The Wahpeton times., 1916-12-07
coMPERs DEFIEs RAILROADS
IN Behalf OF Federation

uN 660A6f VI feOeHA IOU
BaltimOre.-ln the most radical
speech he has ever made, Samuel
Gompers. president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, at the
meeting of the presidents of the
four railroad brotherhoods a,r.
federation leaders, threw down
the gauntlet or organized labor tn
organized capital and cried, Lay
on. Macduff, and damned be he
who first cries hold enough. "Then
the labor chief, overcome by the
frenzy into which he had worked
himself, collapsed. For a mom-
ent after Gompers had finished,
the convention was electrified and
absolutely silent. Then the 400
delegates we're on their feet shout
ing and cheering the socialists
leading the way.
Eight Billion Combine Defeated.
I'VE realize" said he, ''that
within the last 12 months labor
has made more history than i.
had made within the last IL years.
Whether the end is in sight no
one knows. An $8,OOO,OOO. COM
bine has been organized to fight
us. However. what of it? Orga-
nized labor is here TO stay. 1t
is power to he reckoned with.
We don't fear the opposition: that
is. we don't fear opposition from
the outside. Our only fear is
that we shall fall TO pieces be-
cause of disorganization within
our ranks. For this reason the
persecution that we must suffer
is a good thing. 1t makes us for
get our little differences and COM
bine for our common good.
II am not alarmed over whether
the eight hour law will go into ef-
feet on Jan. ist. am not
alarmed over the injunction pro-
ceediugs.
Processes Confidence in Wilson
I'VE d" moi ask the president
or congress for the eight hour
law. II would have been more
satisfactory for our organizations
if we had fought it out. w"
have got the law and we are going
to abide by the Law. tho capital re-
cognizes no law but itself. We
have confidence enough i'm the
man who sits in the White House
to believe that he knows what he
wants now. and that he is going
to- have what he said he wanted
before election.
carter Attacks Newspapers :.
Chief Carter of the firpmen's $
Brotherhood. in his address. de-
nounce;i the newspapers of the
country for what he called their
subordinatinn to the master class
es. under which classes. he said.
they had been placed by the pen
ny paper. which. he declared.
makes independence impossible.
"Whrn we began our fight fO?
an cight-hour," he said. "the rail-
road. began one of the greatest
advertising campaigns the conf;-
try ever knew. They used 5000
dailieS and 1000 waoklieS socnIi-
ING. | believe. many millions of
dollars. The result of the pub
licity was that the first peopl'
converted were the editors Of the
newspapers. | don't even in
sinua;a that The business man
agcrs gave The editors tips as to
which side their bread was butter
ed on. but d. say that before The
advertising campaign EDITORIAL
opinion i'm America generally was
With the brothcrhoOds.
"Aftcr the campaign the edi-
torial columns of IS per cent IF
the press of the country w"r"
filled with criticism. abuse and
misrepresentation of tn" hrnihnr-
hoods. The condition IF the press
in this country is such that even
tn" president "f our land is cruel
fed by .hc Sorallea fire." press un-
less h" bows to tho will Of Wall
street."
Gompers Trerb!es With Emotion
Every eye turned to GomperS as
he arose t" r"SD"na to the chiefs
nf the hruthprhnod>. He was
lahorin@ under intcnS" emotion.
His voice and hi; body trnmhleh.
Men of the railroad brother
hoods" he began turning To til"
four presidents. I'VE of The Amer
lean Federation of Labor expect
that on he Is; day nf January ev-
frv man n the railroad brother
hoods will inau"urat" the eight
hour workday. Whatever may
arise. whatever betid". you will
have behind you the unqualified
support of every man and woman
in organized labor as represented
hy the American Federation OF
Labor.
when the money power Of tn"
United States had failed. as it fail
ed in the last election. to corrupt
and miSlead the electorate. when
its ends were frustrated by the
American citizenship at the ballot
box, the men of capital showed
their true cOlOrs.
"They met-quite number of
them-and gave to the public the
declaration that they would an
agonize every effort put forth by
organized labor. that they would