New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-11-21
big FOUR HEADS
SPEAK TO A. F. OF |.
Urge Alliance for Betterment Of
Organized Railroad Workers
NO JOINT 5 HOUR CAMPAIGN
Congressional Committee Investigate
ing Railroad Problems Decides to
Not Ready to Testify.

Hear Men First, AS Employers Were
Not Ready to Testify.
Baltimore, Nov. 21-Affiliation of
the members Of the American Fedora
ton of Labor and the four big rail-
road brotherho Gods for effecting the
general betterment of labor was urged
today before the federation conven-
ton here by the brotherhood heads
and President Samuel A. Gompers
Delegates, who crowded the hall
Cheered all of the speakers enthusi-
Sstica1ly.
I'VE must hang together or we will
hang separately" w. G. Lee, spokes-
man for the brotherhoods and head
Of the railway trainmen, declared
cit is a great comfort to know"
President Gompers said, that the
time is not far distant when the great
brotherhoods will be a part of the
American Federation of Labor"
Lee explained that the laws of the
brotherhoods now prevent all official
utilization with the federation until
after their convention is held, but he
| insisted that between now and that
time the organizations could CO.
operate with the same purpose as if
they were officially affiliated He also
, made 1t plain that the brotherhoods
were not bringing their eight hour
day troubles" to the federation for
support.
Will Fight For Eight Hours For All.
Il am about anarchist enough,
however," he said, 'to say that we
are going to work for the eight hour
day for all classes. If we can't git
! it peaceably, we will fight for it.
Lee said that some sort Of affilia-
ton should be effected to fight any
proposed arbitration legislation which
| might be unfair to labor. President
| Wilson plans such legislation, Lee
said, and it should be carefully
| watched. He declared that congress
! had. no right to. pass any law COM
| polling man to work, provided he
/ was not in prison, if he did not want
20 and he did not think it would do
| So
Wilson's Name Cheered.
Prolonged cheering followed praise
| of President Wilson by Lee. TT took
rlore courage for him to write across
the front pages Of the newspapers of
this country that he was Tor an eight
hour work day than it would have
taken for him to have written that
| this country was at war with Mex
I ico," he said
Our principal object now is to
help him and the men In both
branches of congress to make good
their promises to us. I believe they
will do it,
Failure of the brotherhoods and the
federation to affiliate before now has
I ho fo1y oF
side, he said, adding:
eve are nearer utilization today
than ever before"
The ''Wall Street Crowd"
Lee paid his respects to the wall
street crowd and declared that now
! an election had been won without as
sistance Of New York, Indiana or IL
linois, labor should not fail to retain
it's power thus gained. He also re-
viewed the conferences which led to
the enactment of the Adamson eight
hour day law last September and
| charged the railroad heads with play
ms unfairly with the president at that
time. The brotherhoods, he said, had
no desire that the Adamson bill be
enacted into law, but inasmuch as it
had become q law, they were trying to
live up to it.
w. G. Carter, president of the
brotherhood Of railway firemen and
enginemen declared that the danger
that confronts all working people to-
day is the coercion of subornation
of the public press by the master
Glass;
Mr.. Carter declared that when the
railroad brotherhoods began the eight
hour movement a year ago "a few
No.
affairs Of all the railroads. undertook
one of the greatest publicity cam
paigns the world ever has witnessed.
IT have positive evidence from one
of the leading advertising agencies"
Mr.. Carter said, that provision was
made to advertise in 5000 daily and
IA, 900 weekly papers. Think Of it
many millions of dollars worth of ad-
vertising to prejudice the public
against the brotherhoods.'
Immediately after the close of Com
pers' speech, the brotherhood heads
left the hall.
Support OF the People.
President Gompers, in his remarks,
said:
I'VE expect that the railroad broth
erhoods will on January first next
inaugurate the eight hour work day
and I think I can truly say to you that
whatever arises, whatever betides,
you have the undivided support OF
the organized working men and wo-
mon rs represented by the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor.
when the money power of the
United States failed in the attempt to
corrupt the electorate and when their
plans were upset by the votes of the
citizens of the United States the cap