New-York tribune., 1911-12-08

When William j. Burns. the detective"
challenges Gompers 10 make an afiidavlt
DENYING knowledge of the McNamaraS
guilt-before their plea of guilty, and says
he is satisfied that Mr.. Gompers knew
"at thc time the first piece Of structural
"ironwork was dynamited. back IN lWh
"who was responsible for it," his words
are not those of bOaStpr. He has talked
freely in this case. but everything he
has said heretofore be has made good
Thus il becomes interesting when he De
clares that the meeting in Indianapolis
at which funds were voted for the de-
fence of the McNamaras was originally
called as Il iollilication meeting over the
expected blowing mp of certain iron
works i'm Detroit The arrest of the Nc
Namaras prevented the dynamitinG, and
SO. according 10 Mr. Burns. the meeting
did not celebrate. but voted funds. Com
pers attended that meeting. How could
he have done 50. Burns asks. without
finding out that the McNamaraS were
guilty? Moreover the McNamaras boast
ed when apprchended that they had the
American Federation of Labor behind
them and they offered TO pay 10000 for
their release. Where were they going 40
get the money? Burns asks. Who was
going to give il to them:
In all this. as we understand il. Burns
does not accuse Gompers of any criminal
responsibility. lie is not alleged 10 have
had guilty knowledge of the crimes but
merely knowledge of the McNamaras
guilt long before their confession. How
could ne have escaped knowledge of their
guilt? Here was Il long series of crimes
all obviously In the supposed interest OF
organized labOr--sO much so that it *
almost IMPOSSIBLE 10 avoid The conclusion
that they were the work of unionisrs
Did the suspicion that they were the
work of uniOniStS never cross GOmporS :
mind? They were practically all direct
ed at one industry. Did il never occur 10
Gompcrs that they were inspired or com
mitted 10y some of the structural IRON
workers? The Journal Of the structural
ironworkorS published by Mcnamara was
full Of threats against employers with
whom his union had difficulties and Of
iocoSe and cryptic paragraphs about the
dynamtings that were constantly taking
place Did these never catch GOmpcrs's
eyef Did all the circumstances signify
nothing 10 him when the Nc\amaras
were arrested
Others in organized labor besides the
McNamaras obviously knew about the
dynamtings. for otherwise it is impossi-
BILE to account for the large fund sup
piled to the McNamaras with which they
carried on their uefarious work. Did no
whisper ever reach Gompers that cna-
blpd him Ia guess what was happening
Gomners raised the funds and made
himself responsible for the defence Of
the >McNamaraS Did he never learn
from Darrow in what desperate straits
the defendants were. nor Of Darrow's
efforts 10 save one Of them, the labor
union officer. AT the expense Of the Others
neck? How could Gompers have been
misled, as he says he was, into believing
in the McNamaras' innocence? What
was the reason for the desperate efforts
10 save the McNamaras, the rouSing of
class prejudice and tanning of class
hatred, the bribery Of the jury. the offers
10 sell one brothers life for the others.
unless II was 10 keep organized labors
criminalty from being further reyea aled?