The Springfield herald., 1910-01-07

upright citizens. The noisy, violent
ones get into office and the leaders of
the great Labor Trust know how to
mass this kind of men. in labor con-
ventions and thus carry out the lead
ers' schemes, frequently abhorrent to
the rank and file: SO 1t was at the late
Toronto convention.
The paid delegates would applaud
and ''resolute" as Gompers wanted. but
now and then some of the real work
| ingmen insist on being heard, some
times at the risk OF their lives.
Delegate Egan is reported to have
said at the Toronto convention:
III the officers OF the federation
would only adhere to the law we would
| think a lot more of them"
The Grand Council of the Provincial
Workingmens Assn of Canada has
declared in favor of severing all con-
nections with unions in the U. s., say
ing ANY union having its seat Of
Govt in America. and pretending to be
international In its scope. must fight
| industrial battles according to Ameri-
can methods. Said methods have con-
sequences which are abhorrent to the
law-abiding people of Canada involving
hunger, misery. riot. bloodshed and
murder. all of which might be termed
as result of the practical war now
in progress in our fair provinces and
directed by foreign emissaries of the
United Miners of America"
That is an honest Canadian view OF
our Infamous Labor Trust"
A few days ago the daily papers
printed the following:
(By the Associated Press.O
| Washington. d. c., Nov. 10.-Char-
acterizing the attitude Of Samuel Com
| ohp ND nj
rison of the American Federation of
Labor in the contempt proceedings in
the courts of the District of Columbia,
in connection with the Bucks Stove
and range company, as "a willful. pre-
meditated violation of the law" Simon
Burns. general master workman of the
general assembly, Knights of Labor,
has voiced a severe condemnation of
these three leaders. Mr.. Burns eI-
pressed his confidence in courts In gen.
eral and in those of the District OF
Columbia in particular.
APPROVED BY DELEGATES.
This rebuke by Burns was in his an
nual report to the general assembly of
his organization. He received the
hearty approval of the delegates who
heard 1t read at their annual meeting
in this city.
There is no trust or combination of
capital in the world" said Mr.. Burns,
that violates laws oftener than do the
trust labor organizations, which resort
to more dishonest, unfair and dishon-
orable methods toward their competi-
tors than any trust or combinations in
the country"
| Mr. Burns said the action of these
so-called leaders" would be harmful
for years TO come whenever attempts
were made to obtain labor legislation.
THE Labor Digest" a reputable
workingman's paper, says, as part of
an article entitled THE beginning of
the end of Gompersism, many organ
izations becoming tired of the rule-or-
ruin policies which have been en-
forced by the president of the A.
| F. of L.
That he has maintained his leader
ship for SO long time in the face of
his stubborn clinging to policies which
the more thoughtful workingmen have
seen for years must be abandoned, has
been on account partly of the senti-
mental feeling on the part of the or
ganizations that he ought not to be de-
posed. and the unwillingness of the
men who were mentioned for the place,
to accept nomination in opposition to
him. In addition to this. there is no
denying the shrewdness of the leader
of the A. F. of L., and his political sa-
gacity, which has enabled him to keep
a firm grip on the machinery of the or
ganization, and to have his faithful
henchmen in the positions where they
could do him the most good whenever
their services might be needed
Further than this, he has never
failed. at the last conventions. to have
some sensation to spring on the con-
vention at the psychological moment.
which would place him in the light of
a martyr to the cause Of unionisr, and