The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-21
CANNON AROUSES IRE 0F GOMPERS Socialists Win First En- gagement With Him DISCUSSION HEATED President Says Cannon's Attack Was on Par With That of Labor
 Paper Reporter in
 Boston
 


 Atlanta, November 2o.--President Sam in the first sSirmish of the present con vention Of the American Federation of Labor today The socialists won their point, but MT. Gompers seized the op- portunity to express his opinion of so- cialists in general and certain of his crit ics among them in particular.
 The point involved was the adoption of the initiative and referendum princi- pie in the election of officers, upon which the law committee had reported ad- versaly minority report presented by a dissenting. committeeman. indorsing the general proposition in event an investi- gation, by the executive council proved 1t feasible. found numerous supporters in the convention and among them the socialists, by Joseph D. Cannon of the Western Federation of Miners
 MT. Cannon, in a speech in support of the minority report, aroused the ire of MT. Gompers when he mentioned an alleged interview with the federation's president at the time when the former was endeavoring to organize a labor party in Arizona, quoting Mr. Gompers as say ing they could get all they wanted out of existing parties. The inference was that MT. Gompers was not ardently in favor of the democratic principle of the initiative and referendum. MT. Gompers denied he had made any such statement and declared what he probably did say was that he was more concerned in the adoption of the initiative, referendum and recall in the constitution of the proposed state than he was in the success of the democratic, republican or social ist party.
 "I venture to say" exclaimed MT. Con- pers, that I advocated this principle in labor convention before the dele gate was the member of a union.' He explained that he had presented it to the International Cigar Makers conven- tion at Indianapolis in 1877 and that he had continued to advocate it ever since. He said that he had remarked in an undertone when the committee report was read that the position taken was inde- feasible and ought not to be sustained. MT. Gompers said that MT. Cannon's attack was on par with that of a
 
 had grossly misquoted him. When I asked him why he had printed such a lying, garbled report" said Mr. Gom- pers. z he,replied. Well, you know am a socialist To me that was sufficient answer" MT. Cannon made no reply to this slur upon the socialists, but several others of that party arose 10 the defense of their principles. Vice President James Duncan defend ed the committee report, arguing that the referendum was not practicable for the election of the federation's off cers. Several other delegates took the same attitude but twice the number favored the principle and when vote was reached there was hardly a dis senting voice raised against substitute ing the minority for the majority re- port The executive council Is directed to make thorough investigation of the matter and report on the practica- bility of it at the next convention, which probably will be held at Ro- chester, N. Y.
 Earlier in the day the convention proceedings were enlivened by an at tack on William Randolph Hearst by Charles II. Mover, also of the Western Federation of Miners. Mir. Mover charged that Mir. Hearst was an enemy of organized labor because he tolerated a locke out of union men at the mines of the Homestakes Mining company at Lead, s. D., in which the Hearst estate owns an Interest. MT. Hearst claims he has no interest in the mines.' said Mir Mover, but we know that he and his mother are the beneficiaries of the Hearst estate. He Is simply hiding be- hind his mothers skirts"
 James M. Lynch. president of the In-i ternational Typographical union warin- ly defended MT. Hearst, declaring that he paid a high wage scale to 2500 union men and ought not to be condemned without a hearing. The whole matter was referred to the executive commit- tee for Investigation.
 Reports showing that f43 journals rep resenting labor interests are affiliated weer presented by officers .at the annual meeting of the international Labor Pre-: association here today. Jerome Jones r Atlanta, was elected president for the next year Other officers named were Edward Hirsch. Baltimore. first vice president; Samuel Landers Hamilton, Ont. secretary y-treasurer.