United labor bulletin., 1910-01-14

to the concept of the liberty of the peo-
pie of our republic, numberless men have
been subjugated and imprisoned.
We, therefore, recommend that COM
nnttees be appointed by this conference
10 wait upon the governors of states and
such other official representatives of
counties and municipalities as are in con-
troll where the United States Steel Cor
poration has plants located, for the pur-
pose of presenting to these officials the
great wrongs inflicted upon the people
Of these communities, and that the COM
niittees demand an investigation of the
complaints made and where charges
made are substantiated by evidence the
officers responsible therefor be removed
and the wrongs Immediately righted.
With the full consciousness of the JUS
lice of the cause of labor. and particu-
larly the cause for which the iron, steel
and tin-p1ate workers are so nobly con-
tending against the aggressions of that
giant trust, the United States Steel Cor
poration, we confidently appeal to our
fellow-workers and all liberty-loving
Americans for their moral and financial
support
The above plan of action and appeal
was unanimously adopted by the confer
ence of chief executive officers of the
National and International unions at
Pittsburg, Pa. December II, 1909.
The committee drafting it consisted Of
James O'Connell. T. L. Lewis, W. D.
Mahon. G. W. Perkins, J. W. Hays,
Frank Ryan. T. Healy, Samuel Gompers,
P. ]. McArdle and Charles E. Lawyer.
The above plan of action and appeal
was endorsed by the executive council
Fraternally.
sAM'L GoMPERs,
Pres. American Federation of Labor.
+++++
To Organized Labor of America. Greet
ing:
Ten cents per member is hereby asked
of every trade union in America The
object is fully stated in the accompany
ing circular entitled plan of Action and
Appeal the same having been adopted
by conference of representative labor
l men of America held at Pittsburg, Pa,
December 1914. and which has also been
approved and endorsed by the executive
council OF the American Federation of
Labor Contributions should be sent to
Mr. John Williams. Secretary Amalga-
mated Association of Iron and Steel
Workers. sos House Building. Pittsburg,
/ Pa.
/ Little is necessary to be added to the
general circular. These points. however,
need to be emphasized:
| The present contest in the iron. steel
4 and tin-plate trade was not begun by or
ganized labor: it was started by the
United States Steel Corporation. The
trade unions are acting in self-defense
and in protection of the American stand
ard of life and of American institutions.
The aggressions of the trust upon union
| labor have been deliberate, manifold, in
sidious and persistent. At every success
sive move these aggressions betray evil
dences of a comprehensive plot by the
master minds of nationwide monopoly
bent on increasing dividends. no matter
what the cost to American labor, to the
country at large. or to human progress.
This campaign of the steel trust
-ainst union labor because of the lat
ter's avowed objects of a normal work
day and an American wage standard is
but the manifestation of one scheme in
series which together form a conspir-
acy worthy of a Caesar. a Napoleon, or
/ +fN ,,-fs, ir,Sf ~.
tutions of unrestricted production, fair
dividends, just legislation. an impartial
judiciary. free and uncorrupted press,
an unmanipulated market and the high
est estate for labor that production can
| justify.
These counts against the steel trust
are undeniable:
| Its control of production is one OF its
established features constantly extolled
as merit by that portion of the press
animated by Wall Street motives.
Its dividends are based upon not only
its invested capital, but more than half
] a billion of watered stock.
| Its attorneys are notoriously present
at or in every legislative body from
which privilege may be purchased or ad-
vantage in some form be procured.
Its influence upon certain courts pre-
sided over by notably unworthy exam
pies of the judiciary has been shown by
the radical notifications of their unjust
injunctions speedily made by higher
courts.
Its close touch with certain infamous
t. Nxhf
every occasion when 1t is possible FOR
editors to choose between prostrating
themselves before its subsidy disbursers