The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-04-26
MIR. POINDEXTER
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Senator Miles Poindexter went
wild in the United States senate
last Monday and delivered philippe
against organized labor, which was
uncalled for, full of untruth and
beneath the dignity of man hold
ing the high position of United
States senator. He, evidently in
a state of high-excitement, uttered
false and damaging charge against
the trades unionists of Seattle, or
any other town in North America.
The thing which uncorked the Walls
of wrath which Mr.. PoindeXter
poured upon the heads of the union
workers was letter from James
NJ. Duncan, secretary of the Seattle
Central Labor Council, announcing
the proposed strike protest against
the execution of the death sentence
upon Thomas ]. Mooney.
The senator declared the movement
sis in harmony with the Industrial
"OIhtIS VI tlie NOIIu, DoiSlicNihiy
and other international unrest"
This is untrue as the proposed pro-
test against a judicial murder is
from trades unionsts who have re-
pudiated the l. w. w. just as strong
ly as any senator can do it.
The letter from Mr.. Duncan, has
not been published here. The res
olutions of the Seattle Central La
Dor Council have been read here and
the statement is made that "a
widespread suspicion" exists among
the workers that the San Francisco
bomb, explosion convictions were an
attempt to discredit organized labor
is putting it gently.
A conviction exists from the At
lSntic to the Pacific from the Great
Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico -
throughout this broad land-that
''frame-up" has been worked by the
San Francisco Chamber of Com
merce to discredit organized labor
through the conviction of Thomas
. J. Mooney and his cO-defendants.
Denouncing the leaders of the
movement as disloyal to labor SEN
ator Poindexter said:
"The writers of this threat to hold
up the government, to cut off the
supplies of those defenseless heroes
who stand between US and German
horrors, should be visited not only
with the just Indignation of an out
ragged public, but with the punish
ment prescribed for blackmail, dis
loyalty, sedition and treason. 1t is
an act of conspiracy to foment sed-
ton and instruction, both by peace
full and violent means.
1T is moral treason. The act it.
self being worse than death-an un-
speakable crime-is deserving the
extreme penalty of death The threat
to commit it is a crime against the
state and the government. These
men should be arrested and dealt
with as disloyal traitors"
No one has ever been authorized
by organized labor to write or say
anything that would call for such
utterances from Senator Poindexter
or any other man. If the senator
has letter or letters in his pos
session which would call from his
lips such an unjust, untrue and in
excusable denunciation of trades
unionists he is here asked to pub
lish it.
If Mr.. Poindexter or anyone else
declares that organized labor in this
country is disloyal he is either ignor-
ant of the position taken by organ
lied labor in this war or something
worse described by little word of
four letters.
There is not, nor has there been
any disposition to or any attempt |
made to "hold up" the government
in this Mooney matter. The strike
if called at all land it may not bel
will last only for a day, perhaps an
hour.
The highest officer of the United |
States government has asked elem
ency for Tom Mooney, based on a
report by his mediation commission
that Mooney should have a new trial
on account of the character and tes-
timony of witness for the prosecution.
The trial Judge is loath In pa ]