The Washington herald., 1915-08-10
An Attack Labor Should Repudiate.

The Secretary to the President, Mr.. Joseph P.
Tumulty, has rendered service to organized
labor, if not to the whole people in making public
an impudent letter from Representative Frank
Buchanan, Democrat, of Illinois, assailing Presi-
dent Wilson and insnuating that his policy of
strict neutrality toward the warning nations of
Europe is influenced by "big business" interests.
Under any circumstances such letter from a
Representative in Congress Of the Presidents
own party would be difficult to justify The
motives which inspired Representative Buchanan
indefensible. The letter writtess because
the President had declined to receive committee
which Mr.. Buchanan stated represented the So
called Labors National Peace Council, the explain
alton given Mr.. Buchanan by Secretary Tumulty
being that the Presidents time was too much
occupied with vital affairs of State demanding his
undivided attention. Though this reason suf-
fcient, it is than probable that the President
himself may have had another and stronger one
for not desiring to receive the committee.
The activities of Labors National Peace Coun-
Gil have included attempts to influence the admin
stration violate this nations neutrality by plac
ing embargo the. shipment of munitions Of
war TO Europe, efforts to stop the sailing from
our ports of merchant ships loaded with miscel-
lancous cargoes and the filing of absurd charges
of conspiracy against certain bankers who were
influential lin arranging loans of American money
10 foreign countries 1t was established long ago
that in using the name of labor the council was
masquerading that it not in any way affiliated
with organized labor. More recently it proven
that the council is supported by German money
that it was seeking to bring about change in
the policies of the United States government in
the interest Of Germany 1t was sheer cffrontery
10 ask the President of the United States to give
a hearing to committee representing organi-
zation sailing under false coors, and to listen to
demands from supposed Americans, in behalf of
Germany, such the Berlin government has not
made bold to present.
And yet Representative Buchanan in his sour
rilous letter rcsentS the Presidents refusal to
receive such a committee. He writes to Secretary
Tumulty:
"Your nirration that the Presidents time was
so fully taken up with matters of pressing impor-
tGrce that he could not grant audience to repre-
sentatvcs OF labor, that has made the United
States of Amer Ca the proud nation that it is, in
order to permit them in person to demonstrate
that the subsidized press, representing organized
the vol.,tcer advisor of the President, mis-
abors attitude in the present crisis,
is tantamount to declaration that the Presid sident
is more concerned about the desires OF big busi-
than he is to discover the heartfelt sentiment
of the common people"
1t has been shown that Labor's National Peace
Council does not represent organized labor. 1t is
now for Samuel Gompers president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, and his advisers. to
determine whether that organization should per-
nit Mr. Buchanan to represent himself speak
ing for labor when he irnpugns the motives of
the President of the United States. The character
of Labor's National Peace Council has been
clearly shown and its usefulness to Germany
ended but the responsibility of its organizers and
promoters to public opinion has not been dis
charged, nor should they be permitted to utter
calumncs in the name of any organization oi
Americans