Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-03
CAUSE OF LABOR IMPOSED ON
President GOmpers Of American
Federation of Labor Astounded.
TOOK ADVANTAGE OF CREDULITY
chief of Worlring Men Says Unex-
pected self Conviction f. Failure
OF IsdividuaIs tn Live Up
60 Principles.


NEW YORK. Dec. Al am astounded
! am astounded; my credulity has been
imposed upon. II is bolt out OF a clear
sky."
These EXPLANATIONS were those Of
Samuel Gompers. president Of the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor, wnen advised
last night Of the pleas OF guilty In the
Mcnamara cases.
Mr.. Gompers, on his way from wash
Ington, was dosing in a Pullman car In
the Pennsylvania Congressional Limited
when he was awakened at New Jersey
station. He retired 10 the rear OF tile
car where there was a convenient light
and read carefully the 'accounis OF the
Developments IN the Los Angeles dyna-
hitting case.
The veteran labor leader was visibly at
fected as he read how the men In whose
defense he had spoken and worked so
untiringiy had admitted their guilt. Tears
came into his eyes and the hand thai
held the typed page shook He said
nothing until he finished the story and
then he broke for'n with his exelama-
lions Of establishment and indignation.
CreduIity Imposed Upon.
III this Is all true my crodulity has
been imposed upon" he declared. II am
astounded at this news We have had
the grayest assurances given 20 us b.
everyone connected with the trial. either
directly or indirectly. that these men
were Innocent"
MIR. Gompors asserted with the greatest
emphasis that not the slightest intima-
ton OF such change In the plans OF
the defense OF the McNamaras as de-
veloped today had been communicated 10
him. Absolutely the first news OF the
startling Developments at the trial had
been given him, on the train tonight, he
said.
Asked If he would have anything 10 say
about the prisoners personally, the labor
leader replied;
mo, ! shan't add 10 their misery by
condemnation OF them"
what effect do you imagine this viii
have on labor anions7'' was inquired.
TO this Mr.. Gompers snapped his
| fingers and calculated:
None"
When The fund raised by the American
Federation OF Labor for the defense OF
the MeNamaras was mentioned Mr..
Gompers said contributions to date
amounted to about $4,000. which had
been turned over to the chief attorney
for the defense, and the collection was
still going on. He added that In View OF
today's developments the money probably
would be refunded.
Mr. 0ompers bristled up noticeably
when shown the statement by William ).
Burns at Chicago.
II don't wish to mention Burns" he
said deoisively. He denieds however, that
he had ever charged Burns with plant
ing the Dynamite at Los Angeles.
Such Acts Discouraged.
Reverting 10 the explosion. Mr.. Gompers
CONTINUED:
1--WE have discouraged acts like these.
We are patriotic and peace-loving men
and we have only wish to call out the
best elements IN human nature Those
two men must have been crazy. II is 40
act that condemn with all the force thai
is' In me-"
Asked again II he believed tho de,
velopments would lnjure the cause OF
labor, tears came into Mr.. Gompers' eyes
as he answered;
They are not going TO do It any good.
But want 70 repeat that the cause OF
labor has been imposed upon, both BY
supposed friends and enemies. The men
OF labor were led to believe that the Nc
NaInara boys were Innocent and they
acted on that belief / read letters from
them myself protesting their Innocence
Only last September visited them In ths
Los Angeles jail and they asked me e
deliver 20 the labor interests a messag,
that they were innocent men.
"rhe cause OF labor cannot win bS
such methods as these men pursued. Dam
age 10 property and destruction OF mf,
we have denounced and done all In oul
power to prevent. Such methods as thes,
have got TO be stamped out.
IF, alter It Is known we have beer
Imposed upon. We are denounced and a.
tackled for supporting the defense OF thes,
men then let them denounes and attack
The American Federation OF Labor Is
lawabiding institution.
Knows John n. Mcnamara.
Mr.. 0ompers said he had known John J
McNamaTa for several years.
John J. was a very seif-oontained maj
with great fund OF humor and he wa
q good fighter" he said. II would neve
have suspected him OF this. l always be
lieved in his Innocence but / would con
denim the act OF the two men even /
they had been able to get away with /
without being convicted. This unexpeote,
self-convieuon Is nothing more than
failure OF two individuals 20 live al
10 the high principles OF organized labo
and cannot effect Just Condemnation upOl
she cause OF labor as a whole