Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-18
GENERAL
 STRIKE
 ORDERED
For July 4th, Designed to Paralyze I n d u S tr y, If Other Means Fail.

Chicago, Jan. 17.--A general strike of organized labor designed to para iyze every industry in the country be- nlng the fourth of next July was de- clded upon today by the National Labor Congress as means of obtain ing a new trial for Thomas J. Mooney and Warren Billings, if Federal inter ventlon and every other means adopt ] ed to procure the desired relief fails The convention authorized the rais- i ing of fund of $1 100000 carry on campaign of education to liberate the labor leaders and to promote the ! proposed general strike. It is plan ned to finance the movement by levy ing an assessment of 50 cents on every member of organized labor in the country.
 The convention, which concluded it's four day session tonight and adjourn ed, also adopted resolution embody- ing declaration of national policies affecting labor which demands that the people of Russia and Germany be permitted to work out their own des- tiny, that American troops be with drawn from Russia, that all political and industrial prisoners receive the same consideration as prisoners of War and proclaiming the dawn of a new day for the democracy in which the rights of labor shall be fully recognized.
 The convention adopted the pro- gram recommended by the Inter- national Workers Defense League to obtain the liberation of Mooney and Billings, which was presented to the delegates in the final reports of the committee on resolutions. It provid- ed that 9 committee of five labor rep resertatives be named to go to Wash ington and ask President Wilson and members of Congress for Federal in- tervention.
 Committee to Visit President.
 Chairman Edward D. Nolan, named on the committee to undertake this work: James Fitzpatrick, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor: AL exander Howat, President of the Kan sas District, United Mine Workers, of American; Martin, J. Flysick, Presi- dent of the Washington District Uni ted Mine Workers of America; J. H. Anderson, Washington, D. C., vice president of the Association of Mach inists, and Andrew Furesth, San Fran cisco, President of the International Seamens' Union.
 The committee will ask that a spec ial assistant United States attorney be appointed to obtain Mooney's and Billings release, by habeas corpus or other means, in order that they may have new trials in court outside of California. .,,
 The Legislature of California will be asked to pass law which will en- able the courts of that state to grant new trials in cases where convictions are obtained by perjured evidence or other fraudulent means.
 If these means fail, then organized albor will be asked to call the general strike. The plan of the International Workers Defense League is that the general strike will not be called unless every other means to secure the labor leaders release has failed.
 Mooney's Resolution.
 The report of the resolution on the Mooney case reads in part:
 "Your committee recommends that the taking of a strike vote commence aft the earliest possible date and that th;s convention request all national and international officers to submit this question to referendum vote in accordance with the constitutions of their organizations, and that the vote shall be in and tabulated on or before June 1st. and that the date for the general strike be set for the fourth ot July, 1919, the day of American inde- pendence."
 will be asked to endorse the general strike at it's next annual convention.
 The Mooney case program resulted in fiery debate lasting five hours, in the course of which radical delegates ionnosed the sending of committed to Washington to ask federal inter. vention and demanded that the date o1 inc general strike be set for May 1st The conservatives finally succeeded ir hav;np the committee report adopted hv a vote of more than two to one Tn the discussion President Wilson'ss name was hissed and July 4th was sneeringlv referred to as "the mas
 Later William Spooner, of Oakland California, paid tribute to President Wilson for his sympathetic attitude to- ward labor and the concentration, bA v ~ r;s;ng vote, extended thanks to the chief executive for his efforts to ob tain Moonev's release. William Kobbs. of Boston. said tha' lahor had often been damned by un considered strikes and he warned thu inc radicals that the Mooney strike n,;cht fail if it was called for May lst ,y;thout sufficient time to organic the movement properly.
 At one stage in the discussion, western delegates shouted; n
 eve will stop every wheel m tn' land and make the country look hK'