The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-10-24
Republican Politicians Are Begin
ming to Realize Strength of
Organized Labor.
BOSSES WORKING HARD
TO DIsCREDIT GoMPERs
Tons of Literature Circulated in
Hope of Influencing the
Labor Vote.

their efforts In the direction of dis
rupttng organized labor and for the
purpose of driving away from Presi-
dent Gompers and the Executive Coun-
cdl OF the A. F. of l.. From now on
until the end Of the campaign, the
President, Chairman Hitchcock Of the
Republican National Committee, Will
liam Nelson Cromwell, head Of the
Republican Advisory Committee, and
former labor leaders now holding Fed
eral Jobs, will do little else than at
tempt to shatter the ranks Of organ
lied labor and discreiit Gompers and
his co-workers.
Labor First Ignored.
At the outset of tl1e campaign the
Republican campaign managers at
tached little Importance to the stand
taken by organized labor against In
jupnction Judge Taft, and considered
that the natural resentment among
wage-earners because Of the insulting
turn-down which their accredited rep
resentatives received at the Republi-
can aNtional Convention would wear
away, and that Labor, as usual, would
be divided against itself on election
day.
The splendid, loyal and determined
manner in which Labor all over the
nation has been rallying to Labor's
standards, however, finally threw the
Republican managers into consterna-
tion and panic and they realized
finally that the labor vote would surely
overwhelm them unless something
could be done to split it's organization
wide open.
Plans to Disrupt Labor.
Chairman Hitchcock rushed down to
Washington and appealed to the Pres
ident for help. The President got on
the job with Hitchcock at once. -
It was decided to Induce as many
labor leaders or alleged labor leaders
now holding Federal jobs or willing to
hold them to repudiate Gompers and
come out for Taft.
Everything proves conclusively that
the efforts of the Republican man
ayers ,at last aroused to the power and
strength of Labor, will direct their
effort toward influencing the votes Of
the Wage-earners.
Sending for Labor Leaders.
Between now and election day the
President will send for labor leaders
wherever he believes he can find one
who can be induced to declare for Taft
and against Gompers.
The Republicans here also are hur-
riedly preparing and sending out liter
ature designed to influence the labor
vote.
The class of literature given out
from the White House the character
of the men invited to confer with the
President and certain activity in gov
eminent bureaus in the work of COM
piling information on labor questions
all show a concerted effort to make a
successful bid for the labor VOTE
Some of the Republican managers who
have called on the President recently
have told him that the labor vote was
the chief factor of doubt.
Conferences Being Held.
Some days ago the President con-
ferred with Warren S. Stone, grand
chief Of the Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive Engineers; P. H. Morrissey Of the
Brotherhood Trainmen, and Daniel
Keefe of the International Longshore-
mems Union. Then he saw James
Bronson Reynolds, who is busy among
the membership of organized labor in
New York. Then Representative Her
bert Parsons made hurried trip to
Washington to see Secretary Root in
the interest Of Jan Poulan, the Rus
sian, alleged to be a revolutionist
whose extradition had been demanded
by Russia. The members of organized
labor in New York City had remon-
strated against turning the prisoner
over to Russia. and Mr. Parsons hur-
ried to Washington to protest to Sec
retary Root
The conferences looking to the con-
troll OF an advantageous division Oh
the labor vote continue every day
Among the Presidents callers who dis
cussed the attitude Of labor toward
Taft were Ralph M. Easley of the Ma
tional Civic Federation and Willis L.
Moore chief of the Weather Bureau
who holds membership in the Typo
graphical Union. Mr.. Moore has been
actively working for Taft. He has
In communication with many of the
labor leaders and processes to believe
that the drift is now toward Taft.
MiteheII's Loyalty.
The President sent for Mr.. Easley in
the desperate hope that he might get
John Mitchell with him, but it is said
that? Easley told the President that
any attempt to get Mitchell to desert
Gompers and the A. F. Of L. would
undoubtedly be viewed by Mitchell as
an insult.
The President put the capsheaf or
the days stack Of arguments to show
why trades uMonists should vote the
Republican ticket by making public 8
letter he had received from George L
Cain an employe of the Boston Navy
Yard, who as president Of the Ma
tionalf League Of Employees Of Navy
Yards, Navel, Stations, Arsenals and