Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-28
OPPOSED TO ALLIANCE
Labor Leader Criticises At
titude of President Gompers.
SAYS LATTER MISLEADS
Decision to Aid Democrats, He De-
clares, Two Years Old.
POINTS TO OTHER CAMPAIGNS
Asserts That No Decision OF Judge
Taft Has Been Inimical to
the Workingmen.
POINTS TO OTHER CAMPAIGNS

Mr. George Baber of Louisville, n.y.
formerly editor n-chef of The Working
mems Daily Advocate" of Pittsburg. ana
one of the best known labor leaders IN
the United States. has pronounced views
as to the participation of President
Samuel Gompers of the Federation OF
Labor in the present campaign
Prior to my connection with the 'Advo-
cate" he says, Il had taken lively
interest in the labc- problem, having writ
ten a number of articles in support of the
labor view. 1 presided over labor con-
ventions, delivered labor addresses. taking
an active part in everythi connected
with the labor movement in western Penn
sylvania.
Power Of Independence.
I'VE determined at Pittsburg to or
ganize a movement to promote certain
interests the workingmen had in state
legislation. We nominated candidates for
the legislature and candidate for Con-
gress-Andrew Burt. We made 1t point
to maintain an absolutely Independent at
titude so far as the old parties were con-
cerned. We did not believe that we could
win in that local fight. but we could make
known distinctly the views we entertained
upon the questions in which we were
particularly concerned. We succeeded,
not at the polls but subsequently IN the
legislature. because our discussions Great
ed a profound impression. and the legis-
lation we wanted was enacted.
That is a very different thing from
Mr.. Gompers' present attitude. as you
will perceive. Pretending to promote the
interests of the workingmen. he endeavors
to make the labor unions of the United
States mere allies of the democracy. Yet
the present attitude of Mr.. Gompers is
identical with the position he had held
for twenty years.
Strike to Help Democrats.
II remember the active part Mr.. Com
pers took in the famous Homestead
strike at Pittsburg in 1892. when he pro-
NOTED to the utmost that prolonged agita /
ton and distress among the laboring men
in Pittsburg and at Homestead. There
stead strike.
Mr.. Gompers, as l recall. was par
ticularly active in promoting that strike.
and conducting elsewhere the indiscreet
might aid the democrats. He was, in
fact. an ally Of the democracy every
where in 1892.
Plan Two Years Old.
He became an ally of the democracy
for the campaign of 1908 as far back as
the beginning Of 1906 and 1907; and his
present position, therefore. is not the re-
suit of anything done at either Denver or
Chicago 1t is the result of an old ar
rangement Of Morrison and himself. In
other words, l mean to say that when Mr..
Gompers began his unwarranted fight
upon Littlefield, who beat him badly, he
was preparing the way to support Bryan
as he is doing today.
r
the laboring men of the United States
to the extent that he is leading them at
all
1.-The pretended fear of Mr.. Gompers
relative to the writ Of Injunction as it
is incorporated in our judicial procedure
not because the writ is inimfcal to labor
unions but because the writ of injunc-
ton may be invoked to counreract, to
prevent or to punish instigators of the
boycott and the blacklist'-two things
that were never in harmony with the
real purposes of labor unions. organized
to promote, to elevate and to strengthen
the cause Of labor. But the blacklist
and the boycott are Mr.. Gompers' IA
vorite measures. 1t is not. and never
to engage In boycott 1t never was.
and never can be, to the interests of
laboring men to encourage a blacklist
of employers, nor of employers to make
d DldChilSl VI cLIplOSc lucy simply
engender a bitter and irrational warfare
between capital and labor. And you
know the true interests of the working
men of America are that capital and
labor shall cooperate on perpetually
friendly terms.
Taft and Workingmen.
Now. as to Mr.. Taft: I can safely
challenge Mr.. Gompers to show a line
ever written or word ever spoken in
dicating in the slightest degree. directly
or indirectly, any unfriendliness to labor
or to laboring men. Nothing in any de-
cision ever rendered by Judge Taft Is
inimical to the workingmen. This is true
of all cases which he adjudicated from
time to time. On the contrary Mr. Taft's
decisions relating to injunction suits fur
nished the only substantial footing. from
a legal standpoint. on which the labor
unions can rest and be maintained sue
cessfully. Mr.. Taft is a friend of labor
in Decd Mr.. Gompers a friend Of labor
in words only! Mr.. Taft's election seems
inevitable, and his administration will