The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-24
LABOR P8oeliIAs LOYALTY
WITHOUT DISSENTING VOTE
AMERICAN FEDERATION RE-
AFFIRMS IT'S UNSWERV-
ING LOYALTY,
Resolution Relating to Organization
Negro Labor Causes Extended De-
bate.

Buffalo, y. Y, Nov. 20.--Without q
dissenting vote the American Fedora
uon OF Labor today reaflirmed its un.
swerving loyalty to the country and
determination 10 stand behind tho
national administration until peace
comes. The pacifst element, which
yesterday mustered a small minority
against President Gompers attitude
in support of the wdr, was silent
The resolution containing the dec
laration was reported favorably by
the resolutions committee 1t was
sweeping i'm scope. The course pur4
sued by President Gompers in call
ing conference of the national and
international officers at Washington
On March II was approved and all
his subsequent actions and those OF
the executive council with reference
to the war were concurred in.
The pacifists declared they were un-
aware that the resolution was to como
up today. They made no move for q
reconsideration. however, and it wa,
pointed out that while their fight yes
terday was based on q vote OF conf
dence i'm President Gompers, today,
resolution called for d declaration on
a clear-cut Question OF loyalty to thu
country.
This resolution, with others from
the committee on resolutions, occu-
pied virtually the entire day.
The only resolution that caused ex
tended debate related to the organi
zation OF negro labor. 1t was sub
mitted by Delegate Murphy of Sar
Francisco, and embodied in its pre-
amble resolution adopted by the In
sernational Negro League and pre-
sented to the SAN Francisco Labor
Council for endorsement. The Negro
Leagues resolution specifically refer
red to Southern States" as scenes
OF wrongs inflicted upon the race.
The resolutions committee report
ing to the convention. assumed no re
sponsibility for the statements in the
preamble Of the Murphy resolution
and recommended reference to the
executive council of only that part o.
it referring to organizations Of the ne
groes.
.. ID. German. OF Georgia, protest
ed against the reference TO the South
crn States remaining i'm the recort
and moved as an amendment (,
strike out the entire section.
''The slaughter at East St. Loui
came as q result Of thefts by starvin,
negroes enticed away from thei,
Southern homes" German said. i
defy and delegate to point to a single
instance OF negro being killed TO-
robbery in the South. resent thi
reference 10 the Southern States The
tIcttIlleut oI the negro III the SOutl
is better than ii has been in tn
North"
Vice President Duncan explained
that the committees recommendatiu.
explicitly disclamed responsibility 70
the statements made in this part o.
the resolution, but German and othe,
Southern delegates insisted that this
was not going far enough and de
manded that the question before tn
house was on the approval or disap
proval Of the report from the commit
tee on resolutions. A motion to lay
the report on the table was lost an
the debate was resumed.
Finally the report was amended b
the resolutions committee to read:
Your committee cannot be respon.
sible for, and rejects the statements
contained in the preamble OF the res
olutiOn" and as so amended the re
port was adopted.
In his address on Russia. Vice Pres
ident Duncan expressed confidence in
the ultimate formation of a stable
and lasting republication government
there.