Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-20
Puts Stamp of Approval
on altitude Of Compers
in Working Win
The President.

ihbor to-day put It's stamp of approval
on the attitude OF Samuel Gompcra.
president OF tho American Federation
OF Labor. iu working hand In hand with
President Wilson and placing tho needs
OF The nation above all other considers
ations in questions Involving tho
orkinsmans part IN vigorous pros
ccution OF tho war against Germany.
The vote oi confidence came after
more than three hours Of debate in
which tho pacifiSt element Al the con-
ycmtion OF ;hc federation was given
ample opportunity to express itself.
Out Of total of $50 delegates. only
fifteen were recorded in opposition.
The garment workers or New York
under the leadership OF Rose Shapiro.
"ss tho only organization refusing to
go on record on the roll-cail
Tho ,cst Of strength came upon a
report from tho committee on rcsolu-
tions. The committee reported favor
ably a resolution indorsinG the "patri-
otic work" OF the Alliance for Labor
and Democracy which Mr.. Gompers
took an active part in organizing AS
an offse; 20 tho Peoples Council. "A paci-
fist Organization. The attack was led
by Delegate Eatacs. OF Philadelphia.
lie was supported in addition to Miss
shapiro. by Delegate Burke, OF tho
sulphite workers: Joseph i. Cannon,
of tho Mine Workers, and few others.
The alliance and Mr.. Gompcrs were de-
Tended by Delegates Walker. OF MI
nois: Brown. OF Washington; Matthew
Wall. Of Tho Photo Engravers: George
Berry. o! the prcssmcn Max :. Hayes.
OF tho TyDoE; aphical Union. and Vice
prcsidcn, James Duncan.
'rhe opposition discussed The hish
cost OF living the Arizona miners
strike, tho rac!ac Coast shipbuildcrs'
HGh;. the stree: rail. ay strike OF
Springfield. III ana the suppression OF
foreign lansuag. newspapers. hut
i'residcn, Gompers gave them fun rein.
No MINCiNG or WORDS IN
COSDEMNING PACIFISTS
The supporters OF the resolution did
no. :mince words in condcmn.ne the at
,itUGc OF tho paciaS;s.
Labor has hi: du,y to perform" i"
said MI. Rcrry. We canno; afford to
place ourselves in such a position that
We Viii be misunderstood. If tho reso-
luton IS rejected /, will 20 abroad TO
the world that VIC have turned down
stand up and be counted
III We have traitors in our ranks.
| am ready TO eliminate them. we
cannot take halfway measures. We
mus; show where we stand for the
democracy for which We have been
nshtinC during the last thirty-sevcn
Years"
Delegate Walker. who was At the
Minneapolis meeting of the Alliance
for Labor and Democracy. said the
fact that the alliance had declared
against treason and sedition seemed
10 have been unfavorabiy received by a
great many people.
Il have NO; changed my mind about
that" Mr.. Walker continued, Intern
n1ent should be the fate OF those who
preach scdition. and. If that is not
sufficient 10 suppress their advocacy
OF rrussian autocracy. ] am in favor
of taking whatever steps are neces-
sary TO suppress them.
"Pacifsts. skulkins under the cloak
OF unionism. are going As far they
dare in the way Of preaching scdition
/, This war is no chiids play. 1t means
more to us than any issue ever raised
in the history OF the human race"
Delegate Brown suggested that when
vote was taken there should be a
roll call. Let us stand up and be
counted" he demanded
Mr.. Hayes protested asains. what
lie termed the 'holier than thou" at
titude OF some of the speakers None
OF the members OF the federation could
be called traitors. he said
DUTY BECOMES PLAIN WHEN
PRESIDENT DECLARES WAR
When President Wilson decla red
war he said, our duty was plain, and
that was to stand up and fight this war
no matter how long it takes. We are
making economic history more rapidly
than we realize ourselves. When such
a man as Lloyd George says that the
world cannot revert to old conditions
he states a great truth. 1t is realized
now that the old individualistic idea OF
capitalism does not work out in war"
Mr.. Hayes predicted government con-
troll Of industries, mines and the rail-.
roads as the only solution OF the eco
nomic questions 10 be met at the close
Of the war.
President Gompers closed the debate
in ringing speech in defense OF the
alliance and his own position.
"By those who have opposed the re-
port and the recommendation Of this
committed" he said. my name was not
always mentioned. but my position was,
and there is no difference between the
two For instance. I may recall that
insinua tions were made of my hobnob-
bling with the enemies of labor. Now,
have always said this: 7 will go any
where to bring the message of hope 10
labor--Hyen nf tn
enemy.
"tf there is any one who can bring
ono utterancc OF mine. made anywhere.
that was not in the defense Of the
rights OF the laboring people, let him
do so. 7 dare you, challenge YOU"
Mr.. Gompcrs went into tho history
Of the Peoples Council. which he said
WAS an outsrowth OF the Socialists. He
took full responsibility for the calling
Continued on Fourth Page)