The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-22
LAY ON MAC DUFF!
That Is Challenge GOmpers
Issues to Railroads.
Federation of Labor Will Back
Up BrOtherhOOds.
FIGHT TO The BITTER END
The Attitude of All Organized
Labor Leaders Firm.
Call Strike January 1 if the
S-HOur Law Fails.
FIGHT TO The BITTER END

Baltimore. Nd. Nov 22.-Organ-
lied labor threw its millions of work
ers into the scale against the rail-
roads millions of dollars here in one
of the most tumultuous days in labor 5
history.
Accepting the challenge" as Pres
ident GOmpers termed it, the Amer
lean Federation of Labor pledged the
undivided and unqualified support of
every man and woman in the fedora
ton. whatever may arise, whatever
may betide" to the four great rail-
crisis over the Adamson law Thus
was practically the entire force of or
ganized labor pledged to support the
brotherhoods' chiefs in whatever ac-
ton they take-strike or no strike.
No definite action was taken to-
ward a solidation of the federation
and the brotherhoods. But President
Gompers and the brotherhood chiefs
declared collectively and individually
that they were closer together now
than ever before" and it is probable
that some definite steps will be taken
in the near future.
Gompers Dramatic.
Gompers's declaration of faith was
dramatic in the extreme That came
after the four brotherhood chiefs
Stone of the engineers, Lee of the
trainmen. Carter of the firemen, and
Shepard of the conductors-had stat
ed their cases.
Quivering with emotion and shout
ing at the top of his voice. Gompers
declared:
tAll 1 can say in answer to you men
of wealth (the railroads) is this: BE
careful-you are going too far. You
throw down the gauntlet to the work
ing classes and Wen accept the chal-
lenge and fight. We Will say to you
in the strongest power we possess,
Inf nd da cd he. he
who's first to cry enough
Highly elated at their reception. the
brotherhood chiefs. with the excep-
ton of w. S. Carter of the firemen,
returned to Washington to resume
their deliberations. Carter went to
New York on a mission about which
he would say nothing
Still Plan Strike.
There was little doubt expressed
by labor leaders here but that the
railroad brotherhoods will strike on
January 1 if the Adamson law does
not become operative Such was the
inference drawn from statements
made by Stone and Lee in their adj
dresses to the federation.
Were going to have a universal
eight-hour law and if the railroads
succeed in stopping US in what We al
ready have, then Wen fight" declared
Lee. And well fight so long as there
is breath left in us to fight against
compulsory arbitration"
Stone declared that eff the Adam
son law does not become operative on
the first day of January there will be
a lot of unfinished business to attend
to- He declined to amplify the state
ment in any way. saying that sit goes
as it lays
The policy of the brotherkoods in
the approaching legal battles over the
Adamson law was clearly stated by
Stone
Unions stand Pat.
THE railroads." he said, have tried
to bankrupt the unions by starting
5000 injunction suits against US in
stead of playing fair and making one
a test case. They thought to compel
US to furnish lawyers to fight these
5000 cases. Well, we're not. We're
going to sit on the side lines and
watch them fight the government IN
der which they live and operate
When that is over. when the gov
eminent has either lost or won, then
it will be time for US to act
The federation Immediately started
a preparedness campaign. John P
Frey. Of the International Molders'
union of Cincinnati. introduced a reso-
luton authorizing the creation of a
legal bureau to be operated in con-
junction with the federation head
quarters to disseminate authentic in
formation concerning labor'S battles in
the court wherever they may be found
One of the labor's great needs
he stated. was centralized legal bu-
reau, such as is maintained by cham
bers of commerce and other associa-
tons of business men and EMPLOYERS
to protect their interests
After a prolonged debate the resoIu-
ton was referred to the committee on