United labor bulletin., 1914-08-01
Endorsement Has Proven
a Very Costly Error
Mayor Duncan Denounced as a Liar
and Enemy Of Working Class;
Miners Merger Plan Adopted

Branding Lewis J. Duncan, Socialist
mayor of Butte, Mont. as a liar and
an enemy to the working class, the con-
vention of Western Federation OF Min
ers in session at Fraternal Union hall,
adopted the report of special COM
mittee Tuesday afternoon completely ex-
honorating President Charles II. Mover
from all charges made by Duncan and
the seceders in Butte.
In his paper, the Montana Socialist,
Mayor Duncan had asserted President
Meyer appealed to Governor Stewart to
send troops to Butte to take charge of
the situation, and in letters written over
his signature as late as July %, since
convention met in Denver. Duncan had
repeated these charges Therefore a COM
mittee was elected by the convention to
thoroughly probe these charges and
make the truth known to the delegates.
Those chosen for this mission We're Del
egates Joseph German. w. E Holm,
John Turney, Dan Murray and p J. Nc
kenna- Their report was submitted to
the convention Tuesday morning and
made it plain that the charges were
false and made with malicious intent
The report further recommended that
Duncan be expelled from the Socialist
party. An amendment to strike this
portion of the report was debated at
length and finally defeated by vote of
80 ayes and IA nays. Then the motion
to adopt the report as submitted was
carried unanimously.
Socialism Proves Heavy Burden
Perhaps half the delegates are MEM
bers of the Socialist party and the
adoption of this report practically elm
mates Lewis j. Dunean ns political
1 factor in Montana, for without support
of the union miners of Butte he will
have no following except the l. W. W.
wreckers
Most of those who spoke on the aues-
tion expressed regret that the Federation
had ever become identified with the So
cialist party and declared this move
ment TO have been a grievous mistake.
Twelve years ago a convention of
this Federation went on record as in
dorsing the Socialist party, and this
action has cost US hundreds of thou
sands of dollars and scores of lives" de-
clared Guy E. Miller, member OF the
Executive Board and himself Socialist.
In Michigan our fight was made bitter
and public sentiment waged against us
not because we were a labor union, but
because we were branded as Red Social
lists. This has been our greatest OBJ
stacfe and We should cut loose from the
Socialist party"
Another delegate declared that when
the word Socialism was mentioned in
the meetings. two-thirds of the members
arose and left the hall. Thousands of
members have been lost to our organiza.
tion because we are looked upon as a
part of the Socialist movement, he con-
tinued.
The committees report incorporated
statements from all those who were
with President Meyer at Butte and Hell
ena. denying that he had at any time
made request for troops. In reply to
a request from Chairman Joseph Cor
man, Governor S. V. Stewart of Mon
tana sent this telegram:
Governor Stewart Says Duncan Lied
in his conference with me. Mr.. Mover
demanded protection for himself and
other Western Federation men. He did
not at any time demand that troops be
sent to Butte
NJ. NJ. Donohue, president Montana
State Federation of Labor, wired:
president Meyer did not call for troops
of any kind from the governor at the
conference, at which l was present.
After reciting all these facts, the re-
Continued on Page Six.)