Evening journal., 1908-06-17
LABOR'S PLANK
FOR PLATFORM
American Federation Adopts
Declarations Submitted
To Republicans
BY United Pres. Leased sDeclal Wire,

by united Press Leased Special Wire.
CHICAGO. June 1.-THE resolution
adopted by the American Federation Of
Labor. and which Samuel Gompers
presented to the subcommittee on
resolutions OF the national committee
for insertion in the platform is as fol-
lows:
The Republican party is an accord
with the great emancipator, Abraham
Lincoln, when he declared that labor
is prior to and Independent to capital.
Capital is only the result of the
labor and could never have existed II
labor had not first existed Labor is
the superior Of capital and deserves
much more consideration. Through his
wise and humane policy the shackles
were stricken from the limbs OF four
million chattel slaves The Republican
party has been the stauch defender OF
property and property rights, yet holds
and declares that personal rights and
human liberty are and must Of neces-
sity be entitled to the first and highest
consideration.
Recognizing the new conditions
arising from our marvellous industrial
development. our people and our nation
realize the fact that the wheels of in
dustry and OF commerce of our time
require that new laws and new concep-
tions of law must be enacted to con-
form TO modern industry and commerce
and advance freedom in line herewith.
I'VE pledge the Republican party to
the enactment of an amendment ex-
tending the existing eight-hour law TO
all government employees and to all
workers, whether employed by contract
or ub-contractors, doing work for or
on behalf OF the Federal Government
I'VE pledge the Republican party to
the enactment OF a law by Congress as
far as the Federal jurisdiction extends
for a general employees liability act for
Injury to body or loss of life of en-
lployes.
we pledge the Republican party 10
the enactment of law to extend Federal
! jurisdiction granting women's suffrage
and to submit a constitutional amend
ment for ratification to the states for
the absolute suffrage of women, CO.
equal with men.
1--WE pledge the Republican party to
the enactment of a law creating de-
partment of labor, separate from anN
existing department with a secretary
at its head having a seat in the Presi-
dents cabinet
President Gompers presented his re-
solutions in person to the sub-com-
mittee in the room at the Annex hote,.
In his speech he hinted that If the
labor unions were to be destroyed, If
they were to be treated on the same
plane as criminal trusts and monopo-
lies, the result might be revolution.
I'VE don't want to eat an employer
as an appetizer before breakfast, or
as desert after dinner" said he, but
we want fair treatment and we are
going to have it. We are not anarch-
lists or destroyers Of property, We
don't represent that idea or thought
I'VE are as loyal to America as any,
but we want to retain the right to
organize and to take our own steps
to meet the encroachments and OBJ
lpressions Of capital
Destroy labor organizations and
their incentives you will find discon-
tent expressing itself in other forros
and you will have to deal with that
1T is a living issue to us today a.
much as that in 1776. We stand for thu
principles OF Justice"
Wade Ellis asked Compers. II II was
not true that in the past few years
there had been only % injunctions
lagainst labor.
Il deny it," replied Gompers, "and
say that the man who made the state
ment did so knowing it was untrue"
Il made that statement" came from
T. A. Emory general counsel for the
Manufacturers Association,
There must be no interruptions frorI
outsiders" declared Chairman Hopkins
threatening to clear the room II there
were further interruptions.
Gompers then produced a document
printed by the House Of Represents
tives containing the record of 23 in
junction cases. which he said, had Lee'
selected from hundreds by Representa-
tive Littleheld of Maine and others
The committee went into executive ses-
sion at noon.