Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-12-05
STATEMENT IS ISSUED.
Alexandria Trades Council Con-
siders Mcnamara Case and En-
presses its Views.

Ata meeting OF Alexandria Trades
Council held in their hall last nigh,
the confession of the Mcnamara
brothers was brought before the meet
| ing and aftrrconSiderable discussion Il
committee was appointed to set forth
lie views OF the council upon this sub,
ject and upon the action Of the local
council in contributing 70 the defense
fund OF the accused dyDamitcrs. The
report, which fo!lows,Ewas submitted
by the committee in 4 sort tine and
was adopted unanImouSly.-tha entire
council being in accord with the views
as therein set forth. At this meeting
nominations for officers for the
ensuing six months were made and
will be acted upon at the naxt MEETING:
The report OF the committee on the
Mcnamara case is as follows:
Some mcnths ago when john }.
McNamara and James H. Mcnamara,
both OF whom we're members OF great
labor organization and one of them Z
prominent officer Of that organization,
We're accused Of being implicated IN the
destruction by dynamite Of the Los
Angeles Times Building and other
structures in various parts Of the coun'
try, the members OF the Alexandra
Trades Council, representing the or
gaDizcd workers OF Alexandria AMI VI
ciuity took the stauJ, that il the
the fact that they we're trade unon!sts.
they should receive the full penalty OF
the law. Wheh however we saw them
kidnapped and carried to another State
without hearing or an opportunity TO
consult counsel, IN violation. rs se be-
lieved CT the constitutional rights OF
American citizrns; when we saw them
brought to trial before 4 biased and
hostile jud gc; when we saw that Judge
refuse the request Of the counsel for
the defense that the case be tried he
fore another judge; when we saw
objection after objection made by
the prosecution sustained and SIM
liar objections when made by the de-
Tense ovcrruici and when We saw
that all interested in the pros
ccution, including the National
Eractors Association and the American
Manufacturers Association, both ayowed
enemies OF organized labor, as well rs
the court itself. seemed determined to
senC these men 10 the gaiiows regard
less Of their guilt, we like trade union
lists everywhere became convinced that
the mcn wcr. innocent and that the
entire affair was nothing more nor ], S.
than a conspiracy on the part OF the
enc mics OF organized labor to destroy
the entire trade union movement. We
therefore contributed to Il fund for thc
defense or the men, that they might be
assured OF fair trial. They have de-
clarcd Themselves guilty and so fur as
organized labor in Alexandria is con-
cerned the matter is settled. II they
are guilty Of the terrible deeds attri-
bu,ed to them and to which they con-
fess, we reassert the position we as
sumed when they were first charged,
that they should receive the same
penalty rs any other person under the
same circumstances.
We, however, denounce rs unquaIi
fiedly false the statements cmanatlng
from certain quarters that the pIlicy Of
:he McNamaras is the policy Of organ
lied labor in general Or that President
GoEpcrs nr auy II the ether Great
c adrrs OF the movement we're connect
cd in any manner with the acts of these
men. We have within the ranks OF
organized labor, men OF every nation.
ality: men OF every shade Of religious
and political belief; men who are good
and men who are bad; and while we do
claim TO use our efforts to raise our
members intellectually and mortally,
we do not assume responsibility for their
individual ac,ious. 1t is therefore unfair
TO charge organized labor with the re-
.Sponsiblity for the deeds OF the Me
Namaras 1t is unjust to hold organized
labor responsible for the crimes com
rnitled by these men as it would beso
hold the church OF today responsible
for the acts Of It's individual members
or to charge the death Of Christ to bis
disciples because one OF them betrayed
him.
Howard T. CoLyIE, Chairman,
john I. HARRISON,
Martin Nj. LolIo.