The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-20
DEBS' RED SPECIAL,
Starts Trouble in the Federation of
Labor Convention.

Denver, Nov 20.-Before the presi-
dents report was taken up by the
Federation of Labor convention today,
| Mrs. Harriet G. Wright, president of
| the Colorado Equal Suffrage associa-
| ton, was elected fraternal delegate
representing the. National American
Woman's Equal Suffrage association.
| Consideration of the committees re-
port on presidents report was then
| resumed where it stopped yesterday
afternoon. The recommendation of
| the committee on the subject, 'Legis-
| lation and political action" which
caused a long debate yesterday, carry
I ing with it the Recommendation that
any member of the executive council
who does not agree with any action of
the executive council, should resign,
was adopted without debate.
The only remarks made were by
Delegate John Mitchell of the miners
union, who wanted it understood that
the recommendation of the committee
did not refer to religious opinions.
When the point in the committees re-
port endorsing the American Fedora
ZIONIST, the official organ, was reached,
Delegate J. NJ. Barnes of the cigar
makers protested against an editorial
which had appeared during the pO-
Iitical campaign asking who is finan-
cling the red special?" on which Presi-
Dental Candidate Eugene V Debs
made his campaign.
The editorial also charged that the
the red special"
Mr. Barnes offered resolution call
ing upon the convention, to appoint
committee to go over the books of the
Socialist party and ascertain where the
funds were obtained. The resolution
was signed by all the Socialist MEM
bers who are delegates to this conven-
ton and nearly all the Socialist dele
gates spoke in it's favor.
T. J. Duffy of the pottery workers
moved that before the amendment to
the report be considered the Socialists
present be asked If they endorsed edi-
torials appearing in Socialist organs
attacking the federation and its OFF,
GERS.
President Gompers defended the
editorial. He asked why the only
paragraph in the editorial in which
he had expressed an opinion is taken
up and every charge in the editorial is
overlooked, for he did make a number
of charges. Mr.. Gompers charged that
the Socialists were trying to disrupt
the trade union movement. He said
that there never had appeared a more
severe arraignment of the officers of
the federation in the hostile press than
has appeared in the Cleveland Citizen.
edited by Max Hayes, a representative
of the Typographical union in the
convention. Mr.. Gompers stated he
had no i'll will against any man per-
sonally and that he fought solely for
the trade union movement. He had
TO i'll will towards even Debs or
Daniel DeLeon of the Industrial Work
ers of the World, although both were
trying to destroy the trade union
movement. In regard to the charges
in the editorial he said they must be
true or the Socialist delegates would
have repudiated them. These charges
dealt with the political history of Debs
The convention got into a parlia-
mentary tangle over whether Delegate
Barnes should have the floor to reply
to President Gompers after the pre-
vious question had been ordered
It took more than half an hour to
straighten the matter.
Delegate Duffy's motion asking for
explanation from the Socialists of edi-
torials in certain Socialist papers at
lacking the federation officers was
finally agreed to.
A B. Grant of the metal polishers
was called upon as the first of the 1 5
Socialists in the convention to speak
on the subject. He said he was not
responsible for the editorials, but that
he believed that there had been cases
where labor leaders had sold out, al
though he made no charges against
the federation officers.
The convention had begun to be-
come tangled again with motions to
lay the whole matter on the table and
personal appeals when the noon re-
cess was declared.