Denver labor bulletin., 1916-05-20
Former Denver Trouble
Maker Leads Clan
Western Federation of Miners to
Hold Referendum Election Of
Officers the First Week In
June; Two Tickets in
the Field.

lht khlH' VI
ticket" a determined effort is being
made by /. W. W. disruptionists to de-
feat Charles II. Meyer for reelection as
president of the Western Federation OF
Miners. In Il somewhat lesser degree,
the same fight is being waged against
Ernest Mills for reelection secretary
treasurer A campaign to oust these two
battle Scared officials was started IN
Arizona last October, by one John Il
Donnelly OF unsayory record IN Denver
and other cities, who is widely known IN
union labor circles a. a travelling
trouble. maker"
Something over two years ago Don
nelly came to Denver with a Mhehinists
Helper card. and worked for a time IN
the contract shops here a. a helper. lie
,,g.,vored TO organic a dual body OF
narhini-ts and helpers under the name
of brotherhood OF Machiuists and Help
rrs hut was unsuccessful, and lett the
ri,y Officers Of Denver Machinists
Tod,, No. a.. when asked about Don
nelly by The Bulletin this week, EN-.
phaticaIly pronounced him bad egg
and a regular /. ". W. brand Of trade
union disruptionist.
Professional Trouble Maker.
n,nnclly later went TO Arizona shortly
following the /. w. W. wrcckagc oil Min'
cr- Union No. / at Butte lie suceeeI
ed in Joining the local union OF the West
eru Federation Of Miners at Miami got
himself elected secretary and then vice
,,,.s;d.r, az III. Arizona State Feders-
,ion OF Labor Then he had himself
made a state organizer and put in con-
r.rs;on with a regular salary, PAID by
the workingmcn OF that state.
lie belongs to the same J. W. w. tr1bc
that invaded Butte and created not
Snsa led to the disruption OF the once
great organization OF union miners ,he,e-
il. il now using his eonnection with the
Miami union and the Arizona State Fed.
..,,iar az Labor to defeat Meyer and
Mills thereby turning the federation
over in a body to the /. w. w. There
/. little likelihood that thc sane mem
her. of the Western Federation viii per-
mi, this sort of brigand work TO be car
ried thru to success.
Tried TO Form Dual Union.
While in Denver Donnelly called ma.
,ionaI convention here for the purpose OF
organizing a dual body to the mtcrna-
tional Association of Mnchinists, but IL
likewise proved a fizzlc and he moved
on to Arizona. which seems to have
proven a more fertile field for his un-
derground operations
nonnclly is particularly gifted in frothy
ilHnth AhN
in making an impression upon ineNpc'
ricnccd and unsophisticated workers.
Later they plumb his dimensions, and he
has 20 move on.
Not long ago President Johnston OF
tho international Association OF Ma
chinists issued a letter exposing Don
nelly, branding him as a man with an
oily tongue who seeks to disrupt the
union labor movement"
.u.E4 ...at 4tnlt ~
leader OF Denver, says that when Don
nelly came to this city he posed as n So
cialist, but soon became perniciously
active in trying to disrupt the Denver
local of the Socialist party. He opposed
Mrs. Emma +. Langlon for state secrc-
tary of the Socialist party on the ground
that she had acted as organizer for
the Western Federation of Labor and
was a member OF the Typographical I'm
ion. Donnclly's conduct while in Denver
led many to believe that he was a paid
dsturbcr put in the field by the corpor-
ations of the Fast"
Western Federation Growing.
Notwithstanding the fact that twenty
five new locals of the Western Fedora
tion of Miners have been chartered since
October last and the total membership
almost doubled. Donnelly's campaign
committee is sending out circular letters
claiming that unless Meyer is dcposcd
there is no future for the organization.
Nominations for w. +. NJ. candidates
have been closed and the election will be
held by local unions the first meeting in
June. Numerous candidates were unsuc-
cessful in securing sufficient endorse
mcnts to get on the official ballot. The
I. w. w. contingent, led by Donnclly,
however, induced sufficient number OF
locals TO support their slate to place an
out and -out |. w. w. list of candidates
for all the offices. Meyer received the
endorsement of 3S locals, and George
Powell, of Miami, Ariz., the opposition
candidate boosted by Donnclly. secured
IL endorsements. These two appear on
the ticket rs candidates for president.
For sccrctary-treasure, Ernest Mills
Scecivcd IL endorsements, and George
l,,ingwall OF Rosland, b. O., has l2. he
being the T. w. w. candidate put for
ward by Donn,lly.
Complete List Of Candidates.
The complete list of nominees which
appear on the official ballot is rs fol-
lows: