New-York tribune., 1919-08-07
American Leader Attacks
.sMade in Germany" Pro-
eramme and Defends
Charter Framed in Paris
+ Supported by British
amsterdam Congress Votes
Internationalism Ian
for Washington Meeting
Netr York Tribune
Special Gable Serrice

AMSTERDAM, August 6.-The elev-
.,.h hour brought with it fight which
-, the hottest of all the torrid ses-
.;ans Of the Congress of the Interna-
sonal Federation OF Trade Unions. 1t
.ms late after an all day discussion
Il the Washington conference, follow
ns a statement by Legien, the German
,ader. who said that any one who
sotsd against the resolution as pre-
e,,ed By the committee would really
b. supporting the capitalists Samuel
Gonpers, who with the British dele
e,tes had intimated earlier in the ses-
sion that he intended to oppose the
resolution, Immediately replied:
u throw that back into his teeth
md say that man who would sup
port Kaiserisn in this war is a spokes-
man of Kaserism, militarism and
sutocracy. A man who has the audac-
ity to come here and say he had been
deceived, tricked and betrayed when
al the world knew that the system of
Eaiserism was trying to dominate the
rorId-that spokesman does not even
NOW that Deutschland Uber Allies
does not go any more
That is not true interrupted
Legien-
You DO not know what truth is" re-
torted Mr.. Gompers-
Congress in Uproar
In moment the whole hall was in
an uproar, every one shouting What
about internationalism ?" Finally the
chairman obtained order and Mr. Com
pers continued with his appeal for the
elision Of the clause in the resolution
which made it binding upon all ma
,onal centres to adopt its provisions.
Two amendments were offered, only the
Americans supporting the Gompers
suggestion that the decision of the In
ernational should not be binding upon
the action of national federations. A
British amendment which would substi-
tute national programmes for the
Berne formula also found only the
Americans in its favor though the Bel
gians and Czecho- -Slovaks abstained
from voting.
The resolutions as originally intro
duced were finally adopted with the
Americans in the minority. Hereafter
this becomes the policy of the Inter
national Whether European countries
will be represented at the Washington
conference depends upon what changes
are made in the Washington arrange
ments between now and the date Of
the conference
A committee composed OF a repre-
sentative of each country at the Con
gress presented a report declaring that
the labor charter met hardly a single
point accepted by the Berne conference
Of last February. which was not at
tended by any American delegates.
Uphold Berne Programme
The committee report said shat
though it recognized that the labor
charter might be the basis of a league
Of peoples, the Congress was unwill-
ing to cooperate with Washington un-
less: First. representatives of trade
union movements in all countries we're
invited and admitted without exception;
second. that the delegates must be ap-
pointed by movements affiliated with
The International
The committee urged the Congress
to fight at Washington for the adop-
uon of the Berne programme in its
entirety and make it a labor charter;
mat the delegates to Washington
should be elected on the basis of one
delegate from the government, one
rom the workers and one from the
employers, also that all divisions
should be made by majority rather
man by two-thirds vote, as stipulated
N the labor charter Finally the
Committee doolo-1I
lion should be binding upon all ma
fonal centres represented on the In
ternatlonal.
'ouhoux, the French delegate, who
Is secretary of the committee, urged
'ae ne adoption unanimously so as to
snow that the spirit of International
sm IN existed Stuart Dunning. the Brit
ssn representative of the Parliament
rary Trade Union Congress, said the
!a,nglish were in full sympathy with
me me spirit of the resolution, especial
y with the clauses demanding the ad-
mission of all countries, but, because
ne Washington conference marked the
oeg'nning of a new era, the English
.acught 1T advisable to go to Washing
Ia and make the fight there for the
SCoJects stated in the resolution. Mr.
uompers said that NJ. Jouhoux must
somit that no one fought harder than
I ne at Paris for repre- esentation as out
.uec IN the resolution, and agreed that
majority rather than two-thirds
saaouia De the voting basis. but the
nnericans opposed the Berne pro-
Plan Made in Germany"
lney were not present at that con-
-rfence. and It's fiDdipoc raro pot b,DI
ag upuon them he said. A close ex-
sbhiinatlon shirltlon of the Berne programme
ccacn' ne stated, had been made in
~ "a any shows that it falls far short
VI the the labor charter.
DIS Il Intended" he asked "to force
lr.eh lLvsh the throats of Americans a reso-
4.Ion made in Germany and adnnted