The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-21
BOARDS ACTION
IS REJECTED BY
LABOR COUNCIL
CONTINUED From FRS, ragc)

Continued From First Pagc)
Clnedinst. ]. E. Reynolds and s. c.
| Priddy.
Printers Rcpudintc Board.
Richmond Typographical Union, No.
90. which held its regular meeting ut
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, was de-
| cidcdly more outspoken than tho large
meeting that followed an hour or so
| later. Il designated the action of the
board In indorsing Brown. "a gross
Insult to the union men of the State.
1t adopted resolutions calling for tho
removal from Office of the five men
concerned threatening to withdraw
from the State Federation IL this course
were not taken.
The resolutions were offered by w.
H. Mullen and were seconded by
| Thomas McNally. The text follows:
Whereas, five men. acting the
ecutivc board of the Virginia state
Federation of Labor, hive seen ht to
hold an executive meeting and indorse
j. Thompson Brown for tho position of
Commissioners of Agriculture, and
Whereas, II Is evident TINT these five
men took this action for the purpose
| OF imprcSsing politicians with the Idea
TINT they could deliver the union labor
| vote of this Stntc TO whom they might
! select; nnd
Whereas. such action fS diScrnccful
md puts the union labor people of the
Stnte in fnIsc and scrviic position;
therefore, he IL
Resolved, That Richmond Typogrnph-
icnl tnion, No. 90, desires to put Itself
record repudintinE the notion of
the executive bonrd Of the Virginia
Stntc Federation of Labor, md dcclnr-
Ing to tho country that no five men. or
amy number OF men. sell, trade,
deliver tho votes of the members Of
this union.
Resolved further, That this union
CARDS the notion Of the executive hoard
of the Virginia State Federation of
Labor MS grows insult To the union
men of our state, In TINT IL puts them
In the light Of political commodity,
/ which can he delivered by who
have the cnrontcry to seek TO create
such mn Impression on the minds OF
ofIiccscckcrs.
! Resolved further, That every member
of this union IN free nnd independent
man. md that this union has never
sought. and Will never seek, To influence
| amy OF its members in tho exercise Of
! their political franchise, nnd that the
/ only mission of this union L. tho bet
/ tcrmcnt of the printers working con-
difions.
Resolved further. TINT this union
! cnlis upon the Nirginin state Fedora
| ton Of Lnbor to rrpudiHtc the uctinn
taken by Its executive board aud to
remove from office the men who have
| thus slnndcrcd tho cause OF organized
u
action ~ taken this union. tn preserve
Its dignity. will he forced 10 refuse to
4 further niiiintc with the State FEEDER
ntion Of Labor.
/ Resolved further, that this action
! Is not tnkcn by Typographical Union
! NO OK. In the interest Of amy candidate.
or to weaken the strength of any can
didntc. hut simply for the purpose
OF maintaining the nonpoliticni NTH
! tudc that IL always has adhered to and
always Will.
Speeches were made on the noor by
Messrs. koontz. Colvin. Clincd!nst and
| Reynolds, all OF whom signed the July
II resolution. They asserted their con
! stitutional right 10 take the action
they did. and declared their intention
not TO retract any part Of their in
/ dorsemcnt OF Mr.. Brown
TWO local unions reported rcsolu-
lions !ndorsing the executive board :
/ action. while one presented resolutions
repud!at!ng It, Several members
speaking TO the Hirschberg resolution
declared their intention to support Mr..
/ Brown. but were opposed to The cxe.
/ cutive boards action in principle
Most OF the ihyec-hour argument
| centred about the constitutional right
Of the board 10 make tho rccommen-
dat!ons embodied In tho July II reso
| buttons. In support OF their position
| u
! resolution adopted n l9l9 at tho
Lynchburg convention defining one OF
! the duties Of the board IN the follow
! inS language
"'Thc duty OF said committee shall
! he To consider the cinims of candidates
for Stntc nnd national. Legislative and
executive offices, and TO mni<c recon-
mcndntions 10 voters belonging 10 the
! Virginia Stntc Federation Of Labor
md the Farmers Union"
This resolution. il was claimed, took
precedence over the following passage
in the preamble TO the constitution
| ratified by the convention OF 1911:
"W'c recommend TINT NIL wage
cnrncrs participate in NIL elections. but
| we oppose the practice OF indOrsinS
| political parties, or candidates. bclicv-
! ing that NIL voters should be free to
| net az free citizens In this mnttcr. md
| TINT measures only should he dis
| cmsscd, feeling TINT mr. cnch member
becomes well grounded in nm iden, HIS
| own Intelligence will lie the best guide
| In the matter Of voting"
Three members OF local unions who
| spoke in favor Of the lllrschberg rcso-
Il luton quoted tho foregoing extract in
| support OF their contention that the
board acted without it's powers in in
Il dorsing Mr. Brown.
The action Of the Central Trades and
Labor Council yesterday has no sig
\ nficancc beyond Richmond. Each or
tn. other state councils will. 1T is eN-
pccted act within the next week
or TWO upon the issue presented by the
boards Endorsement. The lIirschbcrg
resolution asserts merely that the
boards action is not binding upon To-
cal union men.