Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-19
) GoMPERs SAYS rEuroNS
ARE STIRRING UP LABOR
TROUBLES IN AMERICA

Washington, Aug. 19.-Sanuel Com
pers, president of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor, yesterday confirmed
in sweeping language reports Of far
reaching efforts on the part OF the
Teutonic empires to stir up labor trou-
bles in this country that would inn
pede the shipment Of supplies to the
allies
Mr.. Gompers in the statement he
dictated does not mention Germany or
Austria by name, but the inference is
plain that only those powers and per-
haps Turkey would be interested in
preventing the export Of arms by the
United States.
Mr.. Gompers lays stress on the al
legged efforts of the agents Of foreign
governments ito bride labor men and
in other ways procure strikes of long
shoremen and seamen to prevent the
departure of supplies for European
ports
Advises an Inquiry.
"An inquiry directed into the efforts
corruptly to induce labor men to call
strikes among the longsforemen and
seamen," said Mr.. Gompers, would
prove fruitful"
At intervals during several months.
Mr.. Gompers said, he could scarcely
avoid persons who wanted to call upon
him to force strikes for the purpose OF
affecting the European situation.
Some comment was occasioned by
Mr.. Gompers' direct reference to ef-
forts to influence strikes affecting
shipping and his failure to mention
similar efforts among workers in mu-
milton factories. In his statement OF
july % Mr.. Gompcrs said he had au-
thentic information as to the efforts to
corrupt longshoremen and seamen,
adding that he did not doubt that the
same influences We're at work "elso-
where"
Asked to Call Strikes.
Mr. Gompers said:
IF an inquiry were direct' o what
I pointed out, that is, inS e as the
efforts to corruptly induce labor men
to call strikes among longshoremen
and seamen, it would be fruitful OF re-
suits. For several months, at times,
I could scarcely avoid having people
try to come in contact with me upon
the scheme to call strikes which would
affect the situation regarding the nan
ding Of products intended for Euro
pean countries. In my opinion a dill
gent inquiry should be made into this
entire matter.
without regard Of any sympathy
for the one or the other side Of the ma
tons involved in the war, had 1T NOT
been for the honesty Of the men at the
head Of some of the organizations
primarily in interest, there would nave
been great strikes inaugurated at the
instance of the agents Of foreign gov
ernments
"All my life have tried and will
continue to try to secure the very best
possible conditions Of wages and hours
for the workers of our country. II
these cannot be accomplished without
strikes, have no hesitancy In encour-
aging strikes for their attainment, but
such strikes will have to be UNDER
taken for these specific direct purposes
and not for any Interior purposes. or
an improper purpose, and particularly
when undertaken by corrupt or other
means in the interests OF one nation
a. against the interests of another.
"Ours is an American labor move
ment and will be conducted by the
rank and file and the officers OF the
American labor movement"
Arms Sent to India.
A published statement that discov-
cry had been made of the existence OF
German plot to stir up sedition IN
the Philippines was not confirmed IN
the best informed official quarters, but
It served to bring to light that an In
vestigation had been made some time
ago into information that German
agents in this country and the philip
pines were engaged In trying to ship
orrna and ammunition into India by
way of Singapore and other ports for
the use Of natives among whom rebel
lion against the British government
was being fomented.
The British embassy in Washington
notified the state department that 1T
had information Of cooperation be-
tween German agents in India and the
Philippines, and an inquiry was made,
IT, ulInn HN HRnIyWI