Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-12
GOMPERS DECLINES no
DISCUSS STATEWIDE STRIKE

Washington March ll.-"ln regard
10 the extension OF the strike IRON
Philadelphia to the state Of Pennsyi-
Vania or the country, ! do not want
TO discuss that SUBJECT for publication
now said President Gompers ot the
American Federation of Labor today
in discussing the philadelphia labor
controversy.
Whatever plans we may have for
the protection of labor" he contiued,
Il do not know that it is necessary to
publish or proclaim The forces ar
raYed against labor meet in secret and
plan their schemes. They take neith-
er the public nor labor into confidence.
We viii do the best we can TO protect
the rights and interests of the work
ing people
Referring to the action OF the Phil
adelphia authorities yesterday in pro-
hibiting the holding of mass meet
ing at the baseball park, Mr.. Gompers
said the men Were treated as the
Cossacks treat the Russian subjects.
rather than citizens are treated in
the republic Of the United States
An attempt such as this he said
to deny and prohibit free assemblage
and free speech and wantonly and
ruthlessly and brutaJly to club men.
women and children in the effort to
free assemblage. is bound to react.
In the United states we are led to
believe we are entitled to these rights
under the constitution and for a mo-
ment the cOrrunt gang, such as OBJ
tainse in Philadelphia may have the
upper hand, but that cannot last long,
not in free. America. 1t is something
that Philadelphia corporations and
politicians do not seem to understand.
that the greatest safety lies in free
DOM
Reviewing the situation that led up
to the trouble, Mr.. Gompers said that
everything was done by the men that
could be done with honor. to avoid the
strike and contued:
Ever since the strike OF last June
Of the street railway men i'm Phila-
delphia and when it was adjusted by
agreement the company has been en-
gagged in nnllifying the result Of the
strike and the agreement had with
the organization.
He said he rendered the good offices
of the American Federation of Labor,
as Wen as those Of himself to help in
adjusting the differences.
That offer, he said, 'was made to
President Kruger of the street railway
and / stated with authority
that any matter that could not NUT
uallN be adjusted. | was empowered to
offer and did offer him, arbitration by
an impartial body Of men 10 that
he answered that he thanked me for
my good offices but that the situation
was adiusfine itself
Under mis- direction the strike
breaking agencies hegan to import
men into Uhiladelphia Then in the
course OF ten days he discharged near
~ six hundred OF his ola and faithful
because they were members
Of the union. The men saw that this
would simply mean that their organi
zation would be gradually wiped ont
Of existence, Then they asked that
he discontinue that policy and that
men against whom there We're no
charges Of incompetency or lack Of
raithfulness and who had given faith
full service. should not be discharged,
He persisted in his course ana the
men went on strike to maintain What
they had and also to maintain their
union.
THE strike occurred and later the
strike of other workmen.
Mayor ReYburn as the representative
Of the city government voted against
II bitration and took the position of
hostility instead Of remaining impair
ial"