Evening star., 1919-07-29
|AMER|eAN.IN CLASH
AT LABOR MEETING
Tobin Defends U. S. Capital
in.; -War-Mr.. Gompers
Hits Lusitania Views.
By the Associated Press.

AMSTERDAM. July 2s.-The first real
| session Of the International Trades
| Union Congress opened this afternoon
under the presidency OF NJ. oudegeest Of
| the Dutch Federation.
The statement of M. Oudegeest in
his address that "the capitaiistic sys-
| TENS of all countries were responsible
for the war; was vigorously protest
ed by the American delegate, Tobin,
who contended that'"the monarchistic
and militaristic elements of Germany
and Austria Hungary were solely ana
entirely responsible"
Oudegeest, after declaring that re-
sponsibility for the war rested with
the capitalists. said 1T was INTENDED
to discuss measures for checking
capitalistic systems in order to pre-
vent a renewal of the devastatioas OF
war He continued:
"The second task is to discuss a,
labor. charter, particularly from the
standpoint Of whether 1t meets the
wishes and desires of the labor
classes" He said the commission ap-
pointed for the purpose had not yet
reported on the resolution Of Herr
Sassenbach, q German socialist. which
explained the attitude of German
workers during and since the war;
Tobin' s Protest..
Tobin in the course of his protest
said: "The American delegates will
subscribe to no declarations that cap
italistic elements were responsible for
Carl Legien, president of the Ger
man federation OF trades unions. as
serted that the. militaristic elements
OF America were. just as responsipiett
President oudegesst sst,,,d saiS De- ths. dis.
cnssed ] tomorrow. The congress then
adjourned to- be later received nS the
town council.
The attitude of the Germans and the
protests already made agains. u, ~ 1ase rs,r
ther keen disputes in the next rev
o1ys R.telegrsm has been received from
the Italian delegates stating tnat as
the French authorities had relosea 20
wise the Italians passports they were
unable to attend They protested
against the French action. Leon
Jouhaux, one Of the French repre-
sentatives, proposed that an energetic
protest should De sent S 20 tne rexs rr1hs that
the facts were as stated in the
message. ~
Protest French Action.
PARIS, July ss.-The General Fedora
ton Of Labor has issued a protest
against the refusal Of the French gov
ernnaent to wise the passports of dele
gates of the Italian labor organizations
going to the socialist congress at
Amsterdam.
Series Of Accusations.
AMSTERDAM. SATURDAY. July 2s.-,
The, preliminary. gathering today Of the
International Trades Union Congress
developed series Of accusations by
Belgian American, English end French
delegates .a&ainst the German workers
for -the1e conduct duriniI the war. This
led to sharp recf1hinations sby both
sides. - -,s- u.
Carl Rudolph Legien. president Of the
German Federation aof. Trades Unions,
defended the entire policy Of the Ger
man trade unionists, which he said had
been absolutely correct. declaring their
position prevented their protsse1ns, 70
added that they all the time were under
the impression that they were fighting
defensive war. ~ -
I'VE did what We thought wa. right
to help the Beisian ~works.s: ~ Lesisn ger
licly We tried to retain the influence Of
the government and effect ameltora-
tions.r 81
The impression seemed to prevail
among. the delegates that Legien,s
statement constituted q haltfng apology.
Samuel Gompers. president OF the
American Federation Of Labor. fol-
lowed Legion. He recalled that Legien.
In the course Of q speech. had defend
ed the sinking Of the Lusitanfa. Mr..
Gompers told the Germans that they