The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-10-29
Did 1t to oblige W. M. Rog-
ers, States Federation
Head. :.
ACTED AS INDIVIDUAL
Truth Came Out When
BARRIERS Got Together
Last Night.

ReboundlnS very aWkWardly BOOM
erang flew into the Democratic camp
last night when the secretary of the
Local BARRIERS Union. 675. of Fair
mont, after a meeting with fellow
craftsmen issued a statement to the
affect that he was not acting as our
officer OF the union when he signed
the so called endorsement OF c ".
Watson, for Z. S. Senate on the Dem
oc-atic ticket. This is the first of
similar actions to be taken by other
trades unions in the city. it IS report
ed.
Union labor filed stirring protest
yesterday all over the county against
tae statement made in a page adver-
tisment which lauded the labor record
OF President Wilson ard ;rcid"at'v
endorsed c. ". Watson who iispledg-
ed to support Wilson yesterday.
Practically all laborfnS men are up
in arms because they know full well
the treatment they received in the
past in the Fairmont district. Num-
bered among them are large number
OF miners.
Because of the "Gu" no formal
meeting OF the BARRIERS Union could
be held last night. but the members
gathered to nav their dues over a
short space Of time. Hardly had the
members reached the room until some
Of them demanded Of E. E Clemens.
secretary OF the union, by whose auth
ority and WHY he signed the endorse
ment OF c. ". Watson.
The first spokesman said, What
do YOU mean by this. Clemens" as
he drew forth copy OF the Times"
and pointed to the place where Glenn
ems name appeared. "T never en-
dorsed him, &C. W. watson) was
Clemens reply Another member
said. I'VE want to know on whose
authority you did this? This was
never done nv the local at an~ or its
meetings" Mr.. Clemens finally was
permitted to offer N EXPLANATION "a
to why signature apeared and ne
said: Bill Rogers handed me the
paper" A member soon shouted
make statement" which was sus-
gested to clear the skirts Of the Bar
bers union. one OF themembers de
claring that he had man leave the
chair in his shop already.
Mr.. Clemens said that he preferred
see w. NJ. Rogers. President OF the
State Federation OF Labor. OF this CITY,
before making a statement This Is
between you and u.s." exclaimed one
OF the members OF the union.
From what was said 1t could be
cleaned that the paper on which en-
dorsements were made had been hano-
ed to Rogers by Tusca Morris AFTER
a time the members made Mr. Glenn
ems admit that he had no authority
from the local union signing the
endorsement, which he said ne
(C1emens) had signed as an individual
Mr.. Clemens protested his innocence
of any wrong doing and said. 81 am
misrepresented. did not sign the !
endorsement After promising the |
members OF the BARRIERS Union to |
make statement the argument ceas-
ed.
Later in the evening Mr.. Clemens !
made the statement printed elsewhere
In the presence Of witnesses Of his
own craft
Before he signed the statement Mr..
Clemens 'phoned the residence OF W.
NJ. Rogers and endeavored to con-
verse with him over the line. He was
Informed that Mr.. Rogers was out of
the city and would not return from
Huntington until the end of the week
He had proposed to tell Rogers just
what was what and how Rogers had
steered him in bad.
NJ. clemens declared 70 the mem
berS that he did not get a piece Of
money for the endorsement, and was
anxious to square himself with the
members because he admitted he had
been victimized. According to Mr.
Clemens Rogers called upon him sew
eral times to have him sign up. Prob
ably two weeks ago Rogers called
with the paper in his hand and asked
him (Clemens) to sign it, saying, cit
don't amount to anything and it won't
be published. Mr.. Clemens said the
one of the. chief reasons he signed
was because Of its reference to Presi
dent Wilson'S labor record and he was
peeved when he found that Rogers
himself and remained In the back
Sround on the proposition and made
other people tho goats
MI. Clemens further stated that he
had implicit faith in Rogers as I'M
ion labor man and signed the paper
largely on Rogers solicitation. think
ing It wasnot out OF place to do so
In fairness to Mr.. Clemens Il must
be stated that he desired to come
clean on the proposition and his fel-l
Local NJosT,<s ri.