The sun., 1908-02-10


which VIII Let In the BOycOtt-One
DeIekate Talks About FOsslIlzed Judges.
The Central Federated Union decided
yesterday to make a resolution submitted
by its executive committee asking the
American Federation Of Labor to call "A
convention for an early date to iDaugurate
a national independent political movement
a special order Of business on March /.
The resolution resulted from the decision
Of the United States Supreme Court award
ing Loewe 4 Sons Of Danbury, Conn.,. three
times the damages demanded in their suit
against the United Hatters Of America for
bOycOttinR their products.
In the discussion the United States Su-
preme Court was referred to by one Of the
delegates as a fossilized set Of men and the
American Constitution was described as an
antiquated document suited to the con-
ditions Of 1875 years ago. but requiring re-
vision to be applicable to the present time.
The preamble to the resolution declared
that the country and the wOrkingmen
faced "a crisis which should be met sincerely
and determinedly. The resolution said:
ResoIrcd. BY this Central Federated Union
of Greater New York and vicinity in con-
ventiOn assembled this ninth day OF February.
1905 to urge upon the American Federation
of La bor the issuing OF a callfor conference
OF representatives of all trade unions at
once o be held in centrally located city OF
the United States for the purpose OF dis
cussing these attacks upon the trade unions
and deVisug ways and means for the imme-
date organization OF an independent political
trade union movement throughout the cOun-
try.
RssOHSd, That while the interests combined
against the trade unions are intrenched in
"a Legislative
bodies and the courts to the detTiment Of the
trade union movement. l. e, bOyCOtting the
trade unions. the trade unions, bereTt OF
the economical power OF the boycott. are
meeting their enemies on heir own ground
intent upon Wrestling their powers from them
by and through an absolutely independent
political movement organized by and for the
trade unions
As soon as the resolutions were read
Morris Brown of CigarmakeTs Union t44 a
Socialist said that under the constitution
OF the American Federation OF Labor the
affiliated unions could not 20 into politics.
Secretary BOhm interrupted To say that 1t
was not proposed TO call the convention as
a convention of the American Federation OF
Labor but as a convention OF the unions
Unless we do something very quickly
said Bohm. this decision in the case of the
hatters means the destruction of the unions
The evident intention Of the employers is to
Overawe the unions and make their power
useless"
Several Of the delegates said that as the
United States Supreme Court had decided
that the labor unions came under the Sher-
man act il would be useless to go any fur
ther. One delegate said that unless the
unions could elect their own President and
introduce a bill in Congress to eliminate
the unions from the provisions OF the Sher
man act it would be useless to do anything.
The Socialist delegates declared that It
was useless TO form new party when
there was a Socialist party in existence
representing the working people. President
Roosevelt was praised indirectly by Herman
Robinson, the financial secretary He said:
Il am not representing President Roose-
welt. but ! want to give any man credit
where credit is due. President Roosevelt
in an interview recommended that the
portion of the Sherman law bringing trades
unions under the act should be repealed
think that every fairminded man would
cooperate with him in that action
Brown launched into another speech on
Socialism When he said that the Socialists
represented the only honest party Tim
othy Healey OF the Eccentric Firemen's
Union interrupted.
Il object to such a broad assertion said
Healey. Does Delegate Brown mean to
say that there are no honest Democrats or
RepublicansI"
Brown hastened TO say that he believed
that there were sincere Democrats and
Republicans and Healey demanded TO know
II in case the labor unions wanted to form
a national labor party he would be willing
for the Socialist party 20 change its name
and merge with the new party under a new
name. Brown demuTred a. FIRST and then
said he would IL the party represented the
principles Of the people.
James Hatch OF the UpholstcrI rs Union
took the floor and said that as long as the
United States Supreme Court had declared
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