The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-27
GOMPERS ATTACKS
SOCIALIST PARTY
Labor Union Movement Dis
credited to Get More Votes,
He Says.
"RULE OR RUIN POLICY"

Samuel Gompers. president OF the
American Federation OF Labor. replied
in a long statement yesterday to the
Socialist party's attack on the fedora
ton in a million pamphlets issued, ac-
cording to Mr.. Gompers, "for the pur-
pose of misrepresenting the principles
and discrediting the trade union move
ment in order that more votes may be
secured for the Socialist movement"
The Gompers statement charges the
Socialists with a rule or ruin. dog in
the manager policy toward the American
Federation OF Labor and asserts that
the Socialists have tried for fifteen years
to fasten on the federation a declara-
ton favorlng State socialism and to
breed discomfort among It's members.
THE history of the American Social
list party says Mr.. Gompers, us n
series OF efforts to subordinate the trade
union movement to its party politics,
or to destroy what It could not control.
this time with the usual bitter antag-
onism to the work and policy of the
trade union movement and the practical
struggle for the attainment Of better
~ NV liluiEAlltl bfhtllNS
and wtthal to maintain freedom and
human liberty"
The pamphlet, Mr.. Gompers asserts,
was Issued because the Philadelphia
convention Of the American Federation
OF Labor declared the regulation OF
wages and hours should not lie made
subjects OF legislative enactment eycept
In regard to women and minors, health
and morals and in employment by Fed
eral. State and municipal governments.
Mr.. Gompers goes on TO say that in
asmuch as the trade union movement
became a real agency for Industrial
be,terment before Socialist political
teachings had been "foisted' upon wage
earners, the American workers regarded
the Socialist party's schemes for re-
deem!ng and regenerating society as
IAN exotic of more or less interest, but
of no practical value"
The American Federation OF Lab Dor
head says the Socialists first tried to
gam domination of the labor movement
through the Central Labor Union. but
were defeated In that move. Mr.. Com
pers quotes from a resolution OF the
American Federation OF Labor conyen-
ton in Detroit. which declared that the
federation was firmly against the in
PRODUCTION OF matters pertaining to mar
tisan politics and could not admit So
ciaIlst representatives to its member
ship.
Eugene V. Debs, says Mr.. Gompers
men tried his hand at crushing the
american Federation Of Labor. ard
thereafter the Socialist Trade and Labor
.AIliance was formed. with the oneu
uetIaratlon that it was 10 destroy and
dr!Ne out of existence the America
Federation OF Labor and to supnl,n MT
u ny their high sounding titled organize
tion' but that too, went by tho
boards" Wv
Then continues Mr.. Gompers the
Socialists, in 1905. formed the "prc.
posterous Industrial Workers of the
Ord, and again the trade union move
meht was doomed" The same Social
ISL representatives, who had taken the
initiative in every effort 10 break down
trade unionism assembled for this new
enemy masquerading as a movement of
the workers OF the world, but could NOT
be engrafted on the healthy normal
american trade union movement. Mr.
Gompers says:
Neither the irritating. pinpricking
tactEs OF the Socialist politicians, local
assaults and %disrupting methods. nor.
sonal attacks upon and vilifcations OF
trade unionists. nor vulturelike attacks
upon the labor movement have pre-
vented the growth and the forwar I'd
movement OF the American Federation
of Labor"