Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-21
LABOR ORGAN COURTS
FULLEST INVESTIGATION
American Federationist Saws
I'VE Have Nothing to Hide"
in Dynamite Conspiracy.

In an editorial in the American FEEDER
ationist, issued today, the officials of the
American Federation of Labor make A
statement Of Their stand in regard tn tho
federal investigation now under way at
indianapolis in connection with the Nc
Namara dynamit.ng cases. In reply to
me demand that something be done to
get at the men higher up in organized
labor circles, the editorial says:
We have moth ng to hide. We are
ready at any time Tor the agents of the
law to begin Investigating. Files, rec
ofdS OF all kinds, account boOks-eyery-
thing in documentary shape is open to
them. All that has been printed or
spoken. OF written, to our correspondents
is subject TO their inquiries. Every act
OF every Official may free.y be looked in
TO- NO one is going to dodge or run
away. Whatever can be done to aid the
law VIII be done al these Offices :
How to make our language on this point
more sweeping We DO not know We
could not do it in columns or pages We,
therefore, consider the point disposed of,
III SO far as it relates to our attitude re-
gardinS the investigate for w htch some
men are calling"
Says Labor Was Deceived.
The editorial repeats the declaration
that organized labor was deceived in the
Mcnamara case, and adds that until the
confession OF the dynamiters was made
pubic not even those who took SIDES
against the two brothers knew any more
than did those who sided with them but
who were mlsled.
"A few human.tarians." teh editorial
adds, ARE declaring that a un.onism
must prevail which is grounded on indus
trial liberty. 1T will have TO be a new
unlonism, with new unlonists-and where
are they to DE .found?-for the decelts
in the catch words industrial liberty
are known to all wage workers who have
suffered from the unend.ng competition
which is an inseparable feature OF So
called free labor market -
In regard TO the demand which has
been made in some portions of the press
Tor radical changes in the conduct OF the
American Federation of Labor and the
instant removal of some of it's present
the editorial says:
''.As to the critics Of our federation's
most of them move in q funda-
mental error They assume that the
separate trade unions, in their organiza-
ton, work and affairs, are controlled |
directed. supervised from our Washing
ton center. This is not in the least so |
To the national lor internationally unions !
there is nothing higher up With re-
spect to their routine procedures, their |
and their dues, assessments |
benefits, not one of them is subject to |
orders from the federation Offices They |
are autonomous. All of them are in the |
under certain general reguJa- |
ions. chiefly such as relate to character
If membership. jurisdiction tthe preven-
ion of Overlapping), the avoidance of /
duplication of effort and organization
md the adoption of methods fo. union
tg:tation and education. BY a vote of |
representatives in federation conven-
ions the federation can. for certain DUR
,oses only, impose slight assessment,
step taken on the rareSt occas ons The
looks of the federation show how funds
aised in this manner. as well through
he regular dues. are expended. They
re published in detail in every issue of
he American Federationist.'