The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-09
American Federation Issues an
Appeal Calling for Half
Million
BURNS DETECTIVE
AGENCY DENOUNCED
AND OTIS SCORED
Manufactured Evidence, Bit
ter Invective, Allied With
Untold Wealth, is Given
Severe Lanbasting

WASHINGTON. u. G.. May 9.~-Tha
American Federation of Labor to-day
issued an appeal to union men OF
the country for $500, 600 for the de-
Tense OF j. j. Mcnamara at Los An4
gelea
Behind this prosecution. the APP
peal declared. stands detective
agency with no scrupIes nor hesitancy
in manufacturing evidence: and the
National Erectors Associations a part
of the great corporations of the coun-
try, with their millions and billions
OF wealth and power allied against
the cause of labor"
The appeal hotly denounces tina
Burns detective agency and charac-
trizes 1t as an organization well
known to have no hcsitaDcy or scru-
pies in manufacturing evidence and
charges against others.
THAT agency" continues tho ap-
peal has long been known to have
spies In factories and organizations
to misdirect the grievance OF work.
men into prematurely provoked con-
hicts with employers, and thereby de-
feat the ends To secure redress: to
report to corporations the names of
active among discontented workers
and thereby prevent a Well defined
purpose To secure the redress Of grew
ances. to bring about the discharge,
the vfctimization and black.sStlng of
men.
Spirit OF PcrsecutlHn.
IL detective agency such a. this
is itself accused before the bar OF
pnhlie opinion. and any accusations
which its representatives may make
must be regarded with suspicion by
every fair thinking American citizen.
I'm addition to other Influences I'm tho
vindicdye spirit of persecution OF tina
Manufacturers and Merchants As
soctation of Los Angeles. with tho
bitter investiEe of the editor and pro-
prietor OF the Los Angeles Times,
General Otis.
ut Is therefore not difficult TO app
precfate the fact that with all this
untold wealth and power and infiu-
ence, allied with hostile newspapers,
the accused men viii have u most
formidable power and influence with
which to contend. How fair trial
under such circumstances can he ac-
corded them Is difficult to understand.
! Therefore it Is readily Appreciated
how necessary ample means are for
the adequate defense OF the men be-
fore tho courts.
THE men must be properly defend-
ed by the best counsel obtainable aud
the kidnappers must be taught a les
son that the lives and persons OF la
hor men are az sacred as are tho
lives and liberty Of any other men
! in our country, regardless of wealth.
!, fssese ssiors or stafiding:
All Union Invited.
1T has been determined that ann
f Pile opportunities for defense of the
accused men shall be afforded them
+ before the courts OF California and
In the prosecution Of the charges OF
kidnapping in Indiana, and if neces-
sary that the cases shall be brought
to the highest courts OF our country.
| In conformity Herewith. all unions
/ ara requested TO subscribe or con-
| tribute"
The appeal was signed by Samuel
Gompers and Frank Morrison, presi-
! dent and secretary, respectively, Of
! the federation. and also bears the
| signatures of the members of the ex-
ecutive council,
1t !s known that the American
| liberation of Labor recently has ex-
pended approximately half a million
/ dollars for the establishment of or
| ganized labor on the Pacific coast.
| With the receipts from this appeal.
| whic hit Is expected will duplicate
| that sum, over a million dollars will
| have been contributed for the es-
| tablishment of labor unionlsm on the
coast.