Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-08
Denial Of Burns Charge.

Relative to other phases of the Nc
Namara case, the article in the June
American Federationist contains these
passages:
TT may be said that from that time (of
the kidnapping) to the persent, Detective
Burns, Attorney Drew. Editor Otis. c. w.
Post and the active agents of the extrem-
lists in the Manufacturers Association in
general have all played to perfection the
hysterical characters to which we are
accustomed in the pages Of cheap fiction
and on the boards OF the Bowery class
| Of theaters.
Nothing more surprised us in the
series of audacious acts committed by
Detective Burns than his saying to re-
porter of the World. May I. 1911:
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor, knows by
| this time that there was no frame-up, and
that the arrest Of the McNamaras and
McManigal were not the result Of a plant.
Why? Because Gompers has been con-
Quoting an investigation of his own at
Indianapolis that has convinced him that
there was no frame-up and no plants"
I" These assertions OF Burns were en-
tirely without foundation. Nothing was
| brought to our knowledge in Indianapolis
or elsewhere that could be used as evil
dence against the prisoners or show that
| the Structural Iron Workers Union has
been conducting q dynamite campaign
| against the Directors Association.
"Since the Mcnamara confession
Burns has been reiterating this charge.
The only investigation In which President
Gompers participated in Indianapolis was
the meeting of the prominent trade
unionists. held last May 10. called by Off
Gals of the eight international unions
which have their headquarters in that
city and the meeting of the officials OF
a large number of trade unions called by
authority of the executive council Of the
American Federation Of Labor and held
! at Indianapolis June %, 1911. What Presi-
dent Gompers learned there was precisely
what every one attending the conference
| learned, and that was nothing that helped
| to solve the mystery Of the Los Angeles
disaster nor Of criminality of any kind
Aroused by kidnapping.
| Indeed, the unlawful and un-American
KIDNAPPING of Mcnamara formed one Of
the chief factors of fixing in the minds of
| the working people of our country that he
was innocent. They reasoned, as they
had a right to reason. that II there ex-
listed evidence of McNamara's guilt of the
crime charged every protection would
and should have been accorded him to
demonstrate before the courts Of Indiana
that he was innocent of the crime with
which he was charged. His protestations
of innocence his demands to be repre-
sented by counsel were I'LL IotiHessiy Is
nored.
| violence, butality, destruction of life
| or property are foreign to the aims and
methods of organized labor or America,
and no interest is more severely injured
by the employment OF sucn methoos tnaii
that of the workers organization in the
labor movement. Therefore, quite apart
from the spirit of humanitarianism and
| justice which prompts the activities OF
organized labor, its hopes Tor success Ior-
Ii tn
"The American labor movement and its
men, loyal Americans. seek to obtain the
| abolition of wrongs and the attainment OF
their rights within the law. Organized
labor of America has no desire to con-
done the crimes of the McNamaras. 1t
Joins in the satisfaction that the majesty
of the law and justice has been maintain
ed and the culpHts commensurateiy pun
ished for their crime. And yet 1t Is an
awful commentary upon existing condt-
lions when any one man among all the
millions OF workers can bring himself to
| the frame of mind that the only means to
secure Justice for labor is in violence, out
/ rage and murder.
| Unjust to Blame Labor.
ut is cruelty unjust to hold the men Of
the labor movement either legally or
morally responsible for the crimes OF an
! individual member. No such moral code
or legal responsibility is placed upon any
other association of men in our country.
"In so far as we have the right to
speak in the name Of organized labor. we
| welcome any investigation which either
/ federal or state courts may undertake.
/ The sessions of the conventions or the
American Federation OF Labor are heid
/ with open doors. that all may see and
1 hear what Is being said and done. The
i books, accounts and correspondence of
the American Federation OF Labor are