The Washington times., 1913-04-20
A.F.L. NEUTRAL IN .".
WAR OVER LYNCH
Secretary Morrison Says Unions
Have Not Indorsed |. T. u.
Leader for Position.

James NJ Lynch, candidate fo: Public
Printer. has not received the indorse-
ment of the American Federation of
Labor for this place. This statement
was made by Secretary Morrison, Of
the federation, today.
Nevertheless high officials of the fed
Grafton are working individually for
Lynch, while heads of some unions are
opposing him.
The federation will not take any po-
sition in the fight other than to back
the appointment of a good union mar"
ssid Mr.. Morrison, who points out that
sse federation's rules do not permit OF
t1ch Endorsements where the caudi-
Gates are all union men.
Anti-Lynch circles predict that the i'll
feeling stirred up by the announcement
that Lynch was slated for the printery
place will kill effectively his chances
for appointment.
F. c. Roberts, of this city. former
president of Columbia Typographical
Union. who is connected with the Gov
ernment Printing Office, is a candidate
for the Public Printer office, but has
been keeping his candidacy somewhat
under cover.
G. L. Berry, head of the Printing
Pressmen's International Union, will
take \ strong hand in the fight against
the appointment of Lynch.
He expects to tear the lid of the
Lynch boom Tuesday when he sees
President Wilson. Berry, II is said by
men IN touch with the Lynch fight, Is
strongly opposed to Lynch and will
leave no stone unturned to defeat him.
Berry already has sent to the White
House a strong letter of protest against
Lynch. denouncing him as man with
trades unionists at heart He ac-
cuses Lynch of activity in the Chicago
typographical strike.
Many Protests Filed.
The White House mail contains many
strong protests against Lynch, il Ii
admitted by White House attaches.
Some of the attacks are particularly
strong.
The fight, started by the District
Democratic printers in the Government
printery, is taking on a far wider scope.
It now involves unionism outside the
District and is bringing to light the
bitterness between the Typographical
and Printing Prcssmen's Unions. which
have been at war for some time.
The claim is circulating freely that
Lynch is backed by Herman Ridder,
prominent New York Democrat and
president of the Intertype Company,
makers of the Intertype machine.
His opponents are charging, too, that
he has not had the best interests Of
unioniem or Democracy at heart in his
twenty years Of professional unionism.
On the other hand. Lynch's friends in
this section are backing him as the rep
resentative of the A. F. of L. leaders IS
a strong unionist.
Backed By Labor Editor.
Edward Hirsch, editor of the Labor
Leader, has come to the support Of
Lynch with a statement Of Lynch's 8
activity in the twelve years he has
headed the Typographical Union. His
statement directly or indirectly credits
Lynch with the establishment of the
eight-hour day in the book and job
printing branches, improvement of
wages and sanitary conditions estab-
lishment of the Union Printer Home
at Colorado Springs; establishment of
a tuberculosis sanatorium; old age pen
sion system; increase of unions death
benefit; elimination of differences be-
tween the American Newspaper Pub
fishers Association and the Typo
graphical Union. and the unionization of
shops formerly unfriendly to the
printers union.