Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-11
Head of the American
Federation Tells of
Political Activity.
DISTRICTS GIVEN AID
Denies Having Promised to De-
liver 100000 Votes in
Campaign of 1908.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 11.-Con-
tinuing his story before the house
lobby committee today, Samuel Com
pers said since the congressional CAM
paign of 1910 the American Fedora
ton of Labor's political activity had
not been systematic, but rather spo-
radio.
He declared he was opposed to So
cialism. Il believe in doing something
to better things today, not tomorrow.
he said. Active participation in a cam.
paign, Gompers said, was taken by the
federation only when it was requested
from labor workers in a district. Final
determination on policy of opposi-
ton or support by the federation to-
ward congressional candidates was
made by himself, Vice President
O'Connell and Secretary Morrison, he
said.
DENIES VOTE PROMISE.
Gompers denied he had promised to
swing the labor vote" of more than
100000 to anyone in the national
campaign of 1908. He said he could
not and would not attempt to deliver
that vote.
NO official of the federation can
command or order anyone to do any
thing" he continued. They may ad-
wise, suggest, recommend, that's ALL"
Mr.. GQmpers. questioned by his at.
torney, Jackson II. Ralston, gave the
committee a detailed statement of the
aims and purposes of the American
Federation of Labor, frankly told of
its efforts through a legislative COM
mittee to influence congress toward
the enactment of legislation favorable
to the workers, and said that in this
effort, opposition of the National AS
sociation of Manufacturers had been
encountered.
"The only evidence that, and my
colleagues ever have had as to the ex-
istence of the National Association of
Manufacturers" he added, was vim
dictive antagonism to everything we
advocated, no matter how humane
TELLS AIMS OF FEDERATION.
At the outset of his testimony Mr..
| Gompers was asked to state the aims
of the American Federation of Labor
at aims" he said, ito relieve the
working people from burdensome long
hours of toll; to protect them in their
work, protest their lives and health,
to improve their material moral, So
cial and political standing; to bring
about better condition for the toilers
of our country as a reward for services
they render to society"
Tracing the history of legislation for
the benefit of labor, Mr.. Gompers
claimed credit on behalf of the fedora
ton for the work of legislative COM
mittees in Washington and in many
states, asserting that all labor legisla-
ton was constantly being urged upon
legislative bodies through argument by
representatives of the working people.
CHANGE OF MANUFACTURERS.
The witness said the American Man.
| ufacturers' association had always
| been an antiunion or anti-labor organ
| ization.
LAS a matter Of fact" he said, "the
National Association of Manufactur-
ers was not an anti-labor organization
until d. NJ. Parry's declaration in 1903
to the convention of that association
at New Orleans. Mr.. Parry, as pres
ident, had his report printed 1t was
virulent attack on all organized Ia
Dor. That report he never read to the
convention at New Orleans. From
| that time the association became anti.
! labor and anti-union."
/ Representativ Willis asked Mr..
Gompers what relation the American
Federation of Labor bore to the
Knights of Labor.
"The relation Mr. Gompers replied,
between living human organism and
corpse"
EMERY ENDS HIS TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Gompers was called at the con-
clusion of the examination of James A.
Emery, counsel for the Council OF In
dustrial Defense of the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers, who said,
when asked what he now thoght of the
Workmans Protective association, or
ganized by Martin NJ. MuIhall:
Il think it was a political Falstaffian
when asked what he now thought of
the Workman's Protective association,
organized by Martin A. Mulhall:
Sparta, Wis.-Marriage is impossi-
Bile in this county of $4,000 people.
L. The county clerk died recently and
there is a deadlock in the election of
his successor. Until a new county
clerk is chosen no marriage license
can he issued Several marriages haYa