The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-09-19

would reveal that. Although the
Eastern part of his tour was under
taken under the auspices of the
American Federation of Labor, he
continually consorted with the So
cialists and was to great degree ap-
parently preaching Socialist doctrine
At indianapolis he listened eagerly
to the tale of woe of one Speyer, as
sistent editor of the Carpenters
magazine, who complained that the
secretary of the international union,
Mr.. Frank Duffy, now member of
the executive council of the A. F.. of
L., was "a fanatical Catholic" and
would not allow the editor to print
Socialist matter in the magazine. He
also declared that though most of
the members hold opinions at vari-
ance with those of the secretary, he
is regularly reelected to office"
through the aid of his machine" a
statement which is absolutely false.
He accused the officers of other
unions of similar tactics.
Legien also had to have his tour
altered by the American Federation
of Labor so that he might attend the
convention of the Socialist party in
Indianapolis. In speaking of his adj
dress before Congress, he expressed
the hope that he might make some
of those to whom he spoke see red.
In describing his trip to Cleveland, he
expends much time in attacking an
organizer of the Bar-tenders' Union
and of the A. F. of L. who was a
strong Socialist hater," and sympa-
thizes very much with the Socialist
Singing Society which refused to sing
because of this obnoxious individual.
His interest at all times, as evidenced
in his account of his Cincinnati visit,
seems more centered in the Aemrican
Socialist movement than in the Amer
lean trade unions. He also signifi-
cantly remarks that he was much
bewildered when prior to starting
my meeting was frequently asked
by people who represented them
selves as being members of the So
cialist party, in the interest Of the
Labor movement, to refrain from at
lacking the church. With this re-
quest l could not comply, as l was
to speak not of American but of
German conditions, and in Germany
the Church always aimed to obstruct
the attempts of the working class to
attain a decent existence and free
dom and equality"-a statement
which is merely re-hash of the ly-
ing charges of DR.. Erdmann which
Theo. Bauer answered SO decisively
in his pamphlet on the Christian
Trade Unions of Germany.
The important points to be empha.
sized in this regard are these: In the
first place, this lecture tour of lie
gien's was organized under the gen
eral auspices of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor and Socialist Party
the Former conducting the Eastern
tour, the latter the Western, thereby
in the popular mind connecting the
two associations, whereas, as mat
ter of fact, not one third of the So
cialist party membership are trade
unionists, and but small number Of
trade unionists are Socialists. Legien
himself expresses the hope that the
trip and his report twill have the
effect of bringing the Socialist Party
and the Trades Unions Of the United
States closer together" Secondly
Legion took advantage of his position
even under the auspices of the A. F.
of L. to falsely attack the Church
Thirdly: he was quite intent in
spreading the light of Socialist doc
trine. The International Labor
Movement, as it has been called, ever
since the A. F. of L. affiliated with