The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-20
Statewide Revolt in California
Caused by odd Guards"
Handling of Situation
STRIKEBREAKERS SERVE
REPUBLICAN LUNCHEON
Walters Out and Painful I'm
preston Created in Labor
Circles by Candidate Partici-
pating in "Scab' Event
BY WILLIAM HOSTER-

San Francisco, Aug. 19s-Mr.
Hughes troubles multiply. Facing a
Statewide and maybe a nationwide
Progressive revolt, the Republican
candidate was today put in position
OF fat antaganism to organized labor.
These were the days significance
Developments:
Chester Roweil. Progressive leader
and member of the Republican Ma
tioual Campaign Committee, de-
nounced the Republican candidate for
abandoning the Progressives OF Cali
fornia to the Old Guard wolves.
While RowelI was giving a red-hot
talk against Hughes at the Palace,
the standard bearer was the guest
Of honor at luncheon in the Com
mercial Club. which was served by
strikebreaksrs after the regular club
walters had struck because of the In
stitution's declaration in favor OF the
open shop.
Hugo Ernst, president of the
Walters Union. put the matter square
" up to Hughes. The walters walked
out several hours before the hour
fixed for the luncheon. Thereupon
the club officials wrote Ernst asking
him to supply sixty-hve walters TO
serve the luncheon to the Republican
candidate. In a letter declining, the
union leader wrote:
wouldn't Let Members Act.
We thank you very much for your
consideration IN allowing our MEM
bership a chance TO earn few dol
lars; but. inasnluch as you have orna-
mented your plaoe with an open-shop
card at the request OF the Restaurant
Mems Association. with which you
have no logical anliiatton. we are
Co. HI 49, w.
serving at the Hughes luncheon
Had Mr.. Hughes taken advantage
OF the opportunity afforded him TO
make q statement on his opinion on
the open-shop question. which Is agi-
tating organized labor at this time.
and had he declared himself for the
closed shop. we would not be forced
to take this drastic action"
In labor circles here tonight there la
printed criticism OF Mr.. Hughes for
dining at a "scab" luncheon with rep
resentatives OF big business at the
very hour when President Wilson was
laboring in Washington to bring about
an agreement between organized la
Dor and the railroads of the country.
It looks as II there had been stupi-
dity on the part OF the managers of
the entertainment here. 1t was
himself who had the letter which
Ernst referred to. that strike was
possible. The luncheon might easily
have been cancelled. The grave i'm
portance of the matter lies in the
fact that from Washington State to
lower California there is war between
capital and labor over the open shop
and every industry on the coast is in
terested in the outcome.
May Mean General Revolt.
Chester Rowelrs denunciation of
Hughes points to an impending pro-
pressive war on the candidate which
may easily react on the situation in
every State In the Union, and espe-
cially In the doubtful States.
Rowell laid the situation as out
lined last night In these dispatches
before Hughes. before the latter made
his auditorium speech. He didn't
spare any words and he frank
ly told Hughes that while a
kind word for the Progressives
might do him some slight injury, to
permit the Old Guard to continue it,
manhandling of the Progressive
would do him incalculable harm
throughout the country.