The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-01-07
privileges to the strong and denying
justice to the weak"
REFERS tn TRIAL itInNE

privileges to the strong and denying
Justice to the weak"
REFERS TO TRIAL JUDGE.
Judge Anderson, who presided over
the trial OF the iron workers was re-
ferred to particularly by Mr.. Gompers
when he declared that "our whole So
cial organization seems to be on trial?'
! Even the judge who tried the case
smugly assured of personal irresponsi-
biiity," Mr.. Gompers said, "fatuouEiy
declared that the evidence in this
case will convince any impartial per-
son that government by injunction is
infinitely to be preferred to government
by dynamite
The worthy Judge had blindly
CHANGED upon one OF the causes but
had failed to realize casual relation
ship. The words to him were simply a
conventional epigram-he does not
know that there is law of life just
as immutable as the law Of gravita-
ton; Of attraction and repulsion, a law
| Of life which meets tyranny and injus-
tice by resistance. The happiness aye
| the unwarrantable character Of this ut
terance OF the judge discloses how far
a8eld outside of the case he went to
take another slap at labor"
Mr.. Gompers defended the American
Federation of Labor as a force for bet
terment of conditions and resented the
attacks made upon 1t since the begin
ming of the dynamiters case.
I'VE have been investigated" he
said, from the first insinuation that
the enemies Of our movement meant to
get the men 'higherup' and therefore
directly and Indirectly connecting my
| name with the men supposedly higher
up I have declared my readiness at
any time to submit for examination by
any representatives of constituted au-
thority. or by a committee of any re-
spectacle body of citizens. every docu-
n1ent paper or account, financial or
otherwise / have challenged and now
challenge any Of our enemies to show
that there has been any unlawful con-
duct or any connection, direct or re-
mote, WITH any violence in connection
with any labor controversy or other
wise.
NOT EVEN SUSPICION.
'Mr. Frank Morrison, secretary of
the American Federation of Labor was
summoned TO appear before the grand
Jury. He took with him, not only the
financial accounts and transactions Of
the American Federation of Labor, but
his own. and after a thorough scrutiny
and investigation there, were returned
to him and are now at our office. Not
scintiila OF evidence or suspicion of
wrong doing could be discovered; not a
scintilla existed or exists"
The federation leader referred to
statements made by John Kirby, Jr.,
president of the National Manufactur-
ers' Association, William ]. Burns, who
caused the arrest of the McNamaras
after the Los Angeles Times explosion:
Harrison Grey Otis editor OF the Times
and others whom he characterized as
enemies Of organized labor, Mr.. Com
pers said he would have the public
consider the convicted iron workers,
with the understanding mind and the
spirit taught by the teacher of old who
said let him who is without sin cast
the first stone'."
There are many ready to heap upon
the structural iron workers" he de-
clared, mot alone the men adjudged
guilty, but every member of their
union, condemnation and humiliation;
many ready to wrap the robes of saint
" justice tightly about them lest con-
tact defile them, ready to withdraw
from these men every good and up
lifting influence and to cast them out
to the mercy of whatever interest
might profit by their helplessness."
Launching into his attack upon the
employers whom he declared had per-
sistentiy fought the iron workers union,
Mr.. Gompers said that they never had
thought Of the constructive ability %
the workers. He condemned in this
connection the National Erectors' As
ISOLATION, the National Manufacturers
Association and the United States Steel
Corporation.
For six years the fight went on, with
all the forces Of society used against
these men. You say that these men
resorted to forbidden methods of vio-
lence and even sacrificed lives. You
condemn their methods of fighting as
elemental brutal OF any of those who
are guilty the condemnation is true,
but I ask you-were the methods used
| by the employers less deadly to hui
mainly and freedom? Do You think
that one side can play with the forces
OF injustice and tyranny and not lead
to q defensive move on the part of
the other? Each will protect his own
interests-would anybody else do that
for him.