Evening journal., 1915-08-23
MR.. Wales WRITES To
central LABOR BODY
FellS That Apology Is Due
For Criticism of Re-
cent Speech
SAYS HIS WORDS HAVE
BEEN MISINTERPRETED

Leonard E. Wales, attorney. has
written another letter to the Central
Labor Union in regard to a speech
he made recently before the Street
and Sewer Directors to which the
Union objects. Mr.. Wales letter
reads:
August 21, 1915.
Central Labor Union, No. East
Seventh street, city.
Mr.. John Rein, Jr., Secretary.
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt Of
your letter of the 18th inst. from
which Il appears that my specific de-
nial of the charge made by your or
SANITATION. namely, that at the recent
hearing before the Street and Sewer
Department | referred to labor as be-
ing worthless financially has not
been accepted (at least by the Central
Labor Union), but, on the contrary
the charge is repeated and | am
again called upon to offer an apology.
In my reply TO your previous letter
tried TO make IL clear that no such
statement was made and that you had
evidently misinterpreted or misunder-
stood what actually was said upon
NiAN OAAaoAOn III AuAtAA0lls nAnAAlAlk ny
themselves. the words labor is
worthless financially have no precise
or definite meaning, nor would they
have been pertinent to the subject
discussed before the department with
out some explanation or qualification
at least. This in itself tends to dis
credit your charge. but in addition
my personal views in regard to or
ganized labor. as outlined in my
previous letter, would deter me from
offering it as a gratuitous insult,
even if l did not approve of some of
it's strike methods
while l regret the occasion which
calls for a further denial on my part
of the same charge. your persistence
in an unjust and unwarranted accusa-
tion leaves me no alternative. At the
same time. as this matter has now
| resolved itself into a purely personal
| controversy in which the general pub
lie is neither interested nor concern
ed, il is not my desire nor intention
to correspond with you further about
/ IT, AS 10 wether or not ] used the
/ expression you have charged me with
leave to the Judgment of any disiu-
terested person present at the meet
ing, including the directors Of the de-
partment. Necessarily this excludes
any member of your organization
none of whom I consider eithery dis.
interested or unprejudiced I see nc
object in discussing the other mat
ters referred to in your letter, with
one exception. as they will be taken
up before the proper tribunal at The
proper time, and will receive due con
sideration. The exception I refer Z
is to the opinion expressed in YOU
letter that an attorney is paid 70
thinking, but whether his thought
and statements are his own persona
beliefs are out of the question. Thi
I resent. not only on my own ac
count but on behalf of many others o
my profession, who place motives an'
high ideals before mere money con
sideration. No self-respecting at.
torney. l believe. would support ol
argue a cause which he knew TO b.
dishonest or dishoronable. You
opinion upon this matter Is not {
credit to yourself or to your organiza
tion, and if an apology is due from
any source, it would seem to be VI
to you.
"Very truly yours.
4 Leonard f. Wales"