New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-29
Publicity Campaign to At
tack Peoples and Work
mems Councils
Latter Branded as
Unpatriotic in Aims
Volunteers to Teach Work
ers the Fallacies of
Pro-Germanism

pers, president of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor, met at the Hotel Con-
tnental yesterday afternoon and
formulated plans for their crusade
AGAINST the German influences now &C
live among the workmen of the coun-
try. These plans call for a nation
vida publicity campaign, which will be
financed BIZ the American Federation
II Labor and directed chiefly against
The Peoples Council, the Workmen's
Council of America and other radical
examinations regarded as un-American
and unpatriotic in their aims.
II was decided yesterday that COM
,,,ttees of volunteer and paid workers
.haIl be sent 70 every labor centre in
thu country to educate the American
l,borer in the fallacies of pro-German-
IAN and the necessity for adhering TO
the American cause in the present
crisis. A national labor publicity or
sanitation. consisting Of four members,
IA, formed to carry on this work. The
committee consists Of David J. Berry,
managing editor of "The National
Labor Journal" OF Pittsburgh; W. L.
Small. Of Newark; Ernest Bohm, secre-
,.rv of the Central Federated Union,
and Robert Msisel, Of this city.
Think Workers Are Loyal
I. was the sense of the meeting that
the German propagandists have not
made any great inroads on the loyalty
Of the American laborer, but that they
have loud voices and work in
stealthy, deceitful manner. The con,
ference, therefore, after addresses mad
been made by John Spargo, Mrs. Rose
Pastor Stokes, Samuel Gompers ana
others, decided that the best way 10
combat these influence was by an open
and above board educational campaign
among the masses. The following res
olution was adopted:
at is the sense Of this con
ference that it is the duty Of all
the people of the United States,
without regard to class, national
ity, politics or religion, TO faith
fully and Loyalty support the gov
eminent Of this country in carry
ing on the present war for justice,
freedom and democracy to trl-
umphant conclusion. We there
fore pledge ourselves to every
honorable effort in accomplishment
of that purpose
Mr.. Gompers was authorized by the
conference 70 secure the cooperation
Of leading men and women 'in an ALI
ance for labor and democracy, 10 sup
port the government in its struggles for
democracy and 70 serve the cause Of
democracy at home"
Mr.. Gompers then appealed to the
editors of the Jewish newspapers pres
ent TO pledge their support. These men
denied the rumors that the East Side
was less loyal than any other section,
and branded as untrue the reports that
German spies were making it their
American headquarters.
The conference voted an appropria-
ton Of 100000 for the publicity work.
The headquarters Of the National La
Dor Publicity Organization will be at
$50 Broadway.
Peoples Council Answers Attack
Even before the conference at the
Hotel Continental had passed its first
RESOLUTION the Peoples Council, antici-
psting an attack, issued the following
tis,ement:
Not only is the Workmen's Coun-
ell, which is the labor wing Of the Peo-
Pies Council, neither pro-German nor
un-American, but il is a very vital part
Of that very American labor organiza-
ton which Mr.. Gompers himself heads.
There are hundreds Of thousands Of
our constituents who are also mem
bers Of the American Federation Of
Labor When Mr.. Gompers speaks Of
Americanizing the labor movement,
does he mean that these BODIES, with
such a large number OF union men, are
70 be expelled from the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor?"
Among those who were present at the
conference were Frank Morrison, sec
rotary Of the American Federation OF
Labor; Hugh c. Frayne, William Is.
Leaf Of "The Jewish World" of Phila-
delphia; James P. Holland, president
o. the New York State Federation OF
Labor; Joseph Barondess, John Spargo,
Nr. and Mrs. J. G. Phelps Stokes,
Chester A. Wright, Of Cleveland, and
william Edlin, editor Of 1.-THE Day"
Mr. and Mrs. Stokes and Mr. spargo
recently withdrew from the Socialist
party, charging that organization with
assuming an un-Americsn attitude tow
ard the war. They participated in the
conference yesterday at the invitation
Of the labor men.