Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-14
NATIONAL. LABOR
PARTY IGNORED BY
AT. OF |. CHIEFS
Declaration of Principles
Opposes Cummins Anti
Strike Clause.

OppUScS OuIIiIIIIIIS Hiiti-
Strike Clause.
| Unqualified stand against bolshev-
ism in it's ranks. opposition to the
anti-strike clause in the Cummfns
railroad bill and ignoring of the new
national labor party were features of
the conference of presidents Of labor
unions affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor last night.
A declaration of principles" out
lining the position Of the federation
heads, was adopted.
An attempt on the part Of a few
delegates to get the conference to
recognize the national, labor party
was promptly sidetracked. President
! Gompers, who was presiding. declared
the motion out of order.
! In the declaration Of principles,
workers are urged to seek redress
for their grievances by exerting> "po-
| litical pressure" 1t was carefully
explained that the laborites will de
feat their enemies and elect their
listing political parties. and by this
action place their stamp of disap-
| prevail on the new national labor
party.
Stand Against Bolshevfsm.
| The resolution "prohibiting boil
| shevism within the ranks of the fed
GRAFTON" was introduced by William
Union of Bricklayers. Stonemasons
and Plasterers. George L. Berry.
president of the Interna tional Union
| of Printing Freshmen and Assistants
said he would fire every bolshevist
or any one attempting to put across
| radical nFOna 09Dda" nf hiu
! Other delegates said they would do
| the same.
Issues which face union labor re-
| ton said. 1t denounces the use of in
junction proceedings in the mine
strike and criticises the ''usurpatf0AI
OF Unconstitutional authority. by the
| approval of President Samuel Gompers
Of the American Federation Of Labor
Numerous resolutions were intro
| duceG, and many attempts were made
to change the draft without success.
Radical activities were condemned
by the conference and workers were
urged to aid in stamping out de
! structive elements" in their own
! ranks. At the same time dangers that
/ lay. on the other side were noted.
more and more to infringe upon the
/ rights of the wage Garner and deny
! to him the right to cease work." the.
! declaration said. The "perversion and
abuse of the writ of Injunction" was
] enumerated among these.
| Favors Holding Railroads.
The declaration urges Congress to
enact legislation retaining the rail-
roads under federal control for Eat
least two years after January l. 1920"
to permit detailed study of the sit
uation and save the country IAN
other increase in transportation
! rates"
living basis was strongly disapproved
| by the conference.
That idea is pernicious and in
tolerable." the declaration said Tt
means putting progress in chains and
liberty in letters. 1t means fixing
standard of life and liberty which
must remain fixed"
| While labor has shown to the world
the faults of it's opponents. it has
s nGae IT IT s its 0n the
scious of its duty and desires that its
increased productivity be used for
service and not alone for profits"
Its program would aid in supplying
the world needs, the declaration adds,
if it's members could be something
more than mere numbers on a book"
The United States Steel Corporation
was cited as one whose "autocratic
give way to the new form and new
relations between employer and en-
ploye.
Labor fully understands that
powerful interests are at work today
to achieve reaction in industry il
possible" the declaration continued
They seek to disband or cripple the
organizations of workers. But labor
must be and will be militant in the
struggle to combat these sinister in
} f1nenCeS and tendencies
permit reduction in the standard
of living nor will it consent to a
reaction toward autocratic control In
this, it feels it is performing a public
1 service"
Defend Right to Organize.
The right of federal. state and
municipal employees to organize and
affiliate with the American Federation
of Labor also was defended. Interests
of those workers, the statement
argued, could best be promoted
through legislation and administra-
ton, but their rights must be safe
guarded fully through their own
organizations
Adoption Of the peace treaty was
urged that peoples may know to
, whom they owe allegiance. boundaries
may regain the lost voltage"
| I'VE feel that we cannot with honor
and humanity maintain a policy of
isolation and disinterestedness from
the distress and sufferings of the Eu-
ropean peoples" the declaration said.
Even If the necessity of those people
did not have a compelling appeal, the
inter-related economic interests of
the world would prevent our limiting
our attention solely to the western
. hemisphere"
The treaty's labor provisions were
Endorsed and it was declared that
only through them could the standard
, of working conditions throughout the
world be lifted.
= Labor's proposals. submitted to
President Wilson's first industrial
, conference, were reiterated and the
, attitude and action of the employers
, group at that conference bitterly as
sailed small majority" in that
, group was charged with the failure OF
2 the conference in which labor had
E made sincere effort to aid in end
D ing unrest, the declaration said
~ 000 Rnshe1s of Pofat oes Rurn