Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-01-30
The CONVENTION HOOTS
ACCUSED MAN DECLARES THE
ASSERTION is A LIE AND
RANK ISLANDER
MOYER MAKES A SPEECH
SAYS FEDERATION HAS DONE ABB
soLUTELY NOTHING FOR
THE STRIKERS

Indianapolis, Ind. Jan. 30-That
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, was
.gIoriously drunk at the Seattle con-
vention Of the federation was the
charge made by Duncan Mcdonald Of
illinois at the convention Of the
United Mine Workers Of America to-
day. During the prolonged cheers,
''liar" and eslanderer" were hurled at
Mcdonald by Gompers. who sat on
the platform.
q am glad Mr.. Gompers is here 80
/ can say what I want to. said Nc
Donald in beginning HIS reply to the
cpeech made yesterday BY Mr.. Comp
ers Il said there were booze fight
ers in charge Of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor, and I'll prove it. At
the Seattle convention had a room
with my wife at hotel next to the
room reserved by the resolutions
committee. The first Saturday night
we could not sleep for the noise
made BY bunch Of drunks in the
next room.
Il appealed to the clerk Of the
65t6i and tie noise grew louder
Then I went down to the hotel office
and the night manager called Jim
Duncan on the phone and told him
they would have to get out Of the
room, that they were disturbing all
on the floor.
"The noise grew fierce and fin
ally knocked on the door Of the room
and was asked to come in and have
drink. When the door was opened
there sat Samuel Gonipers at the
head Of the table, gloriously drunk,
with a bottle Of booze in his hand"
The statement threw the conven-
tion into an uproar, and it was some
time before order was restored.
While the confusion was at it's height
Gompers called Mcdonald a liar and
a slanderer.
\ Mr.. Gompers followed Mcdonald
and denied absolutely the charge Of
drunkenness. He declared the state
ment 1ibelous, untruthful, vicious,
slanderous and without any form Of
honor"
Mr.. Gompers left the hall to take q
train before Charles H. Meyer, presi-
dent of the Western Federation Of
Miners, could speak.
Despite the statement OF Mr.. com
pers, asserted Moyer. 4 firmly be-
llieve that the assessment for the
Michigan strikers should have been
4 AIlevied, and he failed to give salts
factory explanation why it was not
done. reiterate that If the strike
should fail it will be due to the failure
Of the executive council Of the Amert
can Federation Of LABOR to levy an
assessment"
! Mcdonald charged GoInpers with
maintaining a machine to perpe
tuate himself as the head Of the fed
GRAFTON and is assisting the democra
tic party. even against candidates q
other parties who are members Of Ia
bor unions. He ridiculed the ide'
that the unions could not pay two
cent assessment.
IF union would NOT meet the a.
sessment,1 declared Mcdonald, why
I would rather they would get outsid
the federation If two-cent assess
ment can break up the American Fee
GRAFTON Of Labor, then itds Of a might
flimsg constitution
Mcdonald charged sumpers with b
/. ing a member Of a chamber Of con
b merce at washington and that he pal
Z his dues out Of the funds g the fe'
y Grafton. GompeFs replied That in "a
t chamber Of commerce Information
& importance 10 the labor moveneI
il was impaired, and that be was men
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