Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-27
LABOR LEADER
MAKES REPLY
TO PRESIDENT
G0MPERS SEVERELY ARRAlGNS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
EXPOSES WHAT HE TERMS A
"cHANoE IN FRONT"
Declares That Roosevelt's Letter to
Senator Knox Is "a Direct and
Specific Attack on
Unions" a
[Rx Associated press.l ]

WI ASHINGTON. Oct. 26.-Replying
w to President Roosevelt's let
W ter to Senator Knox In ref
erence to the application of the
writ of injunction in labor dis
putes, Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation OF
Labor, in a statement issued today,
severely arraigns the president Tor
what he terms "a change of position
of at least apparent friendship to Bit
ter, indefensible antagonism."
In opening his statement Mr.. Com
pers declares that although he has
often in the past discussed with the
president fundamental questions of
right, justice and moral uplift, in
cluded in such discussions being the
use and abuse of court injunctions, he
has never until the issuance of the let
ter to Senator Knox heard the presi-
dent even hint that the measures ad-
vocated by Gompers and his fellows
were "lawless, unfeeling, brutal or
wicked" and this despite the fact that
the president we'll knew what measures
were being advocated.
"An Attack on Labor"
MIR. Gompers then declares that Presi-
dent Roosevelt make a direct and
specific attack upon labor" in his let
ter to Senator Knox, and says the
cause of this attack is to be found in
the fact that the labor element is
aroused and determined to deliver its
own vote to Mr. Bryan, which has
led the president to what is character
ized as the worst exhibition OF dema-
gogism" and display of "impotent rage
and disappointment" and IAN awful
descent from the dignity of the high
office of president of the united
States"
mo one but himself" says Mr.
Gompers, "will be deceived as to the
purpose of Mr.. Roosevelt"
Continuing, the statement bitterly
resents the words and actions of the
president in support of the Repub-
fican candidate to whom Mr.. Gompers
refers throughout as Injunction Judge
Taft"
criticlses the Courts
"If the courts have not invaded
human liberty, If they have not under
taken to protect corporate interests 70
the detriment of the people," asks Mr.
Gompers, "why did President Roose-
velt characterize Judge Grosscup's re-
versal of Judge Landis' $29,000.O00 fine
upon the Standard Oil trust "a
great miscarriage of justice?
Mr.. Gompers then declares that labor
does not ask the abolition of the in.
| junction process, but only ltS reStordd
| to the use from which sit has beer
ruthlessly diverted"
| Referring to the Pearre injunction
| bill, which Mr.. Roosevelt attacks, Mr
| Gompers says that 1t has been before
! several congresses, without wore
of criticism or comment from him,
and of the intimation made by the
| president that Mr.. Mitchell and othei
| labor leaders did not advocate the
Pearre and Wilson injunction bills, ht
says:
| Violated No Laws
John Mitchell, Frank Morrison and
| 1 are now on trail to show cause why
| we should not be sent to jail because
| we exercised our constitutional rights
having Violated no law of state or ma
| ton. Will the president publicly justi-
fly Justice Gould's injunction and the
contempt proceedings to send Mitchell
Morrison and me to jail on the ground
for contempt which are put forward bS
the Buck Stove company under thai
| Injunction? The injunction. Of Judge
Gould is based on injunctions ISSUED
by Judge Taft and Judge Taft's Ian
guage is quoted by Justice Gould"
Concluding Mr.. Gompers says: 81
is the purpose of opponents of labor II
villify the labor movement through
me and President Roosevelt now join
the chorus on the pretext that l hav'
attacked the federal courts. AS mar
and a citizen I have nothing to re
tract, but / insist that despite grea
provocation I have always expressed
my views and criticism-perhaps II
strong, yet in respectful language"