Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-21
RADICALS RUN
MINERS MEETING
Resolution introduced to Amend
Constitution Committing Fed
GRAFTON 10 Socialism.
NATIONS FLAG Is INSULTED.
Butte Union Delegate in Violent speech
Declared IL symbolI1cd opprcs-
sion OF Working Glasses.

Denver June 2O,-The convention
of the Western Federation OF Miners
spent the entire forenoon I'm discussins
the proposed new preamble to the fed
eration's constitution which commits
the organization to Socialism The de-
bate was very spirited at times. No
action WAS taken on the preamble.
The proposed preamble in part Is as
follows:
we hold that there Is a class strug
gle In society and that this struggle is
caused by economic conditions. that the
producer is exploited for the wealth he
produces that the class struggle will
continue until the producer is recog
aized as the sole owner of the product
that the working class must achieve its
own emancipation and that tho indus
trial union of all useful workers Is the
surest and wisest method Of attaining
this end.
Therefore, we, tho wage slaves ON
ploNed IN and among the mines. mills
aud smelters OF the United states and
Canada, have associated In the Western
Federation IF Miners. the mining de-
nartment OF tho industrial Workers Of
the World
Percy RawlinE Of Goldhcld. New. a
leader OF the radicals who arc In con-
troll of the convention, said In the
course of his speech that there can he
no friendly relations between the en-
ployer and the employed. because there
never can bc friendly relations between
any thief and the man he rohs. He
advocated discarding tho present pre-
amble, and said he wanted to go on
record az the enemy Of all employers of
labor. This sentiment was greeted with
great applause.
The conservative element predicted a
revolt in the organization IL the nav
preamble shall be adopted. They said
IT was only the opening wedge of the
Socialist party TO gain complete control
of the Western Federation OF Miners
Even If 1t received majority on ref
erendum vote, ii was declared, large
number OF the members will refuse to
accept II and a split in the order win
follow.
\ resolution was adopted providing
for the organization Of locals in Alaska,
Two organizers will be sent to that ter
ritory
Discussion Of the new preamble to
the constitution was resumed at the
afternoon session and the matter was
Still before the convention when ad-
iournment was taken. During the de-
bate Thomas Booher Of Butte union
No. 1 made violent speech agains,
present governmental conditions and
said the flag of the nation symboli2ed
tho oppression of the working classes.
He asserted that the red In the flag
denoted blood spilled by wage earners
in labor riots the blue represented
black and blue marks indicted upon
wage slaves by the capitalstic class, s.
while the white in the flag represented
the linen used by capitalists TO bind up
the wounds OF the laboring classes"
He was interrupted repeatedly and
finally John p. Rossiter OF Butte engi-
neers. No. SO. jumped TO his feet, de-
claring that Booher had insulted the
Stars and Stripes and that he was COM
PEELED to protest. Angered at this.
Booher retorted that he would not
again open his head" in The conven-
ton, that gag law" had been applied
TO him and that he would carry the
matter to his union and tell the menu
bers there how the convention had
treated him. The freedom with which
certain delegates announced their adj
herence 10 Socialism and their deter
mmatlon to spread the influence Of this
doctrine was notable feature Of the
sessions today