The Washington times., 1909-11-10
KNIGHTS Of LABOR
AGAIN HIT AT. Of |.
Move to Abolish Powderly'S
Place Severely Denounced
at Assembly.

-
Policies of the American Federation Of
Labor came in again for criticism by
the knights Of Labor today at the an
nual general assembly Of the latter or
ganization in the discussion precipitated
by the recent attempts OF the Fedora
ton of Labor 10 have the division Of
information, bureau of immigration and
naturalization, Department of Com
merce and Labor. abolished. Terrence
- y. Powderly, former master workman
Of the knights Of Labor, is present head
or the Information division, and his
friends in the organization assumed
that a blow Is aimed at him by the
American Federation of Labor leaders
IN seeking 10 have the government
abandon this department.
The Knights OF Labor. in an emphatic
resolution. went on record as not only
1aForlng the continuance of the bureau
OF information. but also urging that it
be enlarged so that its advantages may
be open to American citizens in any
part OF the country as we'll as 20 for
eigners landing from the Old World. as
the law now provides.
POwdeTly Commended.
IN the same resolution. the work of
Mr.. Powderly in this capacity was high
~ commended. All opposition to the bu-
Teau was roundly condemned as short
sighted and un-American.
The Knights of Labor also urged, IN
the form of a resolution which viii be
sent as memorial 10 Congress that il
be made the legal obligation Of the
Government to furnish gratis the unit
lerms OF all employees VINO are requlret
10 wear uniforms IN the performance
@of their duty. The present system or
requiring employees to wear only those
uniforms that are made under contract,
without giving the employe any say as
to the quality or price. was declared IN
Compulsory arbitration. the establish
ment Of postal savings banks, an IN
come tax and the election Of United
states Senators by direct vote were all
Endorsed as steps in the direction Of bet
ter government President Taft was
commended for his efforts to relieve the
people Of unnecessary tain burdens
Not a Unit
The worlzingmen of the country are
Tar from being a unit in opinion in the
fight which President Samuel Gompers
and Secretary Frank Morrison. Of the
American Federation Of Labor, and john
Mitchell. the mine workers leader are
making in their case growing out Of the
judgment OF contempt by justices of the
Supreme Court Of the District in the
Bucks Stove and Range Company boy
colt case. In fact, there appears 10 De
schisn of considerable proportion
among some OF the ORGANIZATIONS whose
futures are dependent, In a sense, on
she final outcome of this cause
This situation develops from a sensa-
tionaI statement made by Simon Burns, |
general master workman Of the General |
Assembly. Order of Knights Of Labor, |
who, IN delivering his report TO the /
annual general assembly Of his Organi- |
cation. declared that the three principal !
figures in the contempt case are striving /
mainly for notOrieIy. and that their Of |
tense has been a Willful, Dremeditated !
- outrage against the laws and the courts. /
Mr.. Burns, in making this statement, /
vas cordially sustained by the thirty /
eight delegates OF the assembly who /
listened 10 him. also indorsing his decla- 1
ration that TIE action of the trio of 4
labor leaders in fighting the courts, 1
as they have done, viii be harm /
AL n rs eff la Ffra- FTfaV n
string legislation by Congress in the
Law Violations.
There is no trust or combination OF
capital IN the world" said Mr. Burns. I
that violates any more laws oftener
than the trust labor organizations who |
resort 10 more dishonest. unfair. and |
dishonorable methods toward their com
petitors than any trust or combination
IN the country" This observation was /
applauded vigorously by the delegates IN
attendance.
Labor today" he continued. s.is cry
ing that the courts are prosecuting
organized labor and denying them the
right OF free speech II Is said by some
that the courts are used against labor
10 injure it for the purpose of aiding
capital and breaking strikes.
In the present case" he went on 20
say. which Is IN defiance or the order
of the District Supreme Court, one or
both Of these labor representative set
themselves up above the law Did the
organization these gentlemen represent
Instruct them 10 violate the courts
order, or have they, as usual. set them I
selves 40 as the organization itself2 But
whether they were instructed TO do so
or not, the offense IS none the les In
the eyes OF the law. They cannot even
- plead ignorance. because they are in
feliigent men, They knew II was wrong
violate the order OF the court, even
though they and others might believe an
injustice was done them.
Looks Sensational"
cit looks" he continued. enphatically.
LAS II they desired to do something SEN
Rational, so as TO keep themselves prom
a5aently before the public. They showed
ffttle respect for the courts OF the Dis
fffct BY considering them open to [
ffreats of political influence.
The Hon Justice Wright who Inn
posed sentence ia the case. heard one
Of our cases. and / am satisfied that II f.,
Ithad been J. PieTpout Morgan. John 10 i
tI30ckefeller. or Theodore Roosevelt OF
ANY other prominent man. who under
TIE same circumstance, violated the
courts order. as 81 was violated in the
(Fambers case, they would have received
the same or perhaps greater punish
ment
II believe" Mr.. Burns concluded.
that Messrs. Gompers. Mitchell and
Morrison are honest. but that they are
posing as martyrs or playing a danger
Gus political game that viii act as q
boomerang on labor.