New-York tribune., 1918-04-23
Would Be Menace to M.n
Fighting in France,
Says Gompers
Senator Attacks
Seattle Scheme
Moral Treason in Hs,
mony With /. w. w.
Asserts Poindexter

WASHINGTON, April 22.-Annor,,.
ment in the Senate to-day by Senate,
Poindexter, of Washington. thar g..
tie labor leaders We're PROPOSING
eral strike in protest against a,,s..,
persecution of Thomas Mooney o..
others convicted of bomb PLOTTING =.
San Francisco resulted tonight IN
statement by Samuel Gompers. nre,;
dent Of the American Federation =.
Labor, declaring any attempt to init.
such strike would be in violation =.
union laws and repugnant to the rioht.
and interests of workers themseIv..
and would react against Mooney.
Mr.. Gompers's statement follov..
"The Vaccinations of the prosscn.
tion in the Mooney trial justify N.
judgment that he was found guilty on
perJured evidence. It is greatly "a.
grettable that the California courts
refused to consider this claim, which
was discovered since the trial. Evev
legal action has been and will be taken
by the bona fde labor movement Of
the United States to secure justice for
Mooney.
Violation of Union Law
"Any attempt to incite a strike Of the
workers of a trade or industry of A
locality, state or of the nation is not
only violative of the laws Of the ma.
tional and international unions of Amer.
lea, but is repugnant to the rights and
the interests of the workers them.
selves.
"Such an attempt either to incite or
order local or general strike is un-
justifiable and dangerously prejudcis
to the lives of our sons and brothers
fighting in France for the safety of the
homes, freedom and democracy the
world over. In addition, such an agil
tion as has been inaugurated can only
react against Mooney.
"Men of labor, let us, with all fair
minded citizens, endeavor to secure
justice for Mooney. but let us put
forth our efforts on line that will in
sure CONNIE ndation, not condemnation
coupled with failure"
Senator PoindeXter submitted a let
ter from Secretary James A. Duncan
of the Seattle Central Labor Union
saying referendum on the strike was
being circulated. He also presented a
resolution of Seattle trades unions de-
clarlng widespread suspicion" exists
among workmen that the bomb plot
CONVICTIONS were an attempt to dis
credit organized labor.
Denounces Movement
The movement, Senator Poindexter
declared, is in harmony with the Indus
trial Workers of the World. Bolshevik
and other international unrest. Re-
pudiating and denouncing leaders Of
the movement as not friends of labor
Senator Poindexter said:
The writer's of this threat to hold
up the government, to cut off supplies
from those deathless heroes who stand
between US and the German horror,
should be visited not only with the just
IMAGINATION OF an outraged public, but
with the punishment prescribed for
blackmall, disscyalty, sedition and trea.
son. 1t is an act of conspiracy to TO-
ment sedition and insurrecton both by
peaceful and violent means.
ut is moral treason. The act itself
beng worse than death-an unspeak-
able crlme-is deserving of the ex-
treme penalty of death. The threat to
commit 1t is a crime against the state
and the government These men
, should be arrested and dealt with IS
disloyal traitors"