The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-01-30
COMPERS DENIES
MOVERS CHARGE
Declares A. E. of 1. Cannot Levy
Assessment For Strikers

Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 3O.-Samuel
Gompers, president OF the American
Federation OF Labor, defended that or
ganization and it's executive council in
a speech late yesterday before the con.
Nention Of the United Mine Workers Of
America against charges made by
Charles III. Meyer, president Of the
Western Federation of Miners. Dun
in the convention.
Mr.. Meyer Charged that if the cop
per strike i'm Michigan should he lost
I would be due to the inactivity of the
executive board of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
Mr.. Gompers declared it would be
impossible 10 levy an assessment for
the copper mine strikers of Michigan,
and denied that the organization is
'reactionary, fossilzed, worm eaten,
ANA dead" and that the executive coun-
ell is made up Of booze fighters"
"Of the eleven men who compose
the executive council eight are tee
totalers who never touch drop of
liquor said Mr.. Gompers. 1.-TWO of
the men are as moderate drinkers as
any mon who ever take drink. For
myself take glass of beer when the
days work is done. challenge any
man to prove otherwise than that am
as good man mentally and physically
as ! ever was, and | reached my sixty
fourth year last Tuesday.
'FossliZed and dead mean the same
but submit that an organization can't
I've these and at the same time reac-
tiOnarS, for that means going back
ward. Tho history of the organization
shows that it is not dead"
Denies Charge of Meyer.
Mr., MoHcr said his speech had been
correctly reported when asked by Mr..
Gompers, who then returned to the
charge that the executive board had
been inactive ii regard to the copper
strike.
Il have given and will continue to
give all that is in me to further the
strike of the copper miners" declared
more unjust than that of Mr. Mover.
Talk about the American Federation
not raising money. You may not know
that the miners only pay cents a year
80 the American Federation of Labor!
That is all the other organizations al
.lliated with the federation pay also.
DO you think we can accumulate a
large defense fund on that tax?
MIR Meyer says the copper strike
rosts about 100000 week. The fed
Grafton could raise only $4,000 in six
months if every organization were to
pay. That would run the strikers only
three weeks and the organizations
have sixty days in which To meet the
assessment
Mr.. Gompers read list Of all the /
Unions affiliated with the federation, |
stating after each name whether it |
lie said only about two-thirds of the |
ist could pay.
AN assessment would mean the dis
of the American Federation
# Labor. for the constitution of the |
organization provides for the expulsion
# any union which does not meet the
assessments. In all the history Of the
cdcration only twelve assessments
lavc been levied.
Less Not Fault of A. r. of L.
1t Is just as reasonable to charge
he loss of the fight Of the southern
oufederaCy to JEFF Davis as it is To
barge the loss of the Michigan strike,
{ ii should fail, to our executive coun-
il. The confcderaCy lost because it's
CsourCes were exhausted JEFF Davis
ould not supply funds when there
we're no more, neither can the eXecu-
i've council"
MIR. Gompers detailed in chrouologi-
al order the steps the executive coun-
il had taken to further the strike and 4
old of the efforts put forth to obtain
nderal investigation oc the Michigan
nd Colorado strikes.
Not thing was asked said Mr.. i
ompers, that we did not do, except II
, levy an assessment, and that was
npossible. Who now can truthfuliy /
barge the executive council with in
ctivity or neglect"
n