The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-08-06
Labor S Affitude
in Politics Defined
President Gompers Outlines the Position Of the
Executive Council in a Ringing Editorial
Misrepresentation Of P1ute Press Shown Cp

the American Federation of Labor.
ina 5000 word edilofiaL which
appears III the August number
of the rcdcrationiSt, the official
organ OF the Federation, sounds
the first blast of the conflict which
the executive council of the FEEDER
alton intend to wage in the coming
political campaign.
Much of the first inStalment is
history Nr. Gompers reproduces
plankS which lie submitted to the
Republican, convention at Chicago,
and then quotes the plank which
that party adopted on the subjects
involved. In commenting upon
the results obtained Mr.. Gompers
says:
AT glance the plank adopted
will be seen to bca llimsy, tricky
evasion Of the issue. 1t is an in
Endorsement of the very abuse
against which labor justly protests,
and would, if enacted by congress,
give statutory authority for the is,
suancc Of injunctions in labor dis
putc>, IN authority which does not
now exist. 1t IS Il Injunction,
not an anti injunction declaration.
at is worse than meaningless
and cva>iyc', as the capitalist-cor-
poratiom press has designated it.
1t would make more acute the
wrongs by which the toilers are
forced |" bear the unjust, judicial
burden OF injunction discrimina-
ton.
Take that part of the plank de-
carlng that the Republican party
will uphold the authority and in
teslIty Of the courts is Il gratu-
uou>, iudctcnsible and covert in
suit, not only TO the men of labor,
but 10 the rourts themselves. 1t
implies that the integrity and legal
authority OF the courts have been
Questioned. 1t was adopted to APP
le">c Incorporation magnates and
corporatiom lawyers who demanded
that tn" Republican convention
adopt such a declaration.
"lhc same sort OF influence
which demanded the incorporation
OF tins declaration in regard to the
courts fashioned the declarations
ahu attltHdc Of the cham bcrS Of com
mere" H"t boards of trade Of New
AolA and elsewhere during the
lvVoI0tion Of American indcpend-
tnrc when they assured King
heoi@c Of their loyalty to the Brit
Sh crown and their unalterable
Opposition TO American indepenu-
chc". Ii was better that the Re
pUhlican convention had entirely
ignored In" question than to have
attempted 10 toisr such Il plank
upon lac people.
''Ia."r asked the Republican
tonN"' ilun TO, i'll essence (declare
I"I The enactment of law recog-
mug lumHn rights and human
iIrr'i'm. Ii wholly failed to meet
'hr nInircmemtS OF an intolerable,
uN'"N. "a" un-American situation.
y" hlr, was either declared or
PROMISED.
'l'"mr asked the Republican
''h''a.nu for bread and it CAV, a
stone.
i". H%ukS adopted OF the Den
''' r.Hrrmtiom are produced, and
u, .m"en;ing upon his victory
VIZ. '.,rpcr> saws:
believe that the whole
mas be workers of the country
WI. pond III hearty sympathy
W. . ."' Democratic party in the
'....- campaign as a result of its
, H .ae labor planks of the
t..' .''a. They viii be of practi
'1 '..'l 10 the workers.
have no hesitation il
-''" workers and our friends
'".'l The country to support
r. iu this campaign which
.a us sympathy with oul
raa its desire to remed ,
- sec that the rights o
ar" restored.
ihIS not necessarily be
he Democratic part,
r- lone this. We Moult
E"lkcrS to support an,
."A has Incorporated on
INTO its platform ant
/" work for their fulfill
-inrrate attempt is bein
r the opposition press t