week from Sunday.
When the meeting adjourned the dele
gates were still angry, and several acrimo-
| nious discussions took place.
While Delegate Debs of the Mail De-
l%iverers' Union and Delegate Bowes OF the
Boxmakers' Union were engaged in argu-
ment the words you are a liar" were heard
and in a second or two the two delegates
were engaged in a fight. Debs, who is a
little man, rained blows upon Bowes, who
was on the defensive at first, but soon o
the aggressive. For a minute or two 1t
looked as IL there would be a free fight
among the others, but delegates stepped
in and separated the combatants.