Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-26

There is still quiet buzz Of comment
among Washington workingmen concern
ing the action of the Central Labor Union
in deciding to hold star chamber" meet
ings in the future. Many intelligent work
ingmen declare the action of the central
body was ill-advised. and one Of them
said the matter might be called up at the
next meeting of the c. L. L.
Others stated that the central body had
acted wisely in closing it's doors to the
public. They said not all the proceedings
Of labor unions Is news, and cited Ma
sonic lodges and those of the Odd Eel
lows and other organizations as instances.
They further stated that certain wrangles
between delegates on the floor of the CEN
trail body had been exploited to the detri-
ment of organized labor.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. quietly
proceeded to New York last Monday and
the same evening surprised the men,
bers of the big Central Federated Union
by appearing at it's weekly meeting
By coincidence the union was discuss
ing President Gompers' political circular
favoring the election of Bryan and Kerns
and another asking for funds for political
uses. The delegates were in the midst of
a heated debate over the proposed in
dorsement of the circulars when Mr.
Gompers, unannounced, entered the hall
The circulars were Endorsed only after
fierce debate and the statement of a
delegate who asserted that 1.-The sending
out of the circulars at all savored of
treachery to the unions"
When Mr.. GOmpers was spied and es-
corted to the platform he declared that
his appearance there was a coincidence.
No one had expected him, and he was
IN tn
In the debate the first opponent of the
circulars. which were referred to as "the
circular" was Morris Brown of Cigar
makers Union No. IA of New York, OF
which Gompers is charter member. He
said he regarded the circular as a call
on the unions to support the democratic
party.
ION that account he said, II enter
a protest against this body indorsing any
party. My union turned it down. only
one man voting for it. If the unions go
into politics it will be against the policy
of the American Federation of Labor. /
regard the democratic party in it's atti-
tude to labor more contemplate even
than the republican party"
President Gompers took the floor and
said he was at the Central Federated
Union meeting because he happened to be
in the city. and he wanted to thank the
Central Federated Union for inviting him
to address the unions Labor day He
was sorry, however. that he could not do
so. as he had received about two hundred
invitations. One Of these was from Dan
Vile. ILL.,. which he would accept
1.-The reason l am going there he said,
''is because it is in the district now mis-
represented by Joe Cannon There Is
nothing in the circular that is not in line
with what you have been doing all along.
and l am surprised and panied at the sug-
gestion of treachery. The circular does
not commit the labor unions to the demo-
cratic party in any way. At mass meet
ing called under the auspices of this body
in the Grand Central Palace some time
ago, which 1 addressed. resolutions in
line with the sentiments expressed in this
circular were carried
Accompanying the blue circular was a
circular on white paper. which was also
read The white circular was a strong
Endorsement of the democratic party as
the friend Of labor and as strong a de-
nuncation of the republican party. It
said that the democratic party granted
all that labor demanded in it's platform
while the republican party ignored all
demands.
1t declared that the republican party
definitely lined up with the corporate in
terests of the country and defied the peo-
pie to help themselves. and then said Of