Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-08-20
GOMPER'S ADVICE
LABOR LEADER TALKS POLITI CS
TO UNION MEN.
Pre- Sidcni of the American Federation
of Labor riCOntraStSthe Republic an
and Democratic COnve ntiOnS and
Platforms. Urges Support Of the
Democratic party

Samuel GOmpers, president of the
American Federation of Labor gives
the following advice to members of
the organization in the last issue of
the American F'ederationist:
"To state the case briefly, the ma
tional convention of the republican
party at Chicago refused to incor-
porate the demands of labor in its
platform, and instead inserted
plank on iniunctions which indorses
the existence of abuse of the injunc
zion as applied to labor disputes.
THE democratic convention at
Denver. on the other hand, made Ia
Dor's demands part of its platform.
AT glance the injunction plank
adopted by the republican conven-
ton will be seen to be tlimsy,
tricky evasion of the issue. 1t is an
Endorsement of the very abuse against
which labor justly protests, and
would, if enacted by congress, give
statutory authority for the nuisance
of injunctons in labor disputes, an
authority which does not exist. 1t is
a prO-in junction, not an anti-injunc-
meaningless and evasive, as the cap
ilana.-,o. poration press has designat-
I'd il. 1t would make more acute the
wrongs by which the toilers are fore
tai I,-p 1n,,
of injunction discrimination.
1T We're better that the republican
convention had entirely ignored the
question than to have attempted to
foist such plank upon the people.
at is impossible to determine the
rules and laws governing the labor of
working people without affecting
their personalities, their bodies, their
minds, their very souls. Labor asked
the republican convention in essence
to declare for the enactment OF a
law recognizing human rights and
human freedom. 1t wholly failed to
met the requirements of an intolera-
BILE, unjust and un-American situa-
ton. No relief was either declared
or promised labor.
Labor asked the republican con-
vention for bread, and it gave a stone.
lie Van Cleaves and the repub-
.ican press in phrase and cartoon
sneeringly told labor to Go to Dem
YER. Well, we did; and we shall
tell waht happened there.
I'VE said in an interview with the
newspaper directly after the demo-
cratic convention:
1T is qualification to find that
the democratic party has declared in
its platform for the things which my
colleagues and | have labored for
during many years.
1.-The abuses of which labor COM
plains affect not only the workers,
but al the people. The rights and
the reforms upon which we insist
will benefit all the people as well.
"'This anti-injunction plank
adopted by the democratic conven-
'iOlI 10 e,Npb an tilN way puSh' II
has the right ring to it, 1t is not
merely cold proposition 1t is both
thoughtful and practical, and has the
human feature of justice and free
dom. 1t will cause a stir through
out the masses of workers. They will
rise in sympathy with the democratic
party in the coming election.
I'VE desire to repeat here that We
believe that the whole mass of the
workers of the country win respond
in hearty sympathy with the demo-
in the coming campaign
rs "esnlt of its action in the labor
planks of the platform. They will be
of practical benefit to the workers.
1--WE have no hesitation in urging
the workers and our friends through
out the country to support the party
in this campaign which has shown its
sympathy with our wrongs and it's de
sire to remedy them and to see tha,
the rights of the people are restored.
I'VE say this not necessarily be-
cause it is the democratic party which
has done this. We would urge the
workers to support any party which
had incorporated our demands into
its platform and promised to work
for their fulfillment.
"A deliberate attempt is being
made by the opposition press to make
it appear that 'Gompers has promised
to deliver the labor vote to the demo-
cratic party