Evening journal., 1916-10-10
Demand for 10 Per Cent. OF
Salaries Causes National
Political Scandal
DECLARE GOMPERS
HAS MISREl RESENTED


paign fund has proved the sensation
OF the campaign. This attempt was
mado hv means of circular address
"a 20 County Chairmen by r. Donna
Ridgeway. member nf the Finance
Committee of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee. from Postmaster
General Burleson's state--Texas 10
give further punch" to his demand,
MI. Ridgeway stated IN his circular
that he wrote "at the instance OF
National Committeeman Poindexter,
who had Just conferred with The Ma
tional Committee in New York. mean
ing Chairman Mccormick. with whom
Nh poindeXier had just been In con-
ference The county chairmen were
warned that 10 was against the law 10
write TO posimastors or 10 demand
such a contr button in the postohice.
bat we're instructed TO waylay them
elsewhere 10 demand the 10 per cent
Assessment and to tell them that II
proside.t Wilson is reelected. there
will be permanent organization of
our force throughout the country
and a note will be made Of the 10y
atty OF those appointed who contrib
nted as well az the disloyalty OF
those who refused 20 contribute II
o. not without significance that the
Post Office Appropriation bill just
passed carries an appropriation OF
$1,000. GOO. "for compensation Of post
masters" When the Republicans first
procured and made public a copy Of
the circular. In which local choirmen
arc instructed TO act ntelligently' so /
as avoid running afoul of the law
Chairman Mccormick gave out a
statement saying These charges are
tho most arrant nonsense and are alb
soluiely untrue. They are in line
with the campaign Of misrepresenta-
ton that the Republicans have been
making from the start" Mr.. Me-
Cormick then learned that the Re
publican National Committee was
furnishing facsimilies OF RidgewaY's
circular to the daily press. He i'm
mediately abandoned his denial. ad-
mlt;ed that the circular had been is
sued but commended that its distribu
ton bad been stopped. From numer-
Gus points. however including the
State OF Washington. comes word from |
posimasters that the assessments are /
being made. Postmaster Childs, of |
Spokane among others. admits that
he has paid per cent of his salary |
into Mr.. Wilson's campaign fund
Hughes ON AdamsOn Bill.
Governor Hughes continues 10 pour !
hot shot into the Administration be- /
cause OF the Adamson bill Assertingl
al Newark that II was nothing less
than deception TO call il an "eight-hour
bill" Mr.. Hughes quoted the state
ment OF Senator Underwood, OF Ala
bama. IN the Senate debate. Replyingl
to another Senator. Mr. Underwood
said
III the Senator would go and con-
suit with any Of the gentlemen who
represent the employees and who have
been contending here in this mat
ter. thy would tell him candidly. as
they told me. that the question Is a
question Of wage: that they are not
contending for an eight.hour day.
that a man shall work only eight
hours; they do not want that"
Mr.. Hughes is showing up in con-
elusive manner the absolute hypoc-
risy OF President Wilson's persistent
misrepresentation OF the Adamson
bin as an "eight-hour" bill. "What Is
tho purpose OF this attempt 10 make
the public believe that this bill fixes
an eight-hour workday?" inquired
Mr. Hughes. answering his own ques
ton thus. "Manifestly. in order to en-
deayor 10 Justify this extraordinary
action OF the Administration in its
abject and humiliating surrender OF
principle in demanding and securing
this legislation without any proper
inquiry as the price Of peace. Evil
IDENTIFY. 1t Is felt that a wage increase
could not be justified in this manner
What is fair and right can afford TO
be described correctly and can stand
on its merits" Referring to President
Wilson's assertion that the eight 4
hour day has the sanction OF the
Judgment OF society" Mr.. Hughes de-
manded to know, n that we're true
and the bill had been an eight hour
bill how President Wilson dared 10
limit the eight hour benefit n 20 per
cent. Of the most highly paid railway
employees and leave all the others TO
work far longer hours. He also
warned the labor men that the Adam
son bill was very likely to prove a
boomerang TO labor. because with
eight hours made the basis OF DAYS
work. those men who complete their
runs in less than eight hours we're
in grave danger OF being compelled
10 turn to other work and put in the
full e ght hours.
Gompers' instrumentation.
There is developing a serious uues-
tion among labor leaders as IN
whether Samuel Gompers has not be-
troyed labor and the Federation Of
which he is the head. by advocating
ire Adamson bill and supporting
President Wilson because OF H. In
November, 1914. the American FEEDER. /
alton Of Labor adopted the following
resolution:
Resolved. That the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor as in the past. de- (
clares that the regulation OF wages
and hours Of labor should be under
taken through trades union activity
and not by legislation. except insofar
as the employment of women and chill
dren, health and morals and the en-
ployes OF the National State and NLu-
niciDal Governments are affected"
This same resolution was approved
again in November. 1915 How Mr..
Gompers can reconcile his present at