Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-20
POLITICAL ACTION DEBATED
Committee Approves Action of on
GERS I'm supporting Bryan and Says
Daniel }. Keefe should Re-
sign from Council.

feated on roll cali II, ,272 to 1876 and a modi-
flcation Of the report. along the line OF
Gompers' report. was adopted.
The rest of the session was taken UP in
discussing the section of the report re-
ferring to the political action of the fedora
tion leaders.
In this section the committee criticised
Daniel j. Keefe for not acting with the rest
of the executive council.
1t has been announced that the Journey
men Barbers' union has decided to begin
a fight for shorter hours.
GOmper's Report Taken Up.
The report Of the committee to which was
referred the annual address Of President
Gompers was the special order when the
! American Federation of Labor began its
sessions today.
President Gompers resigned the chair to
Joseph F. Valentine. seventh vice president
Of the federation. when the report on the
presidents report was called for at today's
session of the convention of the American
Federation Of Labor. Each subject in the
presidents report was commented on and
/ approved by the committee and as the read
ing proceeded the convention endorsed the
recommendations OF the committee
The action Of President Gompers as told
in his report i'm regard to the Buck Stove
and Range company injunction was unaui.
mousy endorsed by rising vote.
There was no discussion of the commit
tees report until the sub-head Litigation
Harassing Labor" was reached
On this subject the committee declared
that when a judge issues an injunction in
labor disputes it is the duty OF organized
labor to disobey and go to Jail and advised
that the funds OF the organization be not
used to defend any such suit because 1t
would be useless expenditure
James Duncan Of the Granite Cutters
first vice president of the federation, op-
posed the recommendation. He said the
union men are law-abiding citizens and
should proceed like any other citizens to
defend themselves at all hazards. He
moved to strike out the words advising the
laboring man to dsobey the Injunction.
President Andrew Furuseth of the Sea-
mems union upheld the report of the COM
mittee. Mr.. Furuseth said the union man
was a law-abiding citizen and would not
tolerate the breaking of the law on the
part OF the Judiciary. He opposed Judge
made law
Frank T. Hawley of the switchmens'
union opposed the report of the committee
which he termed Revolutionary and anar-
chistic."
Max Hayes of the Typographical union
supported the committees report. He in
troduced socialistlc teachings in his speech.
saying:
1T is the time for strong. sturdy men to
re-enact the stirring scenes of every revolu-
tionary epoch. II 1t is necessary for more
men to become martyrs, l see no reason
why our leaders should not assume that
role at this time and prove to the people
we are a militant organization"
II. w. Mccullough for Amendment.
/ L. w. Mccullough OF the Typographical
union supported the amendment of Dele
gate Duncan. He declared he was opposed
TO the doctrine of nonresistance. "Our fore
tathers fought for their liberty" he said
and did not take the position that IL Iib-
erty was not granted they would go 10
jail"
James NJ. Lynch of the Typographical
union and T. l.. Lewis or the Miners sun-
ported the amendment in somewhat ex.
tended arguments.
! John M. Walker Of the Miners supuorted
the amendment. Mr.. Walker ran for con-
gress two years ago on the socialist ticket
in an Illinois district and the stand taken
by him showed that the socialist vote in the
convention on the question is divided
President Gompers then took a hand in
the debate
! IF the men and women who had been
cited in injunction suits had shown
! craven spirit, should encourage all to re-
sist this invasion of his rights. but know
Of no such case" said Mr.. Gompers
II take It the intention of the committee
was to make the situation acute. II is not
necessary for us to make the situation
acute. Our enemies have done and will con-
| tinue to do this for us. They will want
their pound OF flesh and their greed and
avarce will be their own undoing
when an injunction is issued against me
which invades my rights as a man and a
citizcn, | am going to resist that injunc-
/ tion,"
Mr. Gompers suggested that the entire
matter be referred back to the committee,
and a motion to that effect was made from
| the floor.
The proposition TO refer back to the com
mittee was defeated by an overwhelming
vote and the convention took it's MONDAY
recess.
Mitchell ,Oners Amendment.
John Mitchell, at the afternoon session.
offered a second amendment to the con-
vention report, saying in part:
within a few days the court will decide
whether our president, secretary and my
self shall go to jail / do not want to go
TO jail But l shall accept that Judgment